Kanneda S01
Director: Chandan Arora (also writer) with additional writing by Sandeep Jain and Rajiv Walia
Cast: Parmish Verma (Nirmal “Nimma” Chahal), Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub (Rawat), Ranvir Shorey (Ranjit Bajwa), Arunoday Singh (Sarabjit), Aadar Malik (Daljeet), Jasmin Bajwa (Harleen)
Kanneda Season 1 (2025) is a gritty Hindi-language crime drama that traces the turbulent journey of Nirmal “Nimma” Chahal (Parmish Verma), a Punjabi migrant in 1990s Vancouver. After fleeing the trauma of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Nimma arrives in Canada seeking opportunity—but instead collides with systemic racism, cultural isolation, and the seduction of gang life. PinkvillaWikipedia
Helmed by Chandan Arora, who also penned the script alongside Sandeep Jain and Rajiv Walia, the eight‑episode series unfolds as a rapid‐paced descent into power and desperation. Nimma’s raw ambition propels him into the criminal underworld: first surviving betrayal, addiction, and gang wars, then rising toward a fragile empire. Tough moral choices and street politics push him toward violence and eventual reckoning. Pinkvilla+9M9.news+9Wikipedia+9
Parmish Verma delivers a charismatic, emotionally charged performance as Nimma, balancing ambition with vulnerability. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub adds gravitas as Rawat, the narcotics officer narrating Nimma’s downfall. The ensemble—including Arunoday Singh as the ruthless Sarabjit, Ranvir Shorey as the manipulative powerbroker Ranjit Bajwa, and Aadar Malik and Jasmin Bajwa in key supporting roles—bolsters the world of struggle, music, and betrayal. Pinkvilla+10M9.news+10Wikipedia+10
Visually, Kanneda deploys Rajeev Ravi’s muted cinematography and gritty production design to evoke Vancouver’s underbelly. It weaves musical interludes—Nimma’s rap lyrics and background score—into its emotional texture, though critics note some underwhelming musical choices. Indiatimes+12M9.news+12IMDb+12
Thematically, the series explores identity, ambition, racial exclusion, and the immigrant struggle to survive. While its tone and premise aim for raw authenticity, many critics argue the storytelling lacks emotional resonance and features clichéd character arcs and pacing issues. The execution feels authentic yet uneven. M9.newsBollyy
Reception has been polarized: India Today rated it 4 / 5 stars as an ambitious immigrant crime saga, praising Verma’s performance; others labeled it one-dimensional and emotionally distant. Viewers on Reddit offered scathing critiques, calling it stereotypical or overwrought, though some applauded its ambition and cultural relevance. India TodayIMDbReddit
Overall, Kanneda Season 1 is a bold yet flawed crime drama—anchored by strong performances and social context, but hampered by inconsistent writing. It is a compellingly raw portrayal of triumphant and tragic aspirations within Canada’s Punjabi diaspora.
Kanneda Season 1 (2025) is a gritty Hindi-language crime drama that traces the turbulent journey of Nirmal “Nimma” Chahal (Parmish Verma), a Punjabi migrant in 1990s Vancouver. After fleeing the trauma of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, Nimma arrives in Canada seeking opportunity—but instead collides with systemic racism, cultural isolation, and the seduction of gang life. PinkvillaWikipedia
Helmed by Chandan Arora, who also penned the script alongside Sandeep Jain and Rajiv Walia, the eight‑episode series unfolds as a rapid‐paced descent into power and desperation. Nimma’s raw ambition propels him into the criminal underworld: first surviving betrayal, addiction, and gang wars, then rising toward a fragile empire. Tough moral choices and street politics push him toward violence and eventual reckoning. Pinkvilla+9M9.news+9Wikipedia+9
Parmish Verma delivers a charismatic, emotionally charged performance as Nimma, balancing ambition with vulnerability. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub adds gravitas as Rawat, the narcotics officer narrating Nimma’s downfall. The ensemble—including Arunoday Singh as the ruthless Sarabjit, Ranvir Shorey as the manipulative powerbroker Ranjit Bajwa, and Aadar Malik and Jasmin Bajwa in key supporting roles—bolsters the world of struggle, music, and betrayal. Pinkvilla+10M9.news+10Wikipedia+10
Visually, Kanneda deploys Rajeev Ravi’s muted cinematography and gritty production design to evoke Vancouver’s underbelly. It weaves musical interludes—Nimma’s rap lyrics and background score—into its emotional texture, though critics note some underwhelming musical choices. Indiatimes+12M9.news+12IMDb+12
Thematically, the series explores identity, ambition, racial exclusion, and the immigrant struggle to survive. While its tone and premise aim for raw authenticity, many critics argue the storytelling lacks emotional resonance and features clichéd character arcs and pacing issues. The execution feels authentic yet uneven. M9.newsBollyy
Reception has been polarized: India Today rated it 4 / 5 stars as an ambitious immigrant crime saga, praising Verma’s performance; others labeled it one-dimensional and emotionally distant. Viewers on Reddit offered scathing critiques, calling it stereotypical or overwrought, though some applauded its ambition and cultural relevance. India TodayIMDbReddit
Overall, Kanneda Season 1 is a bold yet flawed crime drama—anchored by strong performances and social context, but hampered by inconsistent writing. It is a compellingly raw portrayal of triumphant and tragic aspirations within Canada’s Punjabi diaspora.