Seven years after redefined the Indian streaming landscape with Sacred Games, Saif Ali Khan returns to the khaki uniform in Netflix’s latest crime drama, Kartavya. Directed by Pulkit, the film attempts to weave a gritty tale of a small-town murder, missing children, and a corrupt godman against a backdrop of caste conflict.
While Saif delivers a grounded and charming performance as SHO Pawan perfecting a tricky Haryanvi dialect the film ultimately struggles to break free from the “tortured cop” tropes that have become a staple of digital platforms.
Ambition vs. Execution: A Narrative Lost in the ‘Chakravyuh’
Set in the fictional town of Jhamli, the plot kicks off with the assassination of a journalist investigating a mysterious ashram. On paper, Kartavya is rich with subtext, invoking mythological parallels to Abhimanyu and Arjun to explore themes of duty and righteousness.
However, the execution feels sanitized and rushed. With a runtime of just 1 hour and 48 minutes, the film tries to tackle everything from generational trauma to institutional decay but fails to dig deep into any of them. The linear storytelling and predictable plot twists prevent it from reaching the heights of a true edge-of-the-seat thriller.
Cast Highlights and the Disappointment of an Underutilized Ensemble
The film’s saving grace is its performances. Saif Ali Khan eschews larger-than-life stunts for a more humane portrayal of a man battling both systemic corruption and personal family egos.
He is well-supported by the ever-reliable Sanjay Mishra and a standout performance by child actor Yudhvir Ahlawat. However, the film does a massive disservice to Rasika Dugal. Transitioning from her commanding lead in Delhi Crime to a nameless “protagonist’s wife” here, Dugal is criminally underutilized, her character serving as little more than a peripheral figure in a male-dominated narrative.