Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas Review: A chilling idea lost in a rather predictable approach

Bhagwat Chapter one: Raakshas- Streaming on Z5

Directed By: Akshay Shere

Cast: Arshad Warsi, Jitendra Kumar & others

Produced By: Jio Studios, Baweja Studios, and Dog 'n' Bone Pictures

When Arshad Warsi plays a cop, you expect authenticity. Two decades later, Warsi returns to the genre with Bhagwat Chapter 1: Rakshas, a crime thriller inspired by true events. The film sets up a disturbing story about a missing girl case that unravels into something much darker, but somewhere along the way, it forgets what made it so gripping in the first place.

Directed by Akshay Shere, Bhagwat Chapter 1 promises a deep dive into evil, into how some people can commit the most horrific crimes and still feel no remorse. It begins with purpose and intrigue, but ends up offering more surface-level drama than psychological depth.

A Solid Setup with Realistic Texture

The film opens in a small North Indian town where girls start disappearing mysteriously. Inspector Vishwas Bhagwat (Arshad Warsi), a temperamental yet honest cop with a haunted past, takes on the case. During his investigation, he finds links to another missing girl, and another, until the number climbs to 19. It’s a horrifying realisation that sets the stage for a tense, procedural thriller.

Running parallel is the story of Samir (Jitendra Kumar) and Meera (Ayesha Kaduskar), two young lovers who elope to start a new life together. Their track, light and tender at first, soon turns into tragedy when Meera vanishes too. Bhagwat’s probe gradually leads him to Samir, exposing a string of crimes and the monstrous truth hiding beneath his calm, educated exterior.

For a good ninety minutes, Bhagwat Chapter 1: Rakshas keeps you engaged. The parallel storytelling works well initially, and the grounded treatment, no over-the-top action or flashy visuals gives the film a realistic texture. Akshay Shere direction in the first half is tight, letting tension build naturally. You can sense the rage simmering beneath Bhagwat’s restraint, and the fear of an invisible predator lurking somewhere close.

Where the Thrill Slips Away

Unfortunately, the grip starts loosening in the final act. After an intense buildup, the film drifts into a predictable courtroom sequence that kills the momentum. Instead of an explosive showdown or an emotionally satisfying face-off between Bhagwat and the killer, we get a rather flat, subdued conclusion.

It’s not that every film needs a loud ending, but this one demanded a confrontation that matched its tone. Bhagwat’s anger, his frustration with the system, his personal demons, all of it deserved a cathartic release. What we get instead feels like an abrupt pause. The story fizzles out when it should’ve burned bright.

This weak finale also highlights another major flaw: the lack of psychological exploration. You expect a film like this to dig into why someone becomes a monster. But Bhagwat Chapter 1 never goes there. We see what the culprit does, but we don’t understand what made him that way. A few glimpses into his past, a motive, or even a twisted justification could’ve given the story emotional weight. Without that, the film remains on the surface, watchable, but not haunting.

Performances That Lift the Film

If there’s one thing that holds Bhagwat Chapter 1: Rakshas together, it’s the cast. Arshad Warsi is in top form. He plays Bhagwat with a weary dignity, a middle-aged officer who has stopped caring about bureaucracy but still believes in justice. There’s no glamour in his portrayal, and that’s precisely what makes it effective. Warsi’s Bhagwat isn’t here to flex muscles; he’s here to fight decay, both inside and outside the system. His anger feels real, his helplessness relatable.

Jitendra Kumar, stepping miles away from his Panchayat image, surprises as Samir, the soft-spoken yet sinister killer. His calmness is what makes him frightening. He doesn’t need to scream or threaten; his composure is enough to unsettle you. It’s a clever casting choice that works well, even if the character’s inner life remains underwritten.

Ayesha Kaduskar is another standout. She brings warmth and vulnerability to Meera, making her more than just a victim.

Direction and Execution: Sharp Start, Weak Finish

Akshay Shere clearly knows how to stage a thriller. The film’s tone is gritty, the setting feels authentic, and the camera never glamorizes the violence or the crime. The dialogues are sharp and grounded. There’s a sense of unease that lingers throughout, especially in the first half.

But the writing doesn’t sustain that energy. The predictable structure of the second half and the lack of emotional resolution dilute the impact. The editing, too, feels stretched toward the end; scenes linger longer than they should, slowing the pace.

Verdict: A Half-Gripping, Half-Lost Thriller

Bhagwat Chapter 1: Rakshas begins with the promise of a hard-hitting crime drama that questions morality and justice. And for a while, it delivers exactly that, tense, emotional, and rooted in realism. But the second half collapses under predictability, leaving you wishing for more fire, more confrontation, more insight.