Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa (2026) Review!!

Synopsis – At an anniversary party, Sohrab Handa is found dead, with his throat slit in the hall. As the investigation unravels, friendships are tested and secrets are revealed.

My Take – There is no doubt that Rajat Kapoor has been a singular force in Indian cinema since the late 1980s, steadily building a reputation as both a refined character actor and a daring filmmaker. His performances are marked by restraint and nuance, yet it is his directorial vision that truly distinguishes him. Films such as Bheja Fry (2007), Mithya (2008), Ankhon Dekhi (2013), and Kadakh (2019) reveal a filmmaker unafraid to experiment with narrative form, tonal shifts, and philosophical inquiry.

Kapoor’s cinema thrives on risk, blending humor with existential reflection, satire with poignancy, and ensemble chaos with intimate observation. By refusing to conform to mainstream formulas, he has carved out a distinctive niche that values wit, depth, and originality over commercial predictability. In doing so, he has elevated the standard of Indian independent cinema and inspired a generation of storytellers to embrace innovation.

His latest work continues that tradition.

The story carries all the hallmarks of a classic whodunit: a closed setting, intricate character dynamics, and a murder that disrupts a celebratory evening. Yet the true allure lies not in the mystery itself but in the drama that unfolds between the characters. What begins as a simple setup quickly transforms into a messy, engaging ride filled with sharp banter and hidden tensions.

Yes, it may not reinvent the genre, but it sure does humanize it, turning a murder mystery into a portrait of the hidden cruelties woven into our most intimate bonds. Undeniably, the film shares similarities with others in the genre. The ensemble cast, the isolated location, and the gradual unveiling of secrets all echo familiar territory. Even the final reveal and tonal balance fall short of complete satisfaction.

Yet it remains a respectable experiment that sustains curiosity, holds attention, and keeps the audience invested in its characters and their dynamics. In many ways, it achieves what a whodunit should, even if it does not entirely perfect the landing.

The story follows a group of friends and their spouses who come together at a 100-year-old bungalow surrounded by lush greenery to celebrate the 10th wedding anniversary of their friends Raman (Neil Bhoopalam) and Jayanthi (Palomi Ghosh).

The celebration includes Madhavan (Ranvir Shorey), a professor, who arrives with his much younger girlfriend Nazia (Kankana Chakraborty); Chandra (Rajat Kapoor), a psychiatrist; Kumar (Danish Hussain) and his wife Naina (Waluscha De Sousa); Sandeep (Sharat Katariya) with his wife Suman (Sadiya Siddiqui); and of course, Raman’s business partner, Sohrab Handa (Vinay Pathak), who arrives with his devoted wife, Isha Handa (Koel Purie), his father (M. K. Raina), his father’s caretaker Vijaya (Malikka Singh) and his troubled younger brother Arun (Chandrachoor Rai).

Though the evening begins on a light hearted note, Sohrab Handa quickly becomes the center of attention with his sharp, provocative, and often acidic remarks. No one is spared from his blunt commentary, not even his father. His words stir laughter, irritation, and arguments, and the atmosphere gradually changes from joyful to tense.

But as midnight approaches, the unthinkable happens. Sohrab Handa is found dead, sitting in a chair with his throat slit. The suddenness of the act fractures whatever sense of normalcy remained in the room. Panic surges, shock takes hold, and the inevitable question rises almost at once. When Sub-Inspector Afzal Qureshi (Saurabh Shukla) is summoned, the facade of camaraderie begins to crumble. Hidden rivalries, buried secrets, long-held grudges, and suppressed tensions seep to the surface, exposing the darker currents beneath the friendly faces.

What sets the film apart is its focus on confrontations and emotional exchanges rather than the identity of the killer. This choice feels natural, given the infectious energy of the camaraderie on screen. Conversations overlap, jokes land and falter, interruptions cut through, and the chaos carries an authenticity that never feels staged. Director Kapoor has a keen instinct for how people behave when forced into the same room despite their reluctance, and that instinct serves the film well.

One of its strongest qualities lies in the structure. The narrative shifts between timelines, weaving together the events leading up to the murder with the aftermath that follows. This back-and-forth never confuses; instead, it enriches the story, gradually exposing how relationships are rarely what they appear to be. A seemingly lighthearted game of Dumb Charades brims with more tension than the official investigation. The mystery deepens because nearly everyone present has a motive. Every conversation, every insult, every buried resentment becomes a potential clue, and suspicion spreads evenly across the group rather than settling on a few obvious suspects.

Yet, for all the careful buildup, the final reveal remains the most contested element. The logic holds, the clues align, and the explanation fits within the framework the film has established. On paper, it works. But the impact lands with less force than expected. The motive, while plausible, lacks the emotional weight to justify the painstaking tension that precedes it. It feels too neat, as though the film settles for resolution rather than delivering a blow.

Even so, the film succeeds in capturing authentic emotions, conflicts, and humor that feel grounded and relatable. The gradual shift from celebration to unease mirrors real-life interactions, making the story believable and the characters compelling.

Performance wise, Rajat Kapoor is decent enough in a rather redundant role in the film, and is well supported by his regulars mix of collaborates alongside a few first-timers like Ranvir Shorey, Saurabh Shukla, Koel Purie, Neil Bhoopalam, Palomi Ghosh, Sadiya Siddiqui, Kankana Chakraborty, Sharat Katariya, Danish Hussain, Malikka Singh, Chandrachoor Rai and Waluscha De Sousa, each contributing to the film’s textured ensemble.

However, it is Vinay Pathak who commands the screen as Sohrab Handa. Crude, sharp-witted, and relentlessly provocative, he becomes the spark that ignites most of the conflicts. His presence injects volatility into the narrative, ensuring that the energy never dips and that the drama remains charged. On the whole, ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa‘ is an imperfect whodunit powered by drama, emotions, and sharp revelations, more invested in camaraderie and confrontation than the killer’s identity.