Kapati Movie Review: A gripping journey through deceit and digital shadows

The internet facilitates everything from sending a simple text to handling crores in cryptocurrency, so much so that it wouldn't be a stretch say the world runs around it. But what happens when a darker force takes control and the internet stops being a tool and becomes a weapon instead? India has recently taken steps to spread awareness about the dark web, a digital underworld that operates beyond the reach of regular browsers where secrecy is currency and crime is masked as business.

Directors: Ravikiran D and Chethan SP

Cast: Sukrutha Wagle, Sathvik Krishnan, Dev Devaiah, and Shankar Narayana

Directors Ravikiran D and Chethan SP's Kapati sets the stage for a story where nothing is as it seems. While Kannada cinema often plays it safe, Kapati takes a different route, peeling back layers of deception one scene at a time. It challenges the audience to question what’s real and what’s just another well-crafted lie. More than just a thriller, Kapati walks the razor’s edge between fiction and reality.

Priya (Sukrutha Wagle) is a celebrated costume designer, her father, a former Indian cricketer, and her younger brother, Amit, a rising sports star. Their perfect lives take a major turn after a freak accident. Amit, once destined for the national team, now lies paralysed and voiceless, trapped in his own body. The house that once echoed with dreams and laughter now drowns in suffocating silence. And in that silence, something sinister creeps in.

One night, two strangers—Chakri (Sathvik Krishnan) and Suman (Dev Devaiah), a doctor—break into their home. Unlike ordinary thieves, they bring fear, manipulation, and a suitcase filled with secrets. As Priya pieces together the mystery, the lines between the real world and the dark web blur. Bitcoins. Hidden transactions. A gunny bag stuffed with crores in cash. A silent war fought behind screens.

While certain filmmakers have only scratched the surface of cybercrime, Kapati goes a step further, taking us into one of the internet’s deepest and most feared corners. Unlike the usual portrayals of hacking and scams, this film explores real online threats and the dangers lurking beyond the surface.

For those unfamiliar, the dark web is where illegal transactions thrive, and data, identities, and even lives are sold. Kapati unmasks this hidden network, exposing its terrifying grip on reality. Set almost entirely within a single house, the film traps its audience in an ever-tightening space, growing more claustrophobic with each passing moment. A paralysed brother, a shattered family, and an overwhelming sense of suffocation—all leading to a chilling discovery where nothing is as expected.

As Priya’s suspicions spiral, she fights unseen forces—both digital and physical. The film doesn’t just explore the dark web as a concept; it weaves it into the narrative, showing how the internet can be a noose tightening around its victims before they even realise they’re caught.

Sukrutha Wagle delivers one of her finest performances, carrying the film’s weight on her shoulders with ease. Her descent from confidence to paranoia is chillingly real. Sathvik Krishnan as Chakri is bold, though his performance sometimes leans toward the theatrical. He has particularly worked on his voice and expressions, making his presence strong. Dev Devaiah as Suman, the doctor, adds his own layer to the film’s eerie atmosphere.

With limited characters and a confined setting, Kapati relies heavily on its technical strengths. Sathish Rajendran's cinematography is sharp, using shadows, silence, and space to heighten the tension. Johan Shevanesh’s background score isn’t just an accompaniment—it haunts the film, making you feel like someone is always watching.

The film starts strong, gripping the audience with its tension. Though the intensity slightly dips in the latter part with an unexpected turn, it finishes off with a cold conclusion—one scene that doesn’t entirely register with the audience.

Yet, Kapati still stands as a well-attempted thriller. Directors Ravikiran and Chethan, both software engineers, bring their expertise to the narrative, backed by Dayal Padmanabhan, who is a filmmaker himself.

While considering Kapati just as a thriller—it’s more a wake-up call. It taps into a rarely explored, chilling digital underbelly, where crime doesn’t need a gun or a mask—just a screen and the right software.

If you think the internet is just a tool, think again. Kapati ensures you never look at your screen the same way again.