Nowadays, it feels like films releasing directly on OTT platforms are those that may not do very well in theatres. Kartavya may not be a great film either, but it is still interesting enough to make you watch till the end. It is a dark and serious film that does not give a happy ending. It simply finishes the story and moves on.
Kartavya features Saif Ali Khan playing Pawan Malik, an honest police officer in a Haryana village. While investigating the murder of a journalist he was responsible for protecting, he also has to save his own family from dangerous threats. The film shows how difficult it becomes for him to choose between his duty as a police officer and his responsibility towards his family.
The story is not just about finding the criminal. It talks more about honesty, corruption, power, caste problems and the pressure of doing the right thing in a broken system.
One good thing about Kartavya is that it does not try to be a loud Bollywood cop film. There are no over-the-top action scenes or heroic dialogues. Instead, the film shows a tired and troubled police officer who looks like a real person dealing with real problems.
Saif Ali Khan is the biggest strength of the film. He gives a calm and natural performance without trying too hard to look like a superstar. His acting feels honest and believable. The dialect used in the film, especially by Saif Ali Khan, makes the story feel even more real and relatable. This is one of his better performances in recent years.
The film also feels very real because of its simple storytelling, village setting and serious tone. Director Pulkit focuses more on realism than glamour. The film touches on many important topics like caste violence, honour killings, fake godmen, corrupt police officers and village politics.
Talking about the supporting cast, not mentioning Sanjay Mishra would be unfair. He is one of those dependable actors who fits comfortably into every kind of role, whether it is comedy, serious drama or emotional scenes. He feels like many emotions and characters rolled into one actor, and once again he leaves an impact with his performance. Rasika Dugal gets limited scope in the film, but she fits her character naturally and does her part well. Zakir Hussain also blends perfectly into the dark and morally complicated world of the story.
But the film also has some weak points. The pace is slow, some twists are easy to guess and the emotional impact is not very strong. Even though the film talks about many serious issues, it does not explore them deeply enough. At times, it feels like the film wants to say something powerful but stays too quiet and controlled.
In the end, Kartavya works more as a serious character-driven film than an exciting thriller. It creates a strong atmosphere and earns respect for trying something different. There are no big action scenes, no loud background music and no larger-than-life hero moments. It is a simple, dark and realistic film that shows Saif Ali Khan in a strong character role once again.
Movie: Kartavya
Directed by: Pulkit
Featuring: Saif Ali Khan, Rasika Dugal, Sanjay Mishra, Saurabh Dwivedi, Zakir Hussain, Manish Chaudhari
Streaming on: Netflix
OTT Release date: 15 May 2026
Run Time: 1hr 48mins
Kartavya
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