Billed as India's first feature on the digital arrest scam, Dharpakad follows Arjun Shah after his father is trapped by a gang posing as law enforcement over a video call. Arjun digs into the cybercrime network behind the fraud, and the deeper he goes the more dangerous and tangled it becomes. Anish Shah directs it as a lean thriller with a social spine.
Dharpakad steps into territory no Gujarati film had claimed before, the digital arrest scam, where fake officers on a video call terrify ordinary families into handing over everything. Anish Shah directs it as a lean thriller with a social spine. When Arjun Shah's father is trapped by a gang posing as law enforcement, Arjun goes digging into the cybercrime network behind it, and the deeper he goes the murkier things get.
The pull of the film is how current it feels. Malhar Thakar, usually the easy comic lead, plays Arjun with a harder, more grounded edge and carries the emotional pressure convincingly. Prashant Barot is the quiet heart of it as the humiliated, frightened father, and Shruhad Goswami adds a believable, restless energy as Bunty. Japjisingh Valecha's score stays tight and tense without smothering the drama. Divya Bhaskar rated it three and a half out of five, praising Anish Shah's touch and a climax twist worth staying for, VTV Gujarati called it a rare blend of social message and entertainment, and Sampark Gujarati went to four out of five for its relevance and pace.
The seams show in places. A couple of twists land exactly where you brace for them, some emotional beats run long, and the humor Malhar's fans expect is mostly absent by design. None of that sinks it. The supporting players, from Pratik Rathod's menace to Jay Bhatt's dogged investigator, keep the world feeling lived-in, and the film never loses sight of the real families this scam is destroying. As an urgent, responsible thriller about a fraud that is emptying real bank accounts, Dharpakad earns its watch and its warning.
Verdict
India's first digital-arrest thriller, and a smart one. Malhar Thakar drops the comedy and Anish Shah keeps it urgent.
What works
- Timely digital-arrest premise
- Malhar Thakar in a grounded register
- Prashant Barot's frightened father
- Tight, tense pacing
What holds it back
- A few predictable twists
- Some emotional scenes overrun
- Little of the expected humor
- Message occasionally over-signposted
Cast & crew
Writers: Anish Shah, Himalay Dave, Ankit Gor
Music: Japjisingh Valecha
Cast: Malhar Thakar (Arjun Shah), Prashant Barot (Bhadresh Shah), Shruhad Goswami (Bunty), Pratik Rathod (Himmat Rana), Jay Bhatt (Jayraj)
Producers: Raahul Badal, Jay Shah, Anish Shah
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore from Anish Shah
More Crime Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Dharpakad worth watching?
India's first digital-arrest thriller, and a smart one. Malhar Thakar drops the comedy and Anish Shah keeps it urgent. Kevu Che rates it 3.5 out of 5.
What is Dharpakad about?
Billed as India's first feature on the digital arrest scam, Dharpakad follows Arjun Shah after his father is trapped by a gang posing as law enforcement over a video call. Arjun digs into the cybercrime network behind the fraud, and the deeper he goes the more dangerous and tangled it becomes. Anish Shah directs it as a lean thriller with a social spine.