Nikita Roy (2025) Review!!

Synopsis – The story of an investigator racing against time to expose the dark dealings of Amar Dev, a powerful and enigmatic spiritual healer.

My Take – Though investigative dramas & horror usually operate in a different space in Hindi cinema, for his directorial debut Kussh S Sinha (son of veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha) takes an ambitious swing by combining mystery with the supernatural. With all the ingredients present, from a strong central character & plot to a relevant theme and a brooding tone, the thriller without a doubt, promised a chilling experience.

Sadly, the narrative doesn’t make the most of its compelling ideas. The film aims to pit superstition against science and faith against blind beliefs, and is backed by an atmosphere laced with a lingering unease.

But while the concept works, the execution falters. Often undermining itself through uneven writing, conspicuous plot holes, and a lack of lasting impact. Making this is a classic case of squandered potential.

What could have been a gripping horror-thriller with an investigative backbone ends up being a fumbling mess, held together by weak writing and rushed storytelling.

The story follows Nikita Roy (Sonakshi Sinha), an author and member of the International Rationalist Committee, who is known to share an impulse with her brother, Dr. Sanal Roy (Arjun Rampal), about dismantling mass hysteria and exposing untruths. But when Sanal dies under mysterious circumstances in London and the police dismiss it as suicide, Nikita takes us upon herself to get to the bottom of the truth.

Convinced that his death is related to his investigation around the charismatic Amar Dev (Paresh Rawal), as he was on the brink of exposing the powerful & well connected Godman, Nikita pairs up with her celebrity vlogger ex-boyfriend Jolly (Suhail Nayyar) and begins peeling the mystery layer by layer.

The film begins well enough, with a decent sense of mystery built up by writer Pavan Kirpalani, who is credited with the original story and screenplay. Beneath the surface, the film wants to be more than just an unsolved mystery by pitting faith against reason and belief against evidence. And while that philosophical tension is intriguing, it’s never fully explored.

The screenplay remains too focused on Nikita while letting other characters hover on the sidelines. Even Amar Dev, the antagonist, so loaded with potential, deserved more screen time to fully unravel. His refined Hindi feels jarringly out of place in London’s setting.

And the absence of sharp confrontational scenes between him and Nikita never allows the tension to go above the sub-standard. The same goes for Nikita and Sanal’s relationship that though central to the plot, feels emotionally underfed. While the sibling dynamic anchors the story, the film offers little for viewers to grasp in their bond or even the conviction behind their cause.

Nikita’s position as an author dismantling superstition is clear in intent, but the film’s delivery feels oversimplified. As for the horror, it’s present, but mostly in atmosphere. There are no genuine scares, only a few chilling moments that stop short of delivering impact. But for some reason, the climax comes in fast, rushed, and far too overloaded. Sacrificing nuance for urgency. Leaving one frustrated.

Performance wise, Sonakshi Sinha is quite sincere in her role. She brings restraint and quiet rage to Nikita, balancing grief with resolve. Suhail Nayyar supports her well, and together they at least make the first half watchable. Paresh Rawal, despite the limitations of his role, brings a natural stillness to the screen.

Arjun Rampal appears briefly as Sanal, but his performance carries weight—even if his character disappears too soon. Kallirroi Tziafeta as the mysterious Freya, leaves a strong impression in her brief arc, especially during the chilling twist her character brings. On the whole, ‘Nikita Roy‘ is a below par investigative thriller that fails to utilize its potential.