‘Brown’ Series Review: Karisma Kapoor, Jisshu Sengupta, Surya Sharma Serve Masterclass in Acting in Gripping Murder Mystery (LatestLY Exclusive)
In gripping murder mystery 'Brown', Karisma Kapoor delivers a fine performance as Rita Brown, the lady detective in her forties who has personal tragedies and alcoholism to deal with. It was about time this darling of the nineties got roles that matched her mettle! Together with Jisshu U Sengupta and Surya Sharma, Karisma Kapoor serves an acting masterclass.
It is a proven fact that most films or television/web series based on a book are better to watch than the ones based on a loose script. The new ZEE5 web series, Brown, is another web series in the category. Based on a book City of Death by Abheek Barua, Brown has its characters etched out to the T, with viewers wanting to know more about each of them. Brown is also an ode to the city of Kolkata and its bylanes, its music and culture. Karisma Kapoor makes a remarkable comeback as a lead star with Brown, simply showing Bollywood newbies what acting is all about! The other actors in the series are equally adept at their art. Let’s see how she fares as Rita Brown and what Brown is all about.
What Is ‘Brown’ Web Series About?
Last seen in the character of Shehnaz Noorani in another murder mystery, the 2024 Netflix film Murder Mubarak, Karisma Kapoor drives the web series Brown. In the whodunit, she leads the investigation as brilliant lady cop Rita Brown, who has had her set of controversies. Rita Brown is called back on duty as the new DC-DD (Deputy Commissioner - Detective Department) of Kolkata Police by the West Bengal chief minister to handle a sensitive case. She has to investigate the brutal beheading of Ahana Jaiswal (Vaibhavi Malhotra), the step-daughter of a powerful Kolkata businessman Dheeraj Jaiswal (Ajinkya Deo), daughter of Nonnie Jaiswal (Meghna Malik), and the step-sister of Sanjay Jaiswal (Paresh Pahuja).
Just when the mystery is about to be solved, things get murkier and more characters are introduced, like psychiatrist Dr Sandip Chakraborty (Jisshu U Sengupta). Rita Brown being the ace detective she is, can guess that the suspect rounded up, Saikat (Aryann Bhowmick), is not the murderer. In the politics of the case, Brown is removed from the investigation. Only to be brought back when a similar killing follows, and now the hunt is on for a serial killer. Will he/she be caught and how?
‘Brown’ – Ode to Kolkata
Brown, the series, shows Kolkata, the City of Joy, rather as a City of Grim. A different aspect of Kolkata is seen rather than the usual monuments or Durga Puja processions. Add to that the lilting Bengali melodies used in the series are soothing to the ear. The stylish neo-noir series does well for itself.
'Brown' Launch Trailer - Watch Video:
Performances and Characters in ‘Brown’
Karisma Kapoor delivers a fine performance as Rita Brown, the lady detective in her forties who has personal tragedies and alcoholism to deal with. It was about time this darling of the nineties got roles that matched her mettle! One can’t take one’s eyes off Karisma Kapoor as Rita Brown, delivering a powerful performance. Together with Jisshu U Sengupta who plays psychiatrist Dr Sandip Chakraborty, Karisma Kapoor serves a masterclass in acting in Brown. Both seasoned actors are extraordinary. ‘Brown’ Teaser: Karisma Kapoor Turns Into Fierce Cop in Upcoming Web Series (Watch Video).
As said earlier, each of the characters in the show is well-written, with their personal journeys showcased. Rita Brown is aided in the case by Inspector Arjun Sinha (a brilliant Surya Sharma), who supports her, protects her from unknown threats, and respects her for her investigative skills. While Rita Brown struggles with her demons of love and loss by being addicted to alcohol and cigarette smoking, Arjun Sinha has his own battles of love and loss to deal with.
Singer-actor Shaan joins in as Rita Brown’s late husband, appearing in her hallucinations as a pleasant presence. Senior Bollywood actress Soni Razdan as Rita’s mother Janice Brown and veteran actress-dancer Helen as the aunt bring the much-needed humour and warmth to the lady cop’s family life in the dark web series. The other characters, like the family members and friends of the deceased, have their own troubles and dark shades to their personality that they hide. This adds to the intrigue of the murder cases. Each character in Brown is human and flawed, and therefore could be the criminal. Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan Turn Up in Style for Karisma Kapoor's 'Brown' Screening in Mumbai.
'Brown' Series - Verdict and Rating
In the midst of a daily true crime series Crime Patrol, and fictional CID with countless national and international detective series, Brown is still a gripping murder mystery that keeps you hooked till the end. A second season, if any, would be a good idea to establish a Rita Brown franchise.
While some viewers may find the detective series predictable, it’s actually not as predictable as you may think. It is to be kept in mind that the visual clues being given to the viewers are not being seen by the onscreen investigators. They are doing a fine job of being sleuths, although they may falter at some points. Nevertheless, Brown serves an ace for those interested in crime thrillers that come with individual psychological warfare in the minds of the protagonists and antagonists. Catch it on streaming on ZEE5.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 08, 2026 02:45 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
