Movie Name : Panchanama
Streaming Date : September 11, 2026
Streaming Platform : ZEE5
123telugu.com Rating : 2.25/5
Starring : Bharath Niwas, Shivaji Raja, Medha Reddy, Charan Babu and others
Director : Mohan Srivatsa
Producers : Midde Vijayendra Mouli, Udaya Bhanu
Music Directors : Naresh Kumaran
Cinematographer : Sandeep Kanth.N
Editor : Srinivas Bainaboyina
Related Links : Trailer
Premisthe fame Bharath Srinivasan makes his Telugu OTT debut with Panchanama, which has Udaya Bhanu, a senior television host as its showrunner. The six-episode series is now streaming on ZEE5. Here’s our review.
Story:
Adhi (Charan Babu) shares a brother-like bond with CI Jairam (Bharath Srinivasan). When Adhi is found dead in his hostel, Jairam takes up the case and begins investigating. But things take a shocking turn when he discovers that Adhi’s fingerprints match those of two other people who are also dead – and all three deaths happened on the same day. How can three dead people have the same fingerprints? Who is behind these mysterious deaths, and what is the motive? Can Jairam crack the case and catch the killer? The series reveals the answers.
Plus Points:
Panchanama gets off to an intriguing start. The fingerprint mystery and the seemingly unrelated deaths immediately raise several questions, leaving viewers to speculate about the connection between the victims. This initial setup creates curiosity and gives the series a promising foundation.
Bharath Srinivasan maintains the seriousness required for the role throughout the series. He fits the part of a police officer well and delivers a satisfactory performance, with a few moments where he manages to make an impression.
Minus Points:
Crime thrillers with a medical backdrop are not new to Telugu audiences. With a familiar premise, the writing and execution need to offer something compelling to keep viewers invested. Unfortunately, this is where Panchanama begins to falter.
The initial mystery raises enough questions, but the screenplay fails to sustain that curiosity. The investigation gradually loses momentum, and the proceedings rarely generate the suspense or tension that a crime thriller of this nature demands. The team attempts to build intrigue, but the weak screenplay repeatedly gets in the way. The emotional layer also fails to make the desired impact.
A crime thriller needs to keep the audience invested as the investigation progresses, and Panchanama struggles to achieve that for most of its runtime. By the time the villain is revealed, the impact is considerably diminished because the story has already lost much of its momentum. The revelation therefore fails to deliver the excitement one would expect from such a crucial moment.
Bharath Srinivasan could have done better. While he maintains the seriousness expected of a police officer, his performance often feels too stiff, with limited emotional variation. The character needed more ease and stronger emotional depth, particularly as the investigation becomes increasingly personal.
The story also introduces several characters and connections as it progresses, making the narrative somewhat difficult to follow at times. The supporting actors have their respective roles, but none of them delivers a standout performance. Once again, the writing limits what the actors can bring to their characters.
Technical Aspects:
Director Mohan Srivatsa fails to turn the promising premise into an engaging crime thriller. The biggest problem lies in the screenplay, which needed to be tighter and more effective in building suspense. With stronger writing and a more focused treatment, the series could have been a much more gripping watch.
Naresh Kumaran’s score feels repetitive in places, while certain gaps in the background score give the impression of an unfinished treatment. Srinivas Bainaboyina’s editing could have been sharper and more precise, particularly in maintaining the pace of the investigation. Sandeep Kanth N’s cinematography is adequate but does not add much to the atmosphere of the thriller. The production values are passable.
Verdict:
On the whole, Panchanama is a disappointing series that starts on an okay note but loses its grip as it progresses. Bharath is okay among the actors, while the screenplay could have been tighter and more engaging. The series has an interesting premise, but the execution doesn’t fully do justice to it. You can look for other options this weekend.
123telugu.com Rating: 2.25/5
Reviewed by 123telugu Team