In the crowded landscape of Indian crime thrillers, where gritty city streets and forensic labs often dominate, Amazon Prime Video’s Inspector Rishi arrives like a damp, cold wind from the Western Ghats. It is a show that dares to ask a provocative question: What if the detective’s greatest enemy isn’t a serial killer, but belief itself?

★★★★☆ (4/5)

Starring Naveen Shankar in the titular role, this Tamil-language supernatural crime drama doesn’t just chase a monster; it chases the idea of a monster—and the human terror that idea leaves in its wake. The series follows Inspector Rishi Nandhan, a rational, city-bred officer who is as cynical as they come. He is dispatched to the fictional, mist-laden village of Kattiyal, where a series of bizarre deaths have left the local police force baffled. The victims are found with a specific kind of plant in their mouths, their bodies arranged in patterns that mimic ancient tribal art.