Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas aims to be a gritty, socially-charged thriller but ends up stumbling under the weight of its own ambitions. With a solid cast headlined by Arshad Warsi and Jitendra Kumar, the film promises a compelling narrative but ultimately fails to capitalise on its potential. It opens on an intriguing note, with a mysterious disappearance in a small, volatile town in Uttar Pradesh. There’s a moody atmosphere, a sense of something sinister lurking, and the set-up hints at larger political and societal undertones. But as the story unfolds, what should have been a taut, disturbing thriller begins to meander, diluted by clichés and inconsistent writing.
Arshad Warsi plays Inspector Vishwas Bhagwat, a seasoned cop transferred from Lucknow to this tense town on the brink. He’s tasked with investigating a missing woman’s case that soon reveals a string of similar vanishings. The idea of a serial predator targeting women offers real scope for tension and commentary, but the film’s approach feels half-baked.
Jitendra Kumar plays a lovestruck local whose relationship with a shy woman adds a softer layer to the story, and in a few scenes, their chemistry brings a touch of freshness. But again, these moments are fleeting. The film juggles themes of communal tensions, moral policing, misogyny, and systemic failure, yet it rarely explores any of them with nuance. There’s an underlying commentary on how society and the system treat women, but it often slips into victim-blaming territory, weakening the intended impact.
Bhagwat carries the usual textures of a crime drama, and the background score does its job of building tension. But none of it compensates for the lack of originality in its writing. The courtroom climax drags on, softening the momentum that had been slowly building.
Bhagwat Chapter One feels like a film that wanted to say something important but couldn’t decide how. It introduces strong characters and ideas but leaves them undercooked.
However, it’s definitely watchable, all thanks to Arshad Warsi and Jitendra Kumar.
IWMBuzz rates it 2.5/5 stars.
