Cuttputlli Review – Akshay Kumar

Bollywood’s inclination towards crime thrillers has witnessed a resurgence in recent years, with a new fascination for serial-killer sagas spun with psychological depth and investigative intrigue. “Cuttputlli,” directed by Ranjit M. Tewari and featuring Akshay Kumar, navigates the eerie underbelly of a quiet Himachal town ravaged by a series of gruesome murders. An official remake of Tamil hit “Ratsasan,” the Hindi adaptation aspires to blend menace and mystery for the digital age.

With Akshay Kumar trading his action star persona for a rookie cop, the film promises a tension-laden chase. Does “Cuttputlli” deliver the edge-of-seat suspense, or does it get tangled in its own strings? This exhaustive review breaks down everything — story, craft, performances, culture, technical finesse, strengths, flaws, and the film’s place in the Bollywood thriller hall of fame.

Table of Contents

Plot: Chasing Shadows in the Hills

“Cuttputlli” is set in the hill station of Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, painting an idyllic backdrop soon scarred by sadistic violence.

Act 1: The Unlikely Investigator

Arjan Sethi (Akshay Kumar), a 36-year-old aspiring filmmaker, is obsessed with the minds of serial killers. After repeated rejections from producers—who mock his “dark” ambitions—Arjan puts his dreams on hold and joins the police force, encouraged by his brother-in-law Narinder Singh (Chandrachur Singh), himself a cop.

Arjan moves in with his sister Seema, Narinder, and their daughter Payal, an arrangement that brings both familial warmth and everyday domestic challenges.

Act 2: The Nightmare Begins

The tranquility of Kasauli is abruptly shattered when the mutilated body of 15-year-old Samiksha is discovered. Officers reel from the savagery—the postmortem reveals precise mutilation, a chilling criminal signature. Arjan, inexperienced but with a passion for criminology, notes key patterns suggesting the work of a serial offender.

His theory meets skepticism from his superior, SHO Gudiya Parmar (Sargun Mehta), who regards Arjan as a rookie lacking “real-world” sense. But another abduction—schoolgirl Amrita—vindicates Arjan. The modus operandi links the two cases: mutilated dolls at crime scenes, specific victim profiles, and a taunting escalation.

Failing to secure resources or respect, Arjan pursues unofficial leads, focusing on Payal’s school. The narrative introduces teacher Divya (Rakul Preet Singh), and her niece Iti, who is hearing- and speech-impaired; their involvement deepens Arjan’s emotional stakes.

Act 3: Deeper Into Darkness

An uptick in abductions terrorizes the community. Arjan’s investigation targets Purushottam Tomar, a math teacher whose disturbing behavior suggests pedophilic compulsions. After a violent altercation and the intervention of police, Tomar confesses to sexual abuse but denies murder.

Before Arjan can exhale, disaster strikes: Payal is abducted, and her lifeless body is discovered in tragic fashion. Overcome with grief and guilt, Arjan is suspended for his public use of a firearm during Tomar’s arrest—a harsh professional setback.

Act 4: Strings Revealed

Unaffected by the suspension, Arjan continues the hunt with the help of loyal officers like Mahinder Guleria. He finds a vital clue—a piano tune recorded from a victim’s hearing aid. At a local radio station, he learns this motif is linked to a magician’s show performed at the victims’ schools.

The investigation pivots to Agnes, a lady magician/pianist who picks her targets from the audience. Realizing the killer may be hiding in plain sight, Arjan anticipates the next assault on young Aisha Khan—and, with a desperate school drill, tries to avert another tragedy.

Act 5: The Puppet Master Revealed

Despite Arjan’s efforts, Aisha is abducted, then rescued after a tense police chase. The killer flees, attacking Divya and kidnapping Iti. Arjan tracks the culprit to an abandoned locale, where the shocking revelation unfolds: “Agnes” is in fact Christopher, her son—his face warped by progeria, mentally tormented by childhood trauma and rejection.

Christopher, bullied and unloved, regarded his victims as echoes of a girl who humiliated him years ago. Dressed as his deceased mother, Christopher enacted revenge on innocence, writing a macabre legacy beneath Kasauli’s surface.

Arjan confronts Christopher in a final fight, saving Iti and bringing dark closure to the town’s ordeal.

Characters and Acting

Akshay Kumar as Arjan Sethi

Akshay Kumar anchors the film as Arjan—a far cry from his stylized action roles. Kumar brings restraint, empathy, and intelligence to a character wrestling with self-doubt and public ridicule. Early scenes paint him as an unassuming everyman—a lover of movies, a doting uncle, and an amateur criminologist. His evolution, from uncertain rookie to driven investigator, is compelling.

Kumar’s portrayal is less physical and more cerebral, relying on observation and reasoning. His grief over Payal’s death, frustration with authorities, and confrontation with the killer display credible emotional arcs.

Rakul Preet Singh as Divya

Divya may seem like a narrative device but provides support, chemistry, and emotional grounding. Rakul Preet crafts a character who is resilient, compassionate, and fiercely protective of her niece Iti, ultimately adding urgency and vulnerability to the story.

Sargun Mehta as SHO Gudiya Parmar

SHO Parmar embodies authority, skepticism, and institutional inertia. Sargun Mehta’s performance brings feisty energy and gradual transformation—from dismissive superior to invested ally—as the crisis deepens.

Chandrachur Singh, Hrishitaa Bhatt, Supporting Cast

Singh and Bhatt, as Narinder and Seema, add authenticity to the family dynamic, making Arjan’s pursuit not purely professional but deeply personal. The cast as a whole balances tension and relatability.

Joshua Leclair (Christopher/Agnes)

The role of Christopher—masked for much of the film—is terrifying and tragic. Leclair captures the skewed innocence, pain, and rage of a misunderstood soul turned monstrous, helping the film transcend mere whodunit mechanics.

Direction, Screenplay, and Adaptation

Ranjit M. Tewari’s Vision

Director Ranjit M. Tewari crafts the film with an eye for suspense, methodical pacing, and atmospheric dread. The adaptation is loyal to the source material (“Ratsasan”) but infuses Indian cultural elements—family bonds, small-town anxiety, systemic obstacles—to broaden resonance.

The screenplay by Aseem Arrora and Tushar Trivedi avoids unnecessary romantic digression, keeping the narrative focused on murder, investigation, and psychological tension. Dialogues are pragmatic, reflecting both police procedural and emotional urgency.

Narrative Structure

“Cuttputlli” employs classical detective tropes—clues, red herrings, mistaken suspects—honed for binge-worthy intrigue. The film’s five-act structure sustains tension, layering character, conspiracy, and social commentary.

Pacing occasionally falters, with some repetition and a few predictable turns, but the thematic core remains intact.

Technical Aspects: Cinematography, Music, and Editing

Cinematography

Rajeev Ravi’s lens renders Kasauli’s misty slopes both picturesque and sinister. The town’s serenity serves as a chilling contrast to crime scenes—abandoned schools, shadowed alleyways, stifling rooms.

Close-ups heighten police frustration, familial grieving, and Christopher’s sinister acts. Visual storytelling amplifies the stakes, avoiding jump scares in favor of slow-burn dread.

Music and Sound

Composers Tanishk Bagchi, Dr. Zeus, Aditya Dev, and others deliver a score that is evocative but understated. Background music bolsters the suspense without distracting from the unfolding drama.

Sound design is meticulous, using ambient noise—footsteps, piano notes, whispered voices—to ratchet up the tension.

Editing

Chandan Arora’s editing is tight for the most part. Transitions between home, school, and crime scenes are fluid, maintaining narrative clarity and urgency.

Themes and Psychological Depth

The Nature of Evil

“Cuttputlli” navigates the psychology of predators, focusing not just on monstrous violence but on the real-world consequences for victims, families, and society.

Christopher’s background addresses the impact of trauma, bullying, and social alienation on shaping pathology. The killer’s mother—her own history of culpability and sacrifice—serves as a tragic subplot.

Family and Vulnerability

Arjan’s motivations, rooted in love for Payal and his family, imbue the case with urgency and sentiment. The interplay of family, grief, and pursuit makes the film more than just a serial killer hunt.

Institutional Barriers

Arjan’s struggle with police bureaucracy and skepticism highlights systemic inertia—where innovation is stifled, and hierarchy prioritizes ego over investigator insight.

Innocence and Betrayal

The recurring victim profile—schoolgirls—amplifies the horror, critiquing social apathy, vulnerability, and the failures of authority to protect the weakest.

Strengths

Akshay Kumar’s restrained, credible performance
Suspenseful pacing and atmospheric direction
Effective adaptation of a Tamil thriller with cultural inflections
Psychological depth in villain’s motives
Rich technical craft—cinematography and sound design
Clear, focused investigation with limited distractions

Weaknesses

Predictable genre tropes for experienced viewers
Some emotional scenes feel forced
Red herrings/false suspects resolved too quickly
Supporting characters underdeveloped
Potential romantic subplots not wholly realized

“Cuttputlli” brings the “serial killer film” to Bollywood’s mainstream, exploring not just procedural mechanics but social consequences. Its setting in Kasauli, far from the familiar urban sprawl, lends freshness, and its streaming release format aligns with new audiences’ demand for binge-worthy crime dramas.

The film’s faithfulness to “Ratsasan” is a strength for genre fans but may hinder engagement for viewers seeking plotting originality.

Conclusion: Verdict

“Cuttputlli” is a taut, suspenseful thriller that manages emotional weight and investigative drama with finesse. Akshay Kumar steps into a genre he rarely explores, delivering a measured performance in a story that combines police procedure with family trauma and the dark psychology of crime.

The film is not flawless—pacing and predictable turns mar the experience for some—but it delivers what the genre promises: sustained tension, credible emotional arcs, and a chilling villain. For fans of psychological thrillers, “Cuttputlli” is a binge-worthy addition to Bollywood’s evolving crime narrative.

Final Rating: 3.5/5 stars — Intense, engaging, emotionally resonant, with genre limits.

FAQs

Q1. Is “Cuttputlli” a remake?

Yes, it is a Hindi adaptation of the Tamil blockbuster “Ratsasan.”

Q2. Who plays the protagonist?

Akshay Kumar stars as Arjan Sethi, an amateur filmmaker turned rookie cop.

Q3. What is the film about?

It’s a police procedural thriller where a rookie cop investigates a series of brutal murders targeting schoolgirls in Kasauli.

Q4. Who is the chief antagonist?

The serial killer is revealed to be Christopher, disguised as Agnes the magician/pianist, driven by psychological trauma.

Q5. How is Akshay Kumar’s performance?

Kumar delivers a restrained, cerebral, and empathetic performance, moving away from his usual action-hero style.

Q6. Is the film suitable for family viewing?

Owing to mature themes of violence and crime, it’s best suited for older teens and adults.

Q7. What are the main strengths of the film?

Compelling suspense, solid performances, effective adaptation, and engaging technical craft.

Q8. Are there notable weaknesses?

Predictable twists, some forced emotional scenes, and underdeveloped supporting roles.

Q9. How does it compare to “Ratsasan”?

The film faithfully adapts the Tamil original, localizing it with Hindi and hill-town context, with some differences in pacing and character focus.

Q10. Should I watch “Cuttputlli”?

Yes, if you enjoy tense crime thrillers, psychological sagas, and Akshay Kumar’s more nuanced acting.

“Cuttputlli” spins a dark web of suspense, unraveling the shadows lurking behind everyday innocence, ultimately reminding us—sometimes, the scariest strings are those we cannot see.

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