🕵️‍♂️Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas (2025) – Darkness, Duty & the Monster Within: Cast, Plot, Release Date, Box Office & Where to Watch

“Sometimes, the demons we chase… are the ones inside us.”

The shadows of truth and morality collide in Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas, a gripping new Hindi-language crime thriller that dives deep into the psyche of a cop haunted by his own rage and guilt. Directed by Akshay Shere, the film marks the first chapter in what promises to be an intense, character-driven crime saga.

Starring Arshad Warsi, Jitendra Kumar, and Ayesha Kaduskar, this dark thriller will premiere on ZEE5 on October 17, 2025, under the banner of Jio Studios, Baweja Studios, and Dog ’n’ Bone Pictures.

⚖️ A Story of Shadows and Sin

“Justice has a face… but so does the monster it hunts.”

Set in the grim lanes of Robertsganj, Uttar Pradesh, Bhagwat – Chapter 1: Raakshas follows Inspector Vishwas Bhagwat (Arshad Warsi) — a police officer struggling with his temper and haunted by personal demons. When a young woman named Poonam goes missing, his investigation spirals into a web of corruption, deceit, and moral ambiguity.

At the heart of this mystery stands Sameer (Jitendra Kumar) — a soft-spoken college professor with an enigmatic charm and an unsettling calm. As Bhagwat digs deeper into the town’s seedy underbelly and uncovers links to a prostitution racket, he begins to suspect that Sameer’s story is not what it seems.

The film’s psychological duel between the cop and the professor slowly unravels the truth — and questions who the real Raakshas (monster) truly is.

🎭 The Faces of Duality

Arshad Warsi, known for his effortless blend of intensity and empathy, delivers one of his most complex roles yet. As Inspector Vishwas Bhagwat, he brings to life a man torn between duty and darkness — a lawman whose anger might be his greatest weapon or his ultimate downfall.

Jitendra Kumar, in a strikingly different turn from his comedic and emotional roles, plays Sameer — a man who radiates innocence but carries secrets buried deep beneath the surface. Their confrontation drives the film’s core tension, a battle of belief versus doubt, truth versus perception.

Ayesha Kaduskar and Tara Alisha Berry add emotional texture to the story, representing the innocence caught in the crossfire between power, lust, and justice.

🎬 Behind the Crime Scene

Directed by Akshay Shere and written by Bhavini Bheda (with dialogues by Sumit Saxena), Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas promises an unflinching look at the dark corners of human morality. The cinematography by Amogh Deshpande captures the haunting chill of small-town India, while Hemal Kothari’s editing keeps the pace sharp and nerve-wracking.

The film’s visual tone is bleak yet poetic — echoing the idea that light cannot exist without shadow.

Produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Pammi Baweja, Harman Baweja, Kanishk Gangwal, and Akshay Shere, this project marks a new step for Indian digital thrillers — one that doesn’t shy away from psychological grit and narrative complexity.

🩸 “Every man fights his Raakshas — but not everyone wins.”

Bhagwat – Chapter 1: Raakshas explores the thin line between righteousness and rage, law and obsession. It’s a crime thriller on the surface, but beneath the suspense lies a story about redemption, trauma, and human frailty.

With Arshad Warsi’s commanding screen presence and Jitendra Kumar’s quiet menace, this promises to be a character-

driven psychological clash unlike anything in recent Hindi thrillers.

📺 Streaming Details

Premiere Date: October 17, 2025

Platform: ZEE5

Language: Hindi

Starring: Arshad Warsi, Jitendra Kumar, Ayesha Kaduskar, Tara Alisha Berry

Directed by: Akshay Shere

Produced by: Jio Studios, Baweja Studios, Dog ’n’ Bone Pictures

🩶 Final Verdict

If you loved dark, cerebral thrillers like Raat Akeli Hai and Drishyam, prepare for a new kind of psychological storm. Bhagwat Chapter One: Raakshas is not just a film — it’s the beginning of a haunting saga about crime, conscience, and the monsters that live within us.