Pharma arrives on OTT as a medical crime drama that wants to expose the darker side of the pharmaceutical industry. Led by Nivin Pauly, the series positions itself as a serious, issue-driven thriller rather than a flashy binge watch. It aims to dig into corporate greed, ethical failures, and the human cost behind big business decisions.
The series is available for streaming on JIO Hotstar and has been released in Malayalam, with dubbed versions in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, and Kannada. Genre-wise, it sits between a crime thriller and social drama, leaning more toward realism than shock value.
Here’s the thing. The idea behind Pharma is strong and relevant. The execution, however, doesn’t always match that ambition. What starts as a promising medical thriller gradually settles into a mixed experience that works in parts but never fully finds its edge.
Story Overview
K.P. Vinod, played by Nivin Pauly, starts out at the very bottom, running a small medical shop and doing what he can to get by. An opportunity comes his way when he joins RX Life Healthcare, a well-known hospital chain, as a pharmaceutical representative. It looks like a step up, and for Vinod, it feels necessary. His mother’s worsening health leaves him with little choice but to chase better money, even if the job comes with pressure and quiet compromises.
As Vinod moves higher within the system, the cracks begin to show. What first seems like routine corporate behavior slowly reveals something far more troubling. He starts noticing signs of serious medical wrongdoing hidden behind polished presentations and official paperwork.
Along the way, Vinod’s path crosses with Rajeev Rao, portrayed by Rajat Kapoor, a senior figure at Jaathi Clinic who has been openly questioning unethical practices in the pharma space. Their connection brings uncomfortable questions to the surface. What exactly is RX Life Healthcare hiding? How dangerous is its drug Kaidaxin? And in a battle against a powerful pharmaceutical company, how much does someone like Vinod stand to lose before the truth comes out?
These questions drive the series forward, setting up a story that focuses less on spectacle and more on the cost of choices made inside a deeply compromised system.
Plus Points
The biggest strength of Pharma is its subject. The show tackles unethical practices in the pharmaceutical industry, a topic that feels uncomfortably close to reality. It doesn’t treat the issue as background noise. It stays at the center of the story, reminding you that the stakes are not abstract but personal.
Nivin Pauly takes a noticeably restrained approach as K.P. Vinod. He doesn’t push for dramatic highs or loud emotional beats. Instead, he plays the character with control, letting silence and small reactions do the work. That choice fits the role and gives the character a sense of realism, even when the writing wavers.
The supporting cast adds stability where needed. Performances from key characters help keep the narrative grounded, especially during stretches where the pacing slows down. They don’t steal the spotlight, but they hold their scenes well and add texture to the world the series is building.
There are also a few scenes in the later episodes that land the way the show intends them to. These moments finally bring some emotional weight and tension, offering a glimpse of what Pharma could have been with tighter storytelling.
What ultimately works in the show’s favor is its intent. Pharma clearly wants to spark conversation about ethics, responsibility, and the cost of silence. That social message comes through, even if the series struggles at times to shape it into consistently gripping drama.
Minus Points
The biggest problem with Pharma is how slowly it moves. The story takes its time, but not in a way that builds pressure or curiosity. Several episodes feel longer than they need to be, with scenes repeating the same idea instead of moving the plot forward. After a point, the drag becomes hard to ignore.
The writing also sticks to a very familiar path. Once you understand where the story is headed, most of the turns are easy to predict. The show rarely catches you off guard, which hurts a series that is meant to work as a crime thriller.
Suspense is another area where Pharma falls short. There are situations that should feel tense or unsettling, but they arrive without enough buildup. Instead of letting moments breathe and speak for themselves, the series often spells things out, which dulls the impact.
A few characters never really get the attention they deserve. Beyond Vinod, many roles feel thinly written, existing mainly to serve the plot. Their actions don’t always carry emotional weight because we are not given enough reason to care about them.
In the end, Pharma feels like a show that plays it safe. The material had room for sharper conflict and deeper drama, but the storytelling settles for the obvious, leaving too much potential untouched.
Performances
Nivin Pauly carries the series with a quiet, controlled performance. He doesn’t rely on big emotional moments or dramatic outbursts, and that restraint suits K.P. Vinod. His screen presence feels natural, especially in scenes where the character is simply observing, listening, or weighing his next move. That said, the role doesn’t always give him enough room to dig deeper, and you sense he could have done more with stronger writing.
The supporting cast does its job without drawing attention to itself. Rajat Kapoor brings a sense of seriousness and credibility to his role, and his scenes add weight to the larger conflict. Other actors support the narrative effectively, even if their characters are not fully fleshed out.
Where the performances struggle is in emotional connection. While the acting is competent across the board, the writing keeps most characters at a distance. You understand what they are going through, but you don’t always feel it. The result is a series that is well-acted on the surface, yet rarely pulls you in emotionally as much as it should.
Technical Aspects
The direction in Pharma aims for realism, but the execution feels uneven. The intent is clear, yet the screenplay lacks urgency. Scenes often linger longer than necessary, and important moments don’t always get the sharp treatment they deserve. With a tighter script, the same material could have felt far more engaging.
Visually, the series is functional but unremarkable. The cinematography does its job without adding much mood or tension. There are no striking frames that stay with you, and the camera rarely elevates the drama. It serves the story, but never enhances it.
The background score is another missed opportunity. Music in a thriller should heighten tension or underline emotional shifts. Here, it mostly stays in the background and occasionally feels generic. It neither distracts nor strengthens the narrative in any meaningful way.
Editing is where the cracks show most clearly. Several episodes could have been trimmed without losing any substance. Repetitive scenes and extended conversations slow the pace, making the series feel longer than it needs to be. A shorter episode count or sharper cuts would have helped maintain momentum.
The Telugu dubbing, in particular, is inconsistent. While some portions work fine, others feel off in terms of tone and emotion. That disconnect makes it harder to fully engage with the characters, especially for viewers watching the dubbed version.
Final Verdict
Pharma is a series built on a strong idea. Exposing unethical practices in the pharmaceutical industry is a theme that deserves serious attention, and the show approaches it with the right intent. Where it falters is in execution. The storytelling lacks urgency, the tension never fully takes hold, and too many moments feel stretched when they should have been sharp and unsettling.
This series may work for viewers who prefer slow-burn dramas and are more interested in the subject than the thrills. If you enjoy issue-driven stories and don’t mind a measured pace, Pharma has enough substance to keep you watching. But if you’re looking for a gripping medical thriller with edge and momentum, this one may test your patience.
The recommendation, then, comes with caution. Pharma isn’t a bad show, but it isn’t a fully satisfying one either. It hints at something more impactful without ever quite getting there.
Movie Review is 3.5 out of 5