The screen usually belongs to the men. In Akka, directed by debutant Dharmaraj Shetty, the Western Ghats belong to the women. Set in the fictional 1980s town of Perunuru, this YRF Entertainment production flips the script on the traditional crime thriller. Here, an all-female syndicate controls the trade, and the men? They bow. It’s a bold premise that leans heavily into its setting, creating a world that feels both alien and deeply rooted in South Indian tradition.
The heart of the show is the collision between Bhavani (Keerthy Suresh) and Rudra (Radhika Apte). Keerthy holds the fort, protecting an 800-year-old empire with a mix of vulnerability and stone-cold fierceness. Radhika, meanwhile, waltzes in as a mysterious outsider with a vengeance on her mind. Their confrontations are the series’ best asset—tense, sharp, and punctuated by stylish, gun-toting action that keeps the pace tight across the five episodes.
Production designer Laxmi Keluskar deserves a standing ovation. The visual texture of Perunuru is lush, capturing the era with a precision that makes the setting a character in itself. Costumes by Sheetal Sharma frame the matriarchs in a way that feels timeless, grounding the high-stakes drama in tangible reality. It’s not just a backdrop; it’s a world that breathes.
The writing avoids the trap of heavy-handed preaching. Instead, it uses dialogue like "Pehda karo, but sambhal ke" to show a society where a girl child is prayed for, not pitied. The narrative is tight, with no wasted frames, though the final two episodes really find their footing. If you like your crime dramas with a twist of mythology and a female gaze, this is a must-watch.