Arabia Kadali, the latest Telugu original on Prime Video, is directed by V.V. Surya Kumar and created by Krish Jagarlamudi. It’s about the lives of fishermen caught in the web of geopolitics and personal struggles. Released on August 7, 2025 this 8 episode 4 hour 49 minutes series offers a new perspective on the Andhra Pradesh fishermen, even if it’s a familiar terrain. Satyadev and Anandhi are good, but the show balances raw emotion with socio political commentary, but falters under the weight of predictable storytelling.
A Story of Survival and Solidarity
Arabia Kadali is about Nuragala Badiri (Satyadev) an educated fisherman from Chepalawada and Ganga (Anandhi), a schoolteacher from Matsyawada. The series is based on real life incidents that happened in 2018 when fishermen from Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, crossed into Pakistani waters and were detained for almost 2 years. The story follows Badiri and his fellow fishermen who migrate to Gujarat for work as they are lured by the promise of better catches in the Arabian Sea. But a storm hits their boat and they are arrested in Pakistani waters on charges of espionage.
The show has two main conflicts: the external struggle of the fishermen in a hostile environment and the internal rivalry between their home villages, sparked by a petty dispute over fishing gear. This village feud, which seems trivial at first, mirrors the larger India-Pakistan tensions and draws a beautiful metaphor for division and eventual unity. As the fishermen face brutal treatment in Pakistani jails, their shared suffering turns into camaraderie and that’s one of the best parts of the series.
Standout Performances
Satyadev is fantastic as Badiri and brings a lived in kindness and quiet strength to the character. His voiceovers are like Hemingway’s introspective prose in The Old Man and the Sea and provide an emotional anchor, talking about the beauty of the sea and its cruelty. Satyadev makes Badiri relatable and not gimmicky and grounds the series even when the script goes into melodrama.
Anandhi matches Satyadev’s intensity as Ganga, a determined woman who won’t be ignored. Her fight to get the fishermen released, armed with education and resolve, adds emotional depth and highlights the struggles of those left behind. The supporting cast, including Nasser, Raghu Babu, Poonam Bajwa and Dalip Tahil, is good. Still, some characters like the prison doctor (Bajwa) and her human rights lawyer husband feel underwritten due to bad writing.
Strengths and Stumbles
The show excels in showing the lives of fishermen, their financial desperation, separation from family and vulnerability to exploitative business practices. Sameer Reddy’s cinematography is a highlight, switching between the Andhra coast and Pakistani prison cells. D Siva Kamesh’s production design is also good, especially in the fishing vessels and jail interiors.
However, Arabia Kadali falters in pacing and narrative. The show sometimes goes into docu-drama mode, dumping too much information about fishing and geopolitics. Some dialogues, especially for non-Telugu characters like Pakistani officers and Gujarati businessmen, sound awkward. The show relies too much on stereotypes, like the kohl-eyed Muslim characters and the Arabian oud music, which kills the nuance. The special effects, especially in the storm sequences, are underwhelming and disrupt the otherwise good visuals.
The emotional weight of the fishermen being confined and longing for home is not fully realized; some characters’ reactions feel scripted. Subplots like Ganga’s brother Chinna’s track is half-baked and don’t integrate well with the main story. The show tries to tackle complex themes like India-Pakistan relations and gender equality but delivers them heavy handedly and lacks the subtlety to make it impactful.
A Familiar Tale with a Fresh Heart
Comparisons to Maryan (2013) and Roja (1992) are inevitable, and Thandel (2025) is also based on the same real life incident. If you have seen Thandel, Arabia Kadali may not feel new to you, but its grounded approach and focus on human endurance make it different. The series doesn’t go for sensationalism, instead it goes for an honest portrayal of the fishermen’s plight and the resilience of their communities.
The love story between Badiri and Ganga is understated but adds a tender layer to the narrative. Their romance is strained by village rivalries and international borders and serves as a microcosm of the bigger conflicts, so their reunion is all the more heartwarming. The series also deserves credit for its balanced portrayal of Pakistani characters; the prison doctor and her husband are glimmers of humanity in a sea of hostility.
Final Verdict
"Arabia Kadali is a good but not great story about survival, teamwork and the human impact of borders. Satyadev and Anandhi are good; the story is interesting because of them. The show gets the culture right and the visuals are realistic. Although it has slow parts, mixed feelings, and some predictable moments, it does a good job of highlighting the struggles of fishing communities, which are often overlooked. If you haven’t seen Thandel before, Arabia Kadali is a decent drama worth watching, though not always great."