Plot loopholes, unresolved arcs and feeble explanations for sudden betrayals, Kartavya‘s hastily-wrapped conclusions and gabby excuses makes it look like a demo reel for an OTT series, points out Sukanya Verma.
Key Points
- Saif Ali Khan portrays Pawan, a policeman juggling a journalist’s murder investigation and his brother’s inter-caste elopement, both tied to a minor’s freedom.
- The film attempts to address numerous complex issues including corrupt cops, honour killings, phony gurus, and panchayat politics, but struggles to develop any of them adequately.
- Despite Saif Ali Khan’s strong performance, Pawan’s character is sketchily written, limiting the impact of his distress and dilemma.
- Sanjay Mishra and Rasika Dugal are underutilised, and Saurabh Dwivedi’s debut as an antagonist is unintentionally funny.
- Kartavya suffers from plot loopholes, unresolved arcs and feeble explanations, leading to a hastily concluded narrative that feels more like a demo reel.
Policeman Pawan has a lot on his plate in Kartavya and it’s not cake. Although the movie begins with a scene of him cutting one. It’s his fortieth birthday and one he’s unlikely to forget for a long, long time. But for a few moments past midnight, outside Jhamli station, a fictional town in what sounds a lot like Haryana, the mood is cheerful and celebratory.
Pawan (Saif Ali Khan) appears so entertained by his subordinate Ashok (Sanjay Mishra), you barely notice his laboured accent. Only they are cops at the end of the day and banter will end in bloodshed. Pretty much what happens when a senior journalist they are escorting is gunned down by unknown assailants.
Imploring his superior (Manish Chaudhari, all huff and puff) to put his suspension on hold until he grabs hold of the culprits, Pawan vows to get to the bottom of the case.
At home too, things are far from hunky dory. Pawan’s younger brother has eloped with a girl from another caste. Juggling between bigoted panchayat bros that include his dad (Zakir Hussain) hot on their trail and a creepy godman (Saurabh Dwivedi) whose unchecked evils are cause for serious concern, Pawan’s duty bound conscience strives hard to do the right thing.
Both his personal and professional worries seem tied to a minor’s (a compelling Yudhvir Ahlawat) freedom. And Saif’s profound understanding of Pawan’s humanist traits and growing unrest looks more than equipped to stop the rot.
Kartavya finds itself trapped inside a chakravyuh of complex narratives
Written and directed by Pulkit, Kartavya starts out fascinatingly but loses its way like the character from the Mahabharata it loves to cite. Akin to Abhimanyu, Kartavya finds itself trapped inside a chakravyuh of complex narratives.
Corrupt cops, honour killings, phony gurus, journalist deaths, panchayat politics, paedophile predators, generational trauma, the drama concerns itself with a series of subjects but cannot do justice to either. Ditto for the actors.
Saif nails Pawan’s distress and dilemma but is, ultimately, too sketchily written to make sense of the outrage towards the end. Sanjay Mishra’s likability is his strongest suit in Kartavya. Except the writing is inadequate to thrill us in ways it ought to.
As for the others, Rasika Dugal is wasted in a role that requires her to do little beyond the understanding wife. There’s Zakir Hussain wearing a permanent scowl and a woefully miscast Saurabh Dwivedi making his debut as an antagonist. Anchoring and acting are poles apart and Dwivedi’s unintentionally funny performance in a queasy role is an unfortunate reminder of that.
There’s a coyness to Kartavya‘s violence, which is more implied than visual. The language is surprisingly civil given the disturbing nature of its many themes and environment. Such nonchalance feels more calculated than chilling in treatment.
Plot Holes and Unresolved Arcs
Kartavya‘s staggering lack of emotion or nuance amongst its honour killing-hungry crowds renders them almost cartoonish in nature. Worst is, there’s no real payoff to any of the setups.
Pawan’s fixation with white shoes. A teenager longing for a childhood he never had. The journalist whose life was lost. Some talk about Plan B by her collaborators. An interfaith couple in hiding. Internal bickering and favouritism in panchayat meets. Some perspective if not context would really benefit these scenes.
Plot loopholes, unresolved arcs and feeble explanations for sudden betrayals, Kartavya‘s hastily-wrapped conclusions and gabby excuses makes it look like a demo reel for an OTT series.
Kartavya is streaming on Netflix.
Kartavya Review Rediff Rating:
