# Kartam Bhugtam
**Kartam Bhugtam** (करतम भुगतम) is a 2024 Hindi-language psychological thriller directed and written by Soham Shah, starring [Shreyas Talpade](https://www.edgepedia.org/shreyas-talpade) as Dev Joshi, Vijay Raaz as the astrologer Anna, Madhoo as Seema Amma, and Aksha Pardasany as Jia[1](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/reviews/story/kartam-bhugtam-review-shreyas-talpade-vijay-raaz-pull-this-thriller-through-2540192-2024-05-17). The title translates roughly as "you reap what you sow", and the film's plot turns on karma, astrology and superstition[2](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/kartam-bhugtam-review/20240517.htm). It was released in Indian theaters on 17 May 2024[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kartam_Bhugtam_2024).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release | 17 May 2024, theatrically in India[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kartam_Bhugtam_2024) |
| Languages | Hindi, with Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Malayalam versions[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OoBfrWTqS4) |
| Director and writer | Soham Shah, whose last released film was *Luck* (2009)[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31943592/) |
| Cast | Shreyas Talpade (Dev Joshi), Vijay Raaz (Anna), Madhoo (Seema Amma / Laxmi Kota), Aksha Pardasany (Jia)[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31943592/fullcredits/) |
| Runtime | 131 minutes (2h 11m)[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31943592/) |
| Box office | India net about ₹13.3 million (₹1.33 crore), with a ₹1.5 million (₹0.15 crore) opening day[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kartam_Bhugtam_2024) |
| Reception | Critic ratings ranged from 2/5 to 3.5/5; IMDb user rating about 6.1[7](https://www.freepressjournal.in/movie-review/kartam-bhugtam-review-shreyas-talpades-film-is-a-savdhaan-india-lookalike) • [8](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kartam-bhugtam) |
## Spoilers
### Plot and theme
Dev Joshi, an NRI (non-Resident Indian; Indian citizen living abroad) living in New Zealand, returns to Bhopal after his father's death to settle the family estate and claim inheritance he needs to start a business[9](https://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-movies/movie-reviews/kartam-bhugtam-movie-review-simplistic-revenge-drama/). The money is stuck in banking red tape, and at a friend's advice he consults the astrologer Anna, who predicts events with uncanny accuracy and, with his wife Seema, becomes a substitute family for Dev[10](https://scroll.in/reel/1067931/). Dev's partner Jia later finds him living poorly and doubting whether Anna exists at all[8](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kartam-bhugtam).
The stated theme is karma: the Hindi phrase "jaisi karni waisi bharni", what goes around comes around. Reviewers noted the film uses this idea of a man's descent into dependence on astrology and remedies, but most agreed it does not explore it fully. Several described a sharp split at the interval: the first half plays as a slice-of-life drama about ordinary obstacles such as banks, lenders and property matters, while the second half abandons the psychological thriller frame for a revenge story[9](https://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-movies/movie-reviews/kartam-bhugtam-movie-review-simplistic-revenge-drama/) • [11](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/movies/kartam-bhugtam-review-vijay-raaz-starrer-psychological-thriller-begins-with-a-strong-premise-only-to-crashland-later-article-12725014.html).
## Reception
Critic responses were mixed to negative. The Times of India gave 3.5/5, calling it an "entertaining slice-of-life thriller" that delivers its message simply, though with an over-loud background score[12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/kartam-bhugtam/amp_movie_review/110182869.cms). India Today gave 2.5/5, judging the story predictable but watchable because of the performances of Talpade and Raaz, and suggested the film would likely find more viewers on satellite television than in theaters[1](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/reviews/story/kartam-bhugtam-review-shreyas-talpade-vijay-raaz-pull-this-thriller-through-2540192-2024-05-17).
Common criticisms. Reviewers converged on several points: a 131-minute runtime that felt stretched[10](https://scroll.in/reel/1067931/); an over-loud background score by Amar Mohile that buried dialogue[9](https://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-movies/movie-reviews/kartam-bhugtam-movie-review-simplistic-revenge-drama/); and a late switch in genre that left the astrology premise unexplored[11](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/movies/kartam-bhugtam-review-vijay-raaz-starrer-psychological-thriller-begins-with-a-strong-premise-only-to-crashland-later-article-12725014.html). The Rediff review called the plot "a television crime show kind of elementary plot" and said only [Vijay Raaz](https://www.edgepedia.org/vijay-raaz) emerged with his talent unscathed[2](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/kartam-bhugtam-review/20240517.htm). Positive notices, by contrast, praised Raaz's restrained turn as Anna and Talpade's performance as the gullible Dev, and found the twists engaging[13](https://www.peepingmoon.com/reviews/news/75892/Kartam-Bhugtam-Review-Vijay-Raaz-and-Shreyas-Talpades-film-based-on-Karma-is-engaging-and-twisted.html).
## Director and production
Soham Shah had earlier directed *[Kaal](https://www.edgepedia.org/kaal-2005-film)* (2005), a supernatural horror with [Ajay Devgn](https://www.edgepedia.org/ajay-devgn), and *Luck* (2009), an action thriller; *Kartam Bhugtam* was his return to theatrical direction after fifteen years, his planned film *Sher* having gone into limbo after being made for 2013, with a web series, *Fixer* (2019), in between[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31943592/) • [7](https://www.freepressjournal.in/movie-review/kartam-bhugtam-review-shreyas-talpades-film-is-a-savdhaan-india-lookalike). In an interview with [Dainik Jagran](https://www.edgepedia.org/dainik-jagran) he said the story had been in his mind for many years, since he made *Kaal*, and that he had also considered the titles *Time* and *Neeram* before settling on Kartam Bhugtam[14](https://www.jagran.com/entertainment/bollywood-what-is-the-story-behind-shreyas-talpade-upcoming-film-title-kartam-bhugtam-meaning-23718085.html).
The film was produced by Gandhar Films & Studio[4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OoBfrWTqS4), with music by Shabbir Ahmed, background score by Amar Mohile, cinematography by Santhosh Thundiyil, and editing by Biren Mohanty[15](https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt31943592/).
## Box office and availability
Commercially the film was small: Sacnilk recorded an India net total of ₹13.3 million (₹1.33 crore), with daily Hindi collections that opened at ₹1.5 million (₹0.15 crore), peaked at ₹3.4 million (₹0.34 crore) on day 3, and fell below ₹500,000 (₹0.05 crore) by day 8[3](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kartam_Bhugtam_2024). Bollywood Hungama listed a first-week India total of ₹10 million (₹1 crore)[16](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/kartam-bhugtam/box-office/). As of later tracking, the film was not available on major streaming services in the United States[8](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kartam-bhugtam).
## References
1. ['Kartam Bhugtam' Review: Shreyas Talpade, Vijay Raaz pull this thriller through, India Today (17 May 2024)](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/movies/reviews/story/kartam-bhugtam-review-shreyas-talpade-vijay-raaz-pull-this-thriller-through-2540192-2024-05-17)
2. [Kartam Bhugtam Review: Baffling!, Rediff.com (Deepa Gahlot, 17 May 2024)](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/kartam-bhugtam-review/20240517.htm)
3. [Kartam Bhugtam (2024) - Box Office Collection, Sacnilk](https://www.sacnilk.com/movie/Kartam_Bhugtam_2024)
4. [Kartam Bhugtam (2024) release and pan-India language details, AKM Cinema (YouTube, 28 March 2024)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OoBfrWTqS4)
5. [Kartam Bhugtam (2024), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31943592/)
6. [Kartam Bhugtam (2024) - Full cast & crew, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31943592/fullcredits/)
7. [Kartam Bhugtam Review: Shreyas Talpade's Film Is A Savdhaan India Lookalike, Free Press Journal (Rohit Bhatnagar, 17 May 2024)](https://www.freepressjournal.in/movie-review/kartam-bhugtam-review-shreyas-talpades-film-is-a-savdhaan-india-lookalike)
8. [Kartam Bhugtam streaming: where to watch online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/kartam-bhugtam)
9. [Kartam Bhugtam Movie Review: Simplistic revenge drama, Koimoi (Rajiv Vijayakar, 17 May 2024)](https://www.koimoi.com/bollywood-movies/movie-reviews/kartam-bhugtam-movie-review-simplistic-revenge-drama/)
10. ['Kartam Bhugtam' review: Lots of sowing but little reaping, Scroll.in (Nandini Ramnath, 17 May 2024)](https://scroll.in/reel/1067931/)
11. ['Kartam Bhugtam' review: begins with a strong premise only to crashland later, Moneycontrol (Deepansh Duggal, 17 May 2024)](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/movies/kartam-bhugtam-review-vijay-raaz-starrer-psychological-thriller-begins-with-a-strong-premise-only-to-crashland-later-article-12725014.html)
12. [Kartam Bhugtam Movie Review, The Times of India (Ronak Kotecha, 17 May 2024)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/movie-reviews/kartam-bhugtam/amp_movie_review/110182869.cms)
13. [Kartam Bhugtam Review: Vijay Raaz and Shreyas Talpade's film based on Karma is engaging and twisted, PeepingMoon (Tanu Shukla, 17 May 2024)](https://www.peepingmoon.com/reviews/news/75892/Kartam-Bhugtam-Review-Vijay-Raaz-and-Shreyas-Talpades-film-based-on-Karma-is-engaging-and-twisted.html)
14. [Kartam Bhugtam: title meaning interview with Soham Shah, Dainik Jagran](https://www.jagran.com/entertainment/bollywood-what-is-the-story-behind-shreyas-talpade-upcoming-film-title-kartam-bhugtam-meaning-23718085.html)
15. [Kartam Bhugtam - Production & Contact Info, IMDbPro](https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt31943592/)
16. [Kartam Bhugtam Box Office Collection, Bollywood Hungama](https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/kartam-bhugtam/box-office/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Indian films (individual works) › Hindi films of the 2020s › Hindi films of 2024*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license