Kuttey Review: Bhardwaj's Dark Satire Is Upheld By Tabu's Even Darker Character

With 'Kuttey', Bhardwaj shows us even deadlier, more greedy, utterly treacherous creatures—humans—hidden behind the name of dogs.

New Delhi: To grasp the premise of the action thriller 'Kuttey', the viewer must set aside the loyal trait that dogs possess and stick to a typical scenario in which dogs could be seen fighting on the streets for a morsel of food. However, ironically, the director shows us even deadlier, more greedy, more treacherous creatures—humans—hidden behind the name of this animal.

Aasmaan Bhardwaj boldly attempted to carry the weight of his father and master director Vishal Bhardwaj's enormous legacy when he brought his maiden movie to let Bollywood get off to a solid start in 2023. Although the style of junior Bhardwaj's debut film and that of his father are fairly similar, the latter does not make it a carbon copy of his father's body of work. Aasmaan has a distinct voice, which is noticeable in the ensemble film. He does a fantastic job of adhering to a tweaked three-act structure without ever becoming stilted.

The plot of 'Kuttey', which is written by Aasmaan with additional dialogue and screenplay contributions from Vishal, centres on a gang of unethical police officers who are working with the local drug kingpin, who is portrayed by Naseeruddin Shah.

By conspiring with a rival gang, Gopal (Arjun Kapoor) and Paaji (Kumud Mishra) get into great trouble. When they are sacked from their jobs, their situations spiral out of control. They now have to pay off their bosses to stay on the force. This is the exact moment when the entire chaos starts to spew, flinging everyone into a whirlwind.

However, one good outcome of the incident is that Tabu's character Pammi, the true hero in the movie, is introduced to the audience. The actor receives the same treatment as a big-name male star portraying a corrupt police officer, a typical high-testosterone character prevalent in Indian movies. It is all much sweeter by the fact that Tabu does it more skillfully than any of them. Radhika Apte is a close second, though, in 'Monica O My Darling', where she similarly played a dishonest officer.

Meanwhile, Lakshmi, a Naxal gang leader, who is portrayed by Konkana Sen Sharma, is sought to be tied to the main narrative by the subplot. You wish to see more of the versatile actor on-screen after watching her in the movie's opening scene. Sen leverages her limited screen presence to compel you to vouch for her, as she very often does. Only this time, Kumud Mishra's character back her brilliantly, and their interaction must rank among the most iconic scenes of the film.

To be completely honest, seeing Konkana and Tabu in 'Kuttey' might leave you feeling like you were enjoying a delicious treat just to have it snatched from your grasp. As the characters grab the audience by the collar and dabble with power and vulnerability all at once, one cannot help but long for a spin-off for them.

On the other hand, Radhika Madan, who portrays Shah's daughter, appears to have everything yet lacks one thing- freedom. Along with Shardul, who is seasoned performer, the actor does a good job of bringing out the dire situation. Despite all the choas, both actors are able to make their romantic plot emotionally engaging.

Almost to the point where the audience can become lost in the initially unrelated chapters, Bhardwaj takes his sweet time developing his plot and his characters. And the director takes this chance only to bounce back with a thrilling second half that glides towards an intense climax.

Starting with the first move, 'Kuttey' seems more like a game of luck-based Ludo than a tactical game of Chess where each move is carefully thought out. Each character is hunting for the other, primed and ready to kill someone and pull a double cross, only to reach the safe zone.

One of the film's main highlights is its soundtrack, which was written by Gulzar with composition by Vishal Bhardwaj. The music is terrific and could gradually win over the listeners. The genius of Gulzar and Bhardwaj, which we have previously witnessed, strikes us once more. Talking of the cinematography, Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi, the DOP of the film, creates stunning frames and colour tones that perfectly complement the story to bring the world of evil to the flesh.

By crafting a complex, dark satire that is nearly perfect, the rookie filmmaker shows his mettle. Something that filmmakers nowadays, even seasoned ones, struggle to attain. The pretty exciting, action-packed thriller, with its comedic chase scenes, promises a lot but only partially delivers.

The utterly unexpected twist, which I'm willing to bet no one will see coming, and the fresh approach to the grab-and-run sub-genre are the reasons to see 'Kuttey'.