Chennai, March 30: The upcoming fantasy comedy thriller series, "Khakee Circus," starring Tamil actor Munishkanth, which is the brainchild of director Ameen Barif, will be streamed from April 10, its makers have announced.
The seven-episode series will be available on the OTT platform, Zee5.
For those unfamiliar, the quirky, high-energy fantasy-comedy thriller, set within a sub-jail, was previously titled "Once Upon a Time in Kayamkulam." Sources say the title was changed to "Khakee Circus" because the new title reflects the show's irreverent humor, the eccentric characters, and the unpredictable world it portrays.
Written and directed by Ameen Barif, and produced by Srinithi Sagar under Rise East Entertainment, the series features a strong ensemble cast, including Munishkanth, Subash Selvam, Rajesh Madhavan, Gowthami Nair, Vinsu Rache, Savithri, Amrudha, Abdul Lee, Maruthupandiyan, Rakesh Ushar, Vigneshwar, Arnukumar Pavumba, and Chithtirasenan.
In a quiet coastal town, a bizarre crime turns a sub-jail into absolute chaos when someone manages to break into the prison instead of out of it. As a book-obsessed jailer and an overeager constable try to make sense of the impossible, a mysterious thief stays several steps ahead, watching the circus he created unfold around him. When ordinary townspeople, aspiring detectives, and unsuspecting inmates start adding to the confusion, the case spirals into a wild chase where nothing is as simple as it seems, and every clue hides a stranger truth.
Talking about "Khakee Circus," director Ameen Barif says, "This story excited me because it allows us to play with different tones – comedy, thriller, and even a touch of fantasy – without losing the realism of a small-town world. Even during its early development, we knew that the heart of the series was its characters and their strange, funny, and flawed ways of responding to chaos."
Munishkanth adds, "Khakee Circus is unlike anything I've acted in. It's unpredictable, fast-paced, and filled with characters who are both hilarious and painfully real. What I loved was the balance of humor and tension; every scene feels like it could go in a completely different direction. It's fresh, rooted, and extremely fun."