Kartavya Movie Review: Saif Ali Khan’s Powerful Cop Also Couldn’t Save This Predictable And Boring Drama!

Written and directed by Pulkit, here's our review of Kartavya, starring Saif Ali Khan and Rasika Dugal.

Rating: 2 / 5

We have seen many Indian crime dramas dealing with social issues, and some of them have truly impressed us. So, it’s natural that expectations are high this time. I recently watched Kartavya, written and directed by Pulkit, starring Saif Ali Khan and Rasika Dugal. The film tries to blend thrilling elements with heavy social commentary and after watching it, here’s my honest take on it!

Plot

The story is about a small-town police officer named Pawan, played by Saif Ali Khan. He is given the duty of protecting a journalist who is visiting the area. But right in front of him, the journalist gets killed. This puts Pawan in a tough place. Hence, he makes a promise to catch the killers in a week. But the problem is that the main person behind everything is Anand Shri, a powerful local figure. At the same time, Pawan’s younger brother runs away with a girl from the village against her family’s wishes, which leads to a lot of heavy, painful and tragic moments.

 

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Performances

Saif Ali Khan is the strongest part of the entire film. He plays Pawan with full energy and seriousness. The actor nails the Haryanvi accent and brings anger and pain to the character. This is not the usual Saif Ali Khan we see in other films. Here he looks raw, tired, and desperate. He fully embodies the role of a cop stuck between his duty and family problems. His performance carries the film and makes you feel for him even when other things are not working well.

Rasika Dugal plays Pawan’s wife but does not get enough to do. She is a talented actress, and it feels like a waste that her character stays mostly on the side with little depth or major moments. I wished that the writers had given her more screen time and stronger scenes.

Sanjay Mishra, as always, does a solid job. He brings both charm and cleverness to his role and adds some much-needed energy whenever he appears.

Saurabh Dwivedi makes his acting debut as the powerful Anand Shri. He plays a morally corrupt man who throws his weight around. While he looks the part, his performance stays flat. The expressions feel repetitive, and he never becomes that scary, memorable villain who stays in your head after the film ends.

Yudhvir Ahlawat as Harpal does fine and looks believable in his part, but like others, his character does not get enough layers to make a big impact.

Verdict

The film tries hard to talk about social problems. It shows caste discrimination, family pressure, honour killings, and how powerful people control everything in small cities or villages. These things happen in reality and need the world’s attention. Some scenes make you stop and think about how our traditions have been hurting and how the system fails common people. Saif Ali Khan’s character carries most of this message on his shoulders. But even though the intention is good, the way these issues are shown feels basic.

Another problem with the movie is that everything feels easy to guess. I could see what will happen next from the first half itself. The crime investigation that should have been thrilling turns out to be basic and boring. There are no real suspense or shocking moments. The film follows the same old style we have seen in many other cop movies and does not bring anything fresh or new.

Also Read: Daadi Ki Shaadi Review: Neetu Kapoor, Kapil Sharma Film Is An Awkward Family Entertainer With Nothing Memorable!

Many supporting characters also feel weak. They do not have proper development. Because of this, the emotional parts do not move you. The antagonist is not scary enough, and there aren’t any memorable moments or scenes.

Overall, good performances or important social topics are not enough to make the full film great. That is why Kartavya stays in the middle. If you really like Saif Ali Khan and want to see him in a serious, intense role, then you can watch it once. His performance alone makes it worth a try. But if you are looking for a tight thriller with lots of thrill and a strong villain, this one may leave you a little disappointed.

Also Read: Ek Din Review: Sai Pallavi, Junaid Khan’s Romantic Drama Is Devoid Of Love And Chemistry!

First Published: May 15, 2026 3:20 PM