The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang (stylised as 4.5 Gang, also known as Sambhava Vivaranam Nalara Sangham) is a 2025 Indian Malayalam-language crime comedy streaming television series created and directed by Krishand. It stars Sanju Sivram, Darshana Rajendran, Jagadish in lead roles. The series premiered on SonyLIV on 29 August 2025.
Premise Set in Thiruvanchipuram (a fictional version of Thiruvananthapuram), the series follows a group of five slum boys who dream of making it big amidst the chaotic world of crime, comedy, and survival.
Cast Sanju Sivram as Arikuttan / Arun, member of the 4.5 gang Niranj Maniyanpilla Raju as Althaf, member of the 4.5 gang Sreenath Babu as Kanji / Sudev, member of the 4.5 gang Shambhu as Maniyan, member of the 4.5 gang Sachin Joseph as Moonga / Murali Gangadharan , member of the 4.5 gang Jagadish as Maithreyan, a writer Indrans as Balachandran, Arikuttan's father Hakim Shahjahan as Pookkada Valsan, a businessman Darshana Rajendran as Ramani, Valsan's wife Vijayaraghavan as the music director Vishnu Agasthya as Pyelakuttan Alexander Prasanth as Bruce Lee Santhy Balachandran as Kingini, Arikuttan's love interest Zarin Shihab as Pranitha, Maniyan's love interest Rahul Rajagopal as S. I. Suresh Zhinz Shan as S. I. Stalin Geethi Sangeetha as advocate Sukumari Krishand as Superstar Vikraman Vigneshwar Suresh as Senthil
Episodes
Production The series is written and directed by Krishand, known for his unconventional storytelling style. The project was initially announced under the title Sambhava Vivaranam Nalara Sangham.
Release The series, under its final title The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang, was released on SonyLIV on 29 August 2025.
Reception
The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang opened to widespread critical acclaim upon its release.
The Indian Express hailed it as "the best Malayalam series yet," praising Krishand’s inventive storytelling and the way he redefined the gangster genre on streaming platforms.
The Hindu described the series as "clever and entertaining," highlighting its sharp writing and the director’s unique ability to balance crime and satire.
The New Indian Express called it "an audacious gangster epic told with mischief and bite," commending the ensemble cast and its daring narrative choices.
The News Minute echoed this sentiment, writing that the show is "crooked, funny, and oddly endearing," applauding its quirky tone.
According to The Times of India, the series successfully "gets its formula right," offering a refreshing take on the gangster saga format in Malayalam web content.
The Week compared it to Gangs of Wasseypur, labeling it "Malayalam cinema’s answer" to the cult Hindi franchise, particularly admiring its scale and ambition.
OTTplay praised the series as "wacky" and "stamped with Krishand’s signature style."
Times Now described it as "an amusing series that gets its formula right."
References
External links The Chronicles of the 4.5 Gang - SonyLIV