{ "id": "epa7710fsf", "slug": "regai", "title": "Regai", "updated": "2026-11-01", "topic_path": [ { "id": "culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture" }, { "id": "culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" }, { "id": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries", "label": "Indian and South Asian web series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries" } ], "geo": [ { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "India · 2021 and later: Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "path": [ { "id": "geo.ind", "label": "India", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021", "label": "India · 2021 and later", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture", "label": "Arts and culture", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance", "label": "Screen and stage", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen", "label": "Film and television", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series", "label": "Series and fictional screen worlds", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted", "label": "Unscripted, reality, and web-native series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_unscripted" }, { "id": "geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native", "label": "Web-native and streaming-original series", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.ind.t2021.culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Regai (ரேகை, \"fingerprint\") is a 2025 Tamil ZEE5 crime thriller web series, six episodes directed by M. Dhinakaran from Rajesh Kumar's novel, starring Bala Hasan as SI Vetri investigating staged clinical-trial deaths.", "snippet": "Regai (ரேகை, \"fingerprint\") is a 2025 Tamil ZEE5 crime thriller web series, six episodes directed by M. Dhinakaran from Rajesh Kumar's novel, starring Bala Hasan as SI Vetri investigating staged clinical-trial deaths.", "node": "culture.performance.screen.series.series_web_native.indian_southasian_webseries", "markdown": "# Regai\n\n**Regai** (ரேகை; Tamil for \"fingerprint\") is a 2025 Indian Tamil-language crime thriller web series created, written, and directed by M. Dhinakaran for the streaming platform ZEE5, adapted from a novel of the same name by the crime novelist Rajesh Kumar. It premiered on 28 November 2025 with six episodes, and follows Sub-Inspector Vetri as he investigates a medical team covering up the deaths of clinical trial participants by staging them as accidents.[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/regai/0-6-4z5860212) • [2](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2025/regai-ott-release-where-to-watch-crime-thriller-series-bala-hasan-pavithra-janani-vinodhini-490833.html)\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Premiere | 28 November 2025 on ZEE5, all six episodes released at once[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2025/regai-ott-release-where-to-watch-crime-thriller-series-bala-hasan-pavithra-janani-vinodhini-490833.html) |\n| Format | Six episodes of 21, 20, 22, 25, 18, and 29 minutes; Tamil and Hindi audio; U/A 16+ rating[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/regai/0-6-4z5860212) |\n| Source | Adapted from the novel *Regai* by crime novelist Rajesh Kumar[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2025/regai-ott-release-where-to-watch-crime-thriller-series-bala-hasan-pavithra-janani-vinodhini-490833.html) |\n| Lead cast | Bala Hasan as SI Vetri, Pavithra Janani as Constable Sandhiya, Vinodhini Vaidyanathan as Dr Pushpavalli[3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38984146/fullcredits/) |\n| Central mystery | A severed hand found in an ice vending cart carries fingerprints matching multiple deceased people, exposing illegal drug trials[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/regai/0-6-4z5860212) |\n| Audience rating | 5.8/10 on IMDb from 193 user ratings[4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38984146/ratings/) |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Premise and plot\n\nThe story begins with the death of Amudhan, a poor student whom Vetri has been supporting in his studies, filed as an accident.[5](https://scroll.in/reel/1088854/review-crime-thriller-regai-barely-leaves-a-mark) While on patrol, Vetri and Constable Sandhya discover blood dripping from an ice cream cart and then two severed human hands inside it.[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/regai/0-6-4z5860212) The severed hand's fingerprints match four different deceased individuals, pulling Vetri into an investigation of staged accidents and a medical conspiracy.