Kartavya review: Saif Ali Khan shines in Netflix thriller that needed more rage

Actor Saif Ali Khan's Kartavya turns a small-town murder probe into a study of caste, crime and duty. The film's ideas land, but its soft-edged execution blunts the force of its anger.

In Short

• Saif Ali Khan excels as honest cop Pawan caught in family and system conflicts
• The film's polished visuals clash with its grim, raw themes
• The film also stars Sanjay Mishra, Manish Chaudhary, Rasika Dugal among others

There are many meanings to the word Kartavya - duty, responsibility, purpose, obligation and even sacrifice. And somewhere between all these definitions lies the soul of Kartavya, the new Netflix thriller starring Saif Ali Khan. What starts off as a small-town investigative drama slowly transforms into a morally heavy story about dharma, karma, caste, crime, and humanity. The intention is powerful... the messaging is urgent, but the execution never fully matches the ambition.

Set in Jhamli, Haryana, the film follows Pawan, an honest police officer who is respected by his team, deeply in love with his wife, and frustrated by the lack of purpose in his job.

Things change when a journalist investigating controversial godman Anand Shri lands in town under his protection, only to be killed almost immediately. What follows is a web of missing children, caste violence, honour killings, and exploitation.

Through a young shooter, Harpal played by Yudhvir Ahlawat, the film reveals how the godman manipulates minor boys into carrying out crimes before making them disappear. Running parallel is the story of Pawan’s younger brother Deepak, who marries a woman from another caste, creating complete mayhem in the village.

The most disturbing part is watching Pawan’s father openly choose "family's izzat” over his own son, exposing how honour killings are never really about honour, but ego and control disguised as tradition.

But Kartavya is not just interested in becoming a crime thriller. It wants to explore what one truly owes the world. The repeated references to Abhimanyu and the Chakravyuh (from the Mahabharat) position Pawan as a modern-day man trapped between morality, family, and institutional pressure.

One particularly beautiful line in the film comes when Pawan says how people today can either fulfil karma or dharma, and nobody ever reaches the point of fulfilling their kartavya. And suddenly, the title clicks.

Some of the film’s best moments also come through confrontation rather than action. There are two standout scenes - one with Pawan’s father and another with his senior officer - where you truly see the anger simmering inside him.

Saif plays these moments brilliantly because Pawan knows exactly what is wrong around him, but feels trapped by his role as both a son and a junior officer. Yet the film quietly reminds you that even imperfect resistance against the system matters if it allows you to hold onto your conscience.

Director Pulkit deserves credit for ensuring the film never feels stagnant despite juggling multiple heavy themes and parallel storylines. The narrative keeps moving, and there is always something unfolding.

However, one major issue that recent projects seem unable to escape is over-polished colour grading. This is Haryana, this is a dark, grim story about casteism, exploitation, and violence. Yet at times, the film looks like it has been shot on an iPhone, where everything appears too glossy and aesthetically pleasing.

The sets feel authentic, the world-building works, but the clean visual treatment kills the rawness the story desperately needed. The mood suffers because the grime never truly reaches the screen.

Also, despite involving such dark subjects, the film unfortunately never fully grips as a thriller. Many twists are predictable, and every time the story approaches something explosive, it pulls itself back.

Maybe the makers wanted to avoid controversy (a new norm with such themes), but in trying to soften every edge, Kartavya loses the sharpness it desperately needed. These themes need more rage than restraint to make an impact.

However, what truly carries the film are the performances. Saif Ali Khan is excellent as Pawan, balancing machismo with emotional vulnerability. In an era obsessed with alpha men, it is refreshing to see a macho hero openly adore his wife and still command authority.

Sanjay Mishra is reliably brilliant, while Manish Chaudhary and Zakir Hussain bring understated menace to their roles. Rasika Dugal gets limited screen time, but her scenes with Saif bring warmth to an otherwise grim film.

The weakest link, however, is journalist Saurabh Dwivedi as the godman Anand Shri. Every time he speaks in his polished Hindi, you almost expect a Lallantop introduction instead of intimidation. It is one of the film’s biggest miscasts. Note to filmmakers: Every role doesn't demand just a popular face. Sometimes it needs a good actor.

The dialogues are punchy, and the actors did get their Haryanvi accent right. There are also fun pop-culture references sprinkled throughout, from Shah Rukh Khan jokes to Amrish Puri callbacks, that add flavour to the narrative. The background score and music go unnoticed, and that sometimes is the biggest achievement.

But what makes Kartavya frustrating is that it is not a bad film. In fact, it is an important and brave one. But the film stops itself from screaming when it should have roared. Had Pulkit allowed the story to be messier, angrier, and more fearless, Kartavya could have had a far deeper impact.

Instead, it remains a good-intentioned thriller with excellent performances and powerful ideas that never entirely reach their full potential.

- Ends