Bhagwat Chapter 1 Rakshas Review: A Gritty Premise Undercut by Weak Writing
Star Cast: Arshad Warsi, Jitendra Kumar, Ayesha Kaduskar, Tara-Alisha Berry
Director: Akshay Shere
Streaming On: Zee 5
Language: Hindi
Runtime: 2 hours 7 minutes
Ratings: 2
Bhagwat Chapter 1 Rakshas sets a grim stage: based on true events involving the disappearance of 19 young women in North India, it pits Arshad Warsi as an intense, anger-managed senior police officer against Jitendra Kumar as the cold-blooded antagonist. The central case of a missing girl, Meera, quickly escalates into a communal and political powder keg, making the premise inherently heartbreaking and intense.
What Works: Casting and Atmosphere
The film’s greatest asset is the casting of Jitendra Kumar as the antagonist. He brilliantly breaks his charming image to portray a sophisticated, educated predator. His ability to switch between charming and chilling is deeply unsettling and effective. Director Akshay Shere successfully establishes a tense, authentic atmosphere, recalling the tone of similar small-town crime thrillers. Arshad Warsi owns the screen as the realistic, middle-aged cop, conveying quiet rage and determination. His moments of intense subtlety are fantastic.
The Critical Flaw: Lack of Emotional Impact
Despite its powerful premise and performances, the film ultimately falters. While it successfully establishes the tense atmosphere, it surrenders the opportunity to build genuine pathos for the victims. The crucial lack of rage or emotional disgust in the audience, even when confronted with the casual cruelty of the crimes, highlights where the writing goes wrong. A single line from Warsi’s senior officer—”Do not make this about the revenge of those women!”—perfectly summarizes the film’s failure to translate scale into empathy. The story skirts around brilliance, but never truly knocks on the door of a compelling psychological drama.
What Doesn’t Work: Loss of Focus
For the first 90 minutes, the film is an engaging, fast-paced crime drama, but it loses momentum and focus dramatically in the second half. The initial mystery gives way to a predictable and conventional courtroom drama as Jitendra Kumar begins defending himself. This final quarter feels stretched and significantly drops the gripping pace set earlier. The film hints at a deep dive into the antagonist’s psyche—calling him a ‘Rakshas’ (demon) who defends himself as a ‘Baaz’ (hawk)—but it ultimately fails to deliver the psychological thriller it should have been. The weak writing ultimately prevents Arshad Warsi’s character from truly ruling the story.
Final Verdict
Bhagwat Chapter 1 Rakshas is a missed opportunity. While the stellar anti-casting of Jitendra Kumar and the gritty performance by Arshad Warsi promise a hard-hitting crime drama, the film’s inability to build genuine emotional empathy and its shift into a conventional, drawn-out courtroom sequence prevent it from reaching its potential.