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/tamil/regai/season-1/seasonreview/125640214.cms)\n\nThe six episodes trace the case from the cart discovery through the questioning of Dr Pushpavalli at the government hospital, the reopening of Amudhan's case, the interrogation and escape of a suspect named Divya, and a finale in which Divya reveals the main culprit behind the illegal drug trials while Vetri moves to save Sandhya.[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/regai/0-6-4z5860212) ZEE5's synopsis describes the antagonist as a medical team trying to cover up deaths of clinical trial participants by staging them as accidents.[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/regai/0-6-4z5860212)\n\n### Cast and characters\n\nBala Hasan plays Sub-Inspector Vetri, who leads the investigation; this marked his return to a limited series after *The Game: You Never Play Alone*. [Pavithra Janani](https://www.edgepedia.org/pavithra-janani) plays Constable Sandhiya, Vetri's colleague and romantic interest, her first lead role in a web series. [Vinodhini Vaidyanathan](https://www.edgepedia.org/vinodhini-vaidyanathan) plays Dr Pushpavalli. The supporting cast includes Anjali Rao, Poobalam Pragathesh, E. Indrajith, and M. Sriram.[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2025/regai-ott-release-where-to-watch-crime-thriller-series-bala-hasan-pavithra-janani-vinodhini-490833.html) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38984146/fullcredits/) • [10](https://nettv4u.com/about/tamil/web-series/regai)\n\n## Production and source material\n\nThe series is scripted and directed by M. Dhinakaran and produced by S. Singaravelan under the SS Group banner, his second project with ZEE5 after *Seruppugal Jaakirathai*. Cinematography is by Mahendra M. Hendry, editing by Dorai Prakash, and the music and background score by RS Rajpratap.[2](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2025/regai-ott-release-where-to-watch-crime-thriller-series-bala-hasan-pavithra-janani-vinodhini-490833.html) • [3](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38984146/fullcredits/)\n\nThe source novel is by Rajesh Kumar, a prolific Tamil crime fiction writer who began publishing in 1969 and has about 1,500 novels to his credit; he described the adaptation as taking \"a simple idea\" into \"the darker corners of our society.\"[7](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2025/Nov/21/rajesh-kumar-technology-and-typing-kill-my-originality) English-speaking readers know Kumar through translations in the Blaft anthologies.[5](https://scroll.in/reel/1088854/review-crime-thriller-regai-barely-leaves-a-mark) Dhinakaran described the show as being about \"quiet violence\" that never makes it to a police report but destroys lives all the same.[8](https://www.ottplay.com/news/regai-ott-release-date-when-and-where-to-stream-tamil-crime-thriller-series/5bd5a579db346)\n\nThe story is set in Courtallam, in the [Tirunelveli](https://www.edgepedia.org/tirunelveli) region of [Tamil Nadu](https://www.edgepedia.org/tamil-nadu), far from Chennai; Vetri is a lovelorn inspector there awaiting a transfer to the Chennai bomb squad when he is ordered to pursue the case.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2025/Nov/28/regai-series-review-this-old-school-whodunnit-is-mildly-engaging)\n\n## Release\n\nZEE5 announced the premiere date of 28 November 2025 on social media in mid-November; the platform released all six episodes on launch day, and the series is also available via OTTplay Premium and on Airtel Xstream Play.[8](https://www.ottplay.com/news/regai-ott-release-date-when-and-where-to-stream-tamil-crime-thriller-series/5bd5a579db346) • [2](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2025/regai-ott-release-where-to-watch-crime-thriller-series-bala-hasan-pavithra-janani-vinodhini-490833.html) A pre-release report had said the series would consist of seven episodes, while the released listing gives six; the sources do not explain the change.[8](https://www.ottplay.com/news/regai-ott-release-date-when-and-where-to-stream-tamil-crime-thriller-series/5bd5a579db346) • [11](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/regai-review-a-promising-crime-hook-but-little-lasting-impact/)\n\n## Reception\n\nCritical response was mixed. Reviewers consistently praised the premise, five bodies bearing the same fingerprint, while faulting the execution. OTTplay gave 2/5, calling the series underwhelming and rushed, and noting that the medical-trial context arrives late in the run.