Director - Akshay Shere
Cast - Arshad Warsi, Jitendra Kumar, Devas Dikshit, Tara Alisha Berry, Hemant Saini, Ayesha Kaduskar 
Writer - Bhavini Bheda, Sumit Saxena
Duration – 127 Minutes 
 
Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas, directed by Akshay Shere, walks the fine line between crime thriller and social critique. Framed as the beginning of a franchise, it takes the “inspired by true events” route but refuses to overdramatize its premise. Instead, it unfolds as a restrained, grounded investigation into systemic rot — one that quietly exposes how prejudice, politics, and patriarchy conspire to breed real-life monsters. It’s the kind of film that feels familiar yet unsettling, because it mirrors the world we inhabit rather than offering the comfort of cinematic fiction.
 
Set in small-town Uttar Pradesh in 2009, the story follows ACP Vishwas Bhagwat (Arshad Warsi), a tough Crime Branch officer reassigned to the backwaters of Robertsganj as punishment. When a young girl named Poonam Mishra goes missing, the case spirals into chaos, igniting communal tensions and political manipulation. Bhagwat promises to find her within 15 days — a classic setup for a police procedural — but as the layers peel back, what emerges is less a whodunnit and more a study of how society itself enables violence against women.
 
Parallel to the investigation runs a deceptively charming love story between Sameer (Jitendra Kumar) and Meera (Ayesha Kaduskar). Their sweet courtship in Varanasi feels like a reprieve — until the two storylines collide in a way that redefines the idea of evil. The dual narrative is deliberate, a way of showing how predators blend seamlessly into the fabric of daily life. Jitendra Kumar’s casting is a masterstroke; the actor’s soft-spoken, relatable persona makes his character’s darkness all the more believable, and horrifying.
 
Akshay Shere’s direction succeeds most in its depiction of social hypocrisy. Robertsganj becomes a microcosm of India’s fractured morality — a place where victims are blamed, religious divisions are weaponized, and women’s agency is constantly under scrutiny. Scenes where locals slut-shame the missing girl or where politicians twist the case into a communal issue are disturbingly authentic. The villain doesn’t operate in isolation; he thrives because the environment around him is already poisoned.
 
Arshad Warsi delivers a mature, layered performance as Bhagwat, steering clear of melodrama. His character’s stoicism masks a haunted past, and though the flashbacks are somewhat formulaic, they add texture to his moral clarity. Jitendra Kumar, on the other hand, gives his most chilling performance to date — turning the familiar “boy next door” image into something sinister and psychologically complex. Their cat-and-mouse dynamic, especially in the final act, elevates the film beyond procedural boundaries.
 
Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas isn’t flawless — its symbolism (including the Bhagavad Gita-inspired metaphors) occasionally feels heavy-handed, and the closing title card borders on preachy. But these are minor missteps in a film that manages to be both gripping and socially conscious. It’s not just about a cop catching a killer; it’s about a society complicit in creating one. As the first installment of what promises to be a continuing saga, Bhagwat sets a solid foundation — one that reminds us that sometimes, the real “raakshas” aren’t born in darkness, but nurtured in plain sight.