Satyameva Jayate 2018

The safety of Mumbai is in the hands of a police department comprised of over 200,000 officers, a significant number of whom are steeped in corruption. When four police inspectors are brutally killed, fear spreads through the ranks, leaving the entire police force in a state of panic. As the media clamors for answers and the public grapples with their mixed feelings about these murders, a chilling challenge is extended: the ashes of the fallen officers are left outside police stations, taunting the very system meant to protect them.

The enigmatic vigilante behind these heinous acts is Virendra Rathod, known as Veer (John Abraham), a fearless and shrewd individual whose motives appear to hinge on a personal vendetta against corrupt officers. His second victim, for instance, was a cop who accepted a bribe of Rs 20 Lakhs to overlook a wealthy individual’s reckless driving that resulted in the death of a pedestrian.

In response to the chaos, the Commissioner (Manish Chaudhary) enlists the help of DCP Shivansh (Manoj Bajpayee), their best hope of bringing Veer to justice. As Shivansh dives deeper into the investigation, he finds himself alongside his wife Sarita (Amruta Khanvilkar), all while Veer maintains a secure line with Shivansh, revealing his motive: a targeted campaign against corrupt officers. Shivansh retorts that the law, not vigilantism, should dictate justice.

As the investigation unfolds, Shivansh starts uncovering the police brutality and corruption Veer is working against, evidenced by one of Veer’s killings directed at a cop who had taken Rs 50 Lakhs to allow illicit activities at a night venue. By piecing together clues using the locations of the crimes, he realizes Veer is spelling out