Roommates has the kind of setup that should have made for an easy, funny Kannada binge. Four bachelors in Bengaluru, a strict landlord, messy flat politics, gully cricket, bruised egos and friendship under pressure – the ingredients are familiar, but also very workable.
The problem is not the idea. The problem is how thinly the ZEE5 series builds on it. Roommates has a few lived-in moments, especially when it stays inside the cramped rhythm of shared bachelor life, but the writing keeps pulling the show toward loud, repetitive and undercooked comedy. At around 90 minutes across six short episodes, it should have felt quick. Instead, it often feels stretched.
If you are tracking the week’s new streaming titles, Roommates also features in our OTT releases this week list.
Roommates review: What is the ZEE5 series about?
Roommates follows Ravi, Peter, Gani and Hari, four young men trying to survive in Bengaluru while dealing with rent, jobs, friendship and an unforgiving landlord. Their everyday chaos gets more complicated when Gani is secretly brought into the room, forcing the group to hide him and manage the landlord’s suspicion.
The story then moves beyond the room. A small fight over a local cricket ground turns into a bigger ego clash, dragging the friends into a bet-match that tests their bond, pride and sense of belonging. On paper, this is a smart mix: roommate comedy on one side, neighbourhood cricket drama on the other.
That is why the disappointment is sharper. The series has enough material for a breezy small-scale comedy, but it rarely finds the discipline to turn those ideas into a satisfying arc.
What works in Roommates
The best parts of Roommates come when it stops trying to announce every joke and simply lets the boys exist in their messy space. The flat feels believable. The casual insults, overlapping conversations, ego clashes and low-stakes fights have the texture of young men who have lived too close to each other for too long.
The early landlord portions have some energy too. The idea of hiding an extra roommate from an elderly, hard-of-hearing landlord is basic sitcom material, but it gives the first episode a clearer comic engine than much of what follows. There is also a decent sense of place in the flat and cricket-ground scenes, helped by small details like cluttered rooms, ordinary props and the makeshift feel of local cricket.
Among the performers, Jerome Lobo gets some of the more naturally funny moments. Aashith also finds a few effective beats as a software engineer hoping for a better hike. The lead group has flashes of chemistry, and when the dialogue feels casual rather than forced, the friendship does not look fake.
Where Roommates loses the match
The biggest issue is the writing. Roommates keeps circling the same kind of banter without building enough story, emotion or payoff. The characters are introduced as familiar bachelor types, but they rarely grow beyond those labels. One is loud, one is emotional, one is egoistic, one is struggling – and after a point, the show seems satisfied with repeating those traits.
The cricket-ground conflict should have given the series a proper spine. Instead, it arrives with more promise than force. The show cannot fully decide whether it wants to be a bachelor comedy, a character piece or a gully-cricket drama. Because of that, the episodes feel loose even though they are short.
The humour is also uneven. Some jokes work because they come from situation and timing. Many others feel pushed. The loudness becomes a substitute for wit, and the show often mistakes exaggerated behaviour for comic energy. Even the emotional undercurrent between the friends remains surface-level because the screenplay does not give their bond enough quiet weight.
Performances and technical side
The actors are not the main problem here. The cast gives the series a rough, conversational flavour, and that suits the world. The trouble is that the material keeps flattening them. Jerome Lobo leaves the strongest comic impression, while Aashith, Aahan and Sachin Kumar Pawar have moments but do not get enough depth to make the group memorable.
Kushi Badrinath and Sughosh A Ram appear in supporting parts, but the narrative is so heavily centered on the boys that the supporting characters do not get much room. Nandan Srinivas’ music serves the loud tone of the show, though it does not stay with you. The editing is more noticeable for the wrong reasons, especially when scenes feel scattered instead of rhythmically sharp.
Is Roommates worth watching?
Roommates is not unwatchable, but it is hard to strongly recommend. The short runtime and Kannada OTT scarcity may make it tempting for viewers who want something light and local on ZEE5. If you enjoy roommate banter, gully cricket fights and low-budget indie-style comedy, you may find a few smiles here.
But as a complete series, it does not do enough with its setup. The show has the skeleton of a relatable comedy, yet the writing is too lazy, the jokes too inconsistent and the characters too sketchy. It begins with promise, improves slightly during the cricket portions, but never becomes the sharp, funny friendship story it could have been.
Our Take
Roommates has a fun premise and a few authentic touches from Bengaluru bachelor life, but weak writing keeps it from becoming a memorable Kannada series. The chemistry between the boys helps in parts, and the cricket-ground conflict gives the final stretch some movement. Still, the comedy is too forced, the structure too loose and the characters too thin.
Watch it only if you are specifically looking for a short Kannada web series on ZEE5. Otherwise, this is an easy skip.
Rating: 2/5
Roommates review verdict
Verdict: ZEE5’s Roommates has a relatable roommate-comedy idea and some believable bachelor-life details, but the weak screenplay, loud humour and underdeveloped characters waste most of its potential.
FAQ
Where can I watch Roommates?
Roommates is streaming on ZEE5.
What language is Roommates in?
Roommates is a Kannada series.
How many episodes does Roommates have?
Roommates has six short episodes, with a total runtime of around 90 minutes.
Is Roommates worth watching?
Roommates may work for viewers who want a short Kannada roommate comedy, but the weak writing and uneven humour make it difficult to recommend strongly.
Who stars in Roommates?
The series stars Aashith, Aahan, Sachin Kumar Pawar and Jerome Lobo, with Kushi Badrinath and Sughosh A Ram in supporting roles.