[12](https://www.ottplay.com/review/regai-series-review-makes-little-impression-despite-a-potential-plot-at-hand/b58627e5be718) Cinema Express gave 2.5/5, finding the whodunnit mildly engaging but lost in excessive detailing and resting on a far-fetched theory.[9](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2025/Nov/28/regai-series-review-this-old-school-whodunnit-is-mildly-engaging) India Today gave 3/5, describing a familiar but engaging whodunnit with evident technical limitations that still works as a short, easy watch.[13](https://www.indiatoday.in/entertainment/ott/story/regai-tamil-crime-series-zee5-whodunnit-review-2827159-2025-11-28) Scroll.in criticized the staging as resembling a television serial and found the motive predictable, though it called Vetri's dogged investigation the most interesting part.[5](https://scroll.in/reel/1088854/review-crime-thriller-regai-barely-leaves-a-mark) The Times of India gave 2.5/5, arguing that the short format sacrificed character development, particularly for the villain.[6](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/tamil/regai/season-1/seasonreview/125640214.cms) On the favorable side, Chennaivision gave 3.6/5 and MyKollywood 3.5/5, both praising the background score and Dhinakaran's direction.[14](https://www.talkingmoviez.com/2025/11/regai-tamil-series-review.html)\n\nOn IMDb, the series holds a 5.8/10 rating from 193 users.[4](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38984146/ratings/)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Regai, ZEE5 series page](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/regai/0-6-4z5860212)\n2. [Regai OTT Release: Where To Watch Crime Thriller Series, Filmibeat](https://www.filmibeat.com/tamil/news/2025/regai-ott-release-where-to-watch-crime-thriller-series-bala-hasan-pavithra-janani-vinodhini-490833.html)\n3. [Regai (TV Series 2025) Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38984146/fullcredits/)\n4. [Regai (TV Series 2025) Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt38984146/ratings/)\n5. [Review: OTT crime thriller 'Regai' barely leaves a mark, Scroll.in](https://scroll.in/reel/1088854/review-crime-thriller-regai-barely-leaves-a-mark)\n6. [Regai Season 1 Review: Fingerprints don't lie but characters never live, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/tamil/regai/season-1/seasonreview/125640214.cms)\n7. [Rajesh Kumar: Technology and typing kill my originality, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/interviews/2025/Nov/21/rajesh-kumar-technology-and-typing-kill-my-originality)\n8. [Regai OTT release date: When and where to stream Tamil crime thriller series, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/news/regai-ott-release-date-when-and-where-to-stream-tamil-crime-thriller-series/5bd5a579db346)\n9. [Regai Series Review: This old-school whodunnit is mildly engaging, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/tamil/review/2025/Nov/28/regai-series-review-this-old-school-whodunnit-is-mildly-engaging)\n10. [Tamil Web Series Regai, Nettv4u](https://nettv4u.com/about/tamil/web-series/regai)\n11. [Regai Review: A Promising Crime Hook, but Little Lasting Impact, DocumentaryTube](https://www.documentarytube.com/blog/regai-review-a-promising-crime-hook-but-little-lasting-impact/)\n12. [Regai series review: Makes little impression despite a potential plot at hand, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/review/regai-series-review-makes-little-impression-despite-a-potential-plot-at-hand/b58627e5be718)\n13. [Regai review: Familiar but engaging Tamil whodunnit, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/entertainment/ott/story/regai-tamil-crime-series-zee5-whodunnit-review-2827159-2025-11-28)\n14. [Regai Tamil Series Review, TalkingMoviez](https://www.talkingmoviez.com/2025/11/regai-tamil-series-review.html)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › Indian and South Asian web series*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/regai", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/regai.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Regai\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/regai. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Regai](https://www.edgepedia.org/regai)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/regai](https://www.edgepedia.org/regai). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Regai\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/regai. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Regai is a 2025 Tamil ZEE5 crime thriller web series, six episodes directed by M. Dhinakaran from Rajesh Kumar's novel, starring Bala Hasan as SI Vetri investigating staged clinical-trial deaths." }