Ronkini Bhavan review: Repetition and excessive preaching

ZEE5’s Ronkini Bhavan arrives with an intriguing premise and all the ingredients of a compelling psychological thriller, but despite its ambition, the series struggles to live up to its potential. Set in the mid-1990s, the story follows Juthika (Shyamoupti Mudly), a newly married woman who enters her husband’s ancestral mansion only to discover a disturbing history of vanished brides and a family that hides behind superstition and silence. What begins as an eerie mystery gradually turns into a predictable and overstretched narrative.

While the idea of exploring inherited trauma and patriarchal control is relevant, Ronkini Bhavan handles these themes with little subtlety. The show repeatedly explains its core ideas instead of trusting the audience to connect the dots. The so-called curse linked to the ancestral goddess Ronkini Devi initially creates intrigue, but the suspense soon weakens as the series leans heavily on familiar tropes of haunted houses, oppressive families, and conveniently placed revelations.

Director Abhrajit Sen creates a gloomy atmosphere, but the pacing becomes a major issue. Several episodes feel unnecessarily prolonged, with scenes lingering far longer than required. The tension that should steadily escalate instead plateaus midway, making the seven-episode format feel bloated rather than gripping.

Performances are uneven. Shyamoupti Mudly brings sincerity to Juthika, but her character arc feels repetitive, oscillating between fear and defiance without much progression. Bidipta Chakraborty’s Padmavati is meant to be chilling, yet the writing turns her into a symbolic mouthpiece for trauma rather than a fully fleshed-out antagonist. Gourab Roy Chowdhury provides support but remains largely underwritten.

Despite flashes of emotional depth, Ronkini Bhavan ultimately becomes weighed down by its own seriousness. What could have been a sharp psychological thriller ends up as a sluggish, overly explanatory drama that mistakes heaviness for impact. For viewers seeking genuine thrills, the experience may feel more exhausting than haunting.