Arshad Warsi and Jitendra Kumar are the strongest reason to watch Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas, but their performances do not prevent the thriller from losing momentum. In her October 17, 2025 review for Scroll, Nandini Ramnath praises the leads while arguing that the story becomes predictable after its mystery is solved.
What is Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas about?
The story is set in Robertsganj, Uttar Pradesh, in 2009. A woman goes missing, and police officer Bhagwat (Arshad Warsi) promises her father he will find her within 15 days. Alongside the investigation, Samir (Jitendra Kumar) pursues Meera (Ayesha Kaduskar). Bhagwat begins to suspect Samir, but the evidence Ramnath describes remains circumstantial, and the officer cannot connect him to the crimes.
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That setup gives the film two parallel sources of tension: the search for the missing woman and the question of what Samir’s pursuit of Meera means. It is a spoiler-conscious premise; the review’s central criticism concerns what happens to the suspense once the mystery is resolved.
Do the performances carry the thriller?
Arshad Warsi as Bhagwat
Ramnath finds Warsi solid and restrained as the investigating officer. That restraint is complicated by Bhagwat’s violent treatment of suspects, which raises questions about police conduct rather than presenting his methods as uncomplicated heroism.
#1 Best Overall
Jitendra Kumar as Samir
Kumar, in Ramnath’s view, is an effective chameleon: he shifts between charm and pleading innocence, keeping Samir difficult to read. The tension between his character and Bhagwat is the film’s most engaging element while the mystery remains open.
Ramnath’s overall verdict is that the leads shoulder the film, but the performances are not enough to sustain its suspense indefinitely. As she puts it, “The leads ably shoulder a film that is the most compelling until the mystery is solved and then finds itself scrambling to downplay its predictability.”
Where does the story lose momentum?
The review’s main reservation is structural: once the mystery is solved, the thriller loses momentum and becomes predictable. Ramnath also notes that the killer’s modus operandi recalls one in a popular web series. That is a point of comparison, not evidence that the film copied or plagiarised another work.
India Today’s October 16, 2025 review result likewise describes a crime thriller with a familiar story and new faces. The available excerpt supports that broad corroboration, but not a more detailed account of its review. Taken together, the critical framing suggests that viewers looking for fresh plotting may be less satisfied than those chiefly interested in the two lead performances.
Where can you watch it, and what are the listed details?
ZEE5’s catalogue listing identifies Bhagwat Chapter One – Raakshas as a 2025 crime, thriller and action film directed by Akshay Shere, with a listed runtime of 2 hours 7 minutes and Hindi and Telugu audio. It names Arshad Warsi, Jitendra Kumar and Ayesha Kaduskar in the cast and gives October 17, 2025 as the catalogue release date. The Scroll review gives the runtime as 127 minutes, which is consistent with the listing’s 2 hours 7 minutes.
ZEE5 lists the film on its service. That listing does not establish availability in every country or confirm current subscription terms, so check the service in your region for access details.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
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