‘Paruvu’ trailer: The hunted become the hunter in ZEE5’s thrilling series on honour killing

Nivetha Pethuraj and Naresh Agastya in a still from ‘Paruvu’
| Photo Credit: ZEE5

Streaming platform ZEE5 on Monday unveiled the trailer of its upcoming Telugu crime thriller series, Paruvu. With Pavan Sadineni as the showrunner, the series is written by Siddharth Naidu, who also directs with Vadlapati Rajashekhar, and produced by Sushmitha Konidela.

Starring Nivetha Pethuraj, Naresh Agastya, Naga Babu, and Pranita Patnaik, the series is said to narrate a forbidden tale of love that spirals into a deadly conspiracy and battles for survival. The trailer begins to show a couple, Vikram (Naresh) and Jhanvi (Nivetha), eloping away as they are chased by goons employed by their casteist families to kill them. However, in a thrilling turn of events, the hunted become the hunter.

“In a world governed by cutthroat caste politics, Paruvu follows a couple who dares to defy societal norms by eloping and marrying despite belonging to warring castes. Disowned by their families, the couple is forced to return to their town one day due to a death in the family. However, everything goes wrong when they realize that a sinister plan is executed to eliminate them. The couple, in a fight for survival, end up defeating that plan, only to now get stuck in a town where they are being hunted,” reads the plot description.

“As their act ignites clan wars fueled by egos, political ambitions, and social hierarchies, the couple must devise effective strategies and rely on sheer luck to endure the most gruelling 24 hours of their lives. However, even their best-laid plans harbour unforeseen variables that threaten not only to upend their lives but also to claim them, testing the true extent of their resilience and determination to defend their honor in a world designed to crush it,” the description adds.

Speaking about the series, Anuradha Gudur, Chief Content Officer at ZEE5, said “At ZEE5, we believe the most impactful stories entertain while holding a mirror to society. Paruvu embodies this ethos perfectly — a spine-chilling crime thriller that spotlights caste politics, honour, and forbidden love, serving up suspense and social commentary in equal measure. As we gear up for June, the timing is impeccable. Post-IPL, audiences are returning to diverse entertainment preferences, and ‘Paruvu’ arrives like a breath of fresh air — a high-octane thriller offering a riveting escape from the comfort of home. With its star-studded cast led by the versatile Naga Babu, high-stakes drama, and visually stunning cinematography, it’s poised to be the season’s must-watch event.”

Actor Nivetha Pethuraj said, “’Paruvu is a career-defining project for me, one that pushed me far beyond my comfort zone. In this series, I portray a woman caught between love and a society that criminalizes her choices — a role that demanded every ounce of my emotional range. What drew me to Paruvu was its raw, unflinching look at caste politics and honor killings — issues that still haunt our society. Through my character’s 24-hour fight for survival, the series strips away romantic notions, exposing the brutal reality many couples face.”

Actor Naga Babu said, “As a huge fan of crime thrillers, I’ve always been drawn to their edge-of-seat suspense and complex characters. So when Paruvu came my way, blending a thrilling crime story with social commentary, I was thrilled. Working with the talented debutant directors Siddharth Naidu & Vadlapati Rajashekhar has been exhilarating, and playing such a layered, intense role in this socially relevant thriller is an actor’s dream.”

Paruvu premieres on ZEE5 on June 14