Pulkit ventures into familiar territory — casteism in the hinterland, corruption in the system and a lone wolf battling it all — in his latest film Kartavya. The filmmaker, who prefers to remain mononymous, has touched upon all the above themes in his much-acclaimed 2024 film Bhakshak, one which had Bhumi Pednekar fighting against all odds as an intrepid journalist in small-town India who takes on the powers-that-be to uncover a girl trafficking racket. Bhakshak, which was clearly based on the Muzaffarpur shelter case, was backed by Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment, as is Kartavya. Both are on Netflix.
In Kartavya, the protagonist is a man, a world-weary but honest-to-a-fault cop. Pawan (Saif Ali Khan, giving Sacred Games vibes in a good way) is the officer-in-charge of the fictional town of Jhamli, which could be a stand-in for Shamli in Uttar Pradesh. We aren’t told that for obvious reasons. Kartavya kicks off with Pawan and his team — among which is his trusted aide Ashok, played by Sanjay Mishra — cutting a cake on the bonnet of his jeep to celebrate his birthday. It is all bonhomie and banter till a visiting journalist, on a mission to expose local godman/ conman Anand Shri (Saurabh Dwivedi), is gunned down under Pawan’s watch. Anand Shri runs a criminal syndicate that grooms and exploits minor children to execute hits and then makes them disappear once the job is done. It is up to Pawan to ensure the safety of the shooter, a teenager named Harpal (an excellent Yudhvir Ahlawat), and bring Anand Shri to book, even as he grapples with a compromised system, headed by his boss (Manish Chaudhari in the most Manish Chaudhari role possible).
But this is not the only battle Pawan is up against. His brother has eloped overnight with a girl from another caste, and not only are her family — which includes Anand Shri’s top men — up in arms, Pawan’s extremely orthodox father (a rarely miscast Zakir Hussain), a vehement propagator of honour killing in a region which normalises it, is also baying for his younger son’s blood. It is in these trying circumstances that Pawan strives to perform his “kartavya”, even if it involves forces beyond his control. His only support is his wife Varsha (Rasika Dugal), with the couple determined to shield their growing son from the all-pervading debasement.
What we see in Kartavya is not anything new. Streaming shows have over the years captured similar aspects of the perverse social and political practices in a large part of hinterland India, and Kartavya, more or less, follows the same path. The film which runs a little over 100 minutes, also mistakes slow for slow burn. Large stretches of it, with Pawan facing off against those within the system and outside it, often play on repeat. It is only in the last 20 minutes or so that Kartavya springs to life, with a deceitful twist that breaks Pawan but also cements his resolve to see justice being carried out, even if the cost is personal.
Pulkit, whose last outing was the vastly mediocre Rajkummar Rao-starrer Maalik, does infuse Kartavya with some moments that evoke both thought and introspection, but the beats, as mentioned, are familiar.
Saif Ali Khan, shouldering Kartavya, is the one who stands tall. A cop with a penchant for white sports shoes (an early indicator of his blotless rectitude), Saif anchors even its most uneven bits. Here is an actor who has proved time and again what he is capable of and one only wishes that Saif, in his future projects, gets to explore the multidimensionality of his acting prowess. The other standout, as expected, is the always dependable Sanjay Mishra, who excels in a deeply layered, morally ambivalent role. Rasika Dugal is a gifted actor who makes the most of her limited screen time.
Pulkit, also the writer of the film, goes meta in a few instances, which will make you chuckle. At one point, Pawan says: “Romantic filmein dekh ke bann gaya Shah Rukh Khan,” a direct nod to Kartavya’s Mr. Moneybags. A tense moment has Anand Shri smirking: “Patrakaar ke maut ka dukh hain. Waise bhi kitne bachey hai iss duniya mein.” Saurabh Dwivedi is a journalist whose first acting job is, to put it mildly, disastrous. Given how awkward and conscious the man is in the few scenes he is in, Kartavya chooses to leave him out — the main antagonist — of the climax, as well as the many moments that precede it. #TrueStory
To round off on a lighter note, if Saif Ali Khan gave me a rupee every time he utters “baalak” in Kartavya, I would be sitting pretty at the Pataudi Palace by now. Now, where is that vintage wine collection?
My favourite Saif Ali Khan role is... Tell t2@abp.in