KUTTEY is a tale of a group of unethical characters in the year 2016. Two police officers, Gopal (played by Arjun Kapoor) and Paaji (played by Kumud Mishra), are approached by the notorious gangster Narayan Khobre (played by Naseeruddin Shah), who is confined to a wheelchair, about their connection with the drug dealer Surti (played by Jay Upadhyay). Khobre orders them to eliminate Surti. They reach Surti’s mansion, attack him, and plan to steal his drugs worth millions.

Surti Survive

However, Surti survives the attack, and Gopal and Paaji are caught by the police while escaping. They try to convince their senior, Rajiv Mishra (played by Aasmaan Bhardwaj), that they were acting as undercover officers, but he is not convinced and suspends them. With no other option, they approach inspector Pammi Sandhu (played by Tabu), a corrupt and merciless police officer, who demands that they each provide Rs. 1 crore in exchange for revoking their suspension orders. During their discussion, Pammi’s old friend Harry (played by Ashish Vidyarthi), a former cop now involved in supplying money to ATMs in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, joins them.

Harry Reveals

When Harry reveals that he transports Rs. 4 crores every night, Gopal is tempted to rob the money. He enlists the help of police officers whose lives he saved during a previous operation, and they set up a fake roadblock to stop Harry’s van. Despite Harry’s men killing Gopal’s colleagues and injuring Gopal, he manages to steal the money. From this point, things spiral out of control as Paaji, Pammi, Lovely (played by Radhika Madan), her boyfriend Danny Dandekar (played by Shardul Bhardwaj), and Maoist revolutionary Laxmi (played by Konkona Sen Sharma) become involved in the chaos. The rest of the film depicts what happens next.

Aasman Bhardajs

Aasmaan Bhardwaj’s latest film, KUTTEY, is a dark comedy with an intriguing plot that brings together a group of immoral characters. Although the screenplay (co-written by Vishal Bhardwaj) has its strong moments and well-worded dialogues, some scenes could have been more imaginative, particularly in the finale. Aasmaan’s direction is competent, with a few standout sequences, such as the use of red silhouettes, and the smooth transitioning between scenes. However, the film falls short in terms of humor and thrills, relying heavily on violence and abuse.

Film Prologue

The film is divided into a prologue, 3 chapters, and an epilogue. The prologue sets the mood for the film, and the first chapter, “Sabka Maalik Ek,” features a memorable shootout sequence and the introduction of the character Pammi. Despite its strengths, KUTTEY is plagued by plot holes and characters that are never fully explained or disappear entirely. The final chapter, “Moong Ki Dal,” starts off well but the finale falls short. Nevertheless, the epilogue provides a humorous conclusion.

The cast of KUTTEY shines, particularly with standout performances from Arjun Kapoor, Tabu and Kumud Mishra. Kapoor’s commanding presence and acting abilities are on full display, while Tabu’s mere presence adds impact to the film. Mishra delivers a dependable performance in an important role. Radhika Madan is fantastic and deserving of more screen time, as is Shardul Bhardwaj. Naseeruddin Shah’s talent is unfortunately underutilized, and Konkona Sen Sharma’s brief appearance still manages to captivate. Ashish Vidyarthi and Jay Upadhyay are given limited opportunities to shine. Supporting cast members Karan Nagar, Vijayant Kohli, and Ajit Shidhaye all deliver decent performances, while Anurag Kasshyap and Aasmaan Bhardwaj have fair cameos.

Vishal Bhardwaj’s musical score is unique, but the songs do not leave a lasting impression as they are underutilized, especially tracks like “Khoon Ki Khushboo,” “Vaat Lagli,” and “Kuttey.” However, a few songs that stand out include “Ek Aur Dhan Te Nan,” “Awaara Dogs,” “Tere Saath,” and “Azadi.” The quirky and badass background score adds to the film’s vibe.

Farhad Ahmed Dehlvi’s cinematography is polished, and the production design from Subrata Chakraborty and Amit Ray is realistic. The action, choreographed by Harpal Singh and Anton Moon, is violent, particularly in the beginning. Karishma Sharma’s costumes are authentic, and the VFX from Visual Birds Studios is commendable. Sreekar Prasad’s editing is fast-paced.

Overall, KUTTEY is an interesting film with strong performances, but excessive violence and use of profanity detract from its impact. It will likely only appeal to niche segments of metro multiplex audiences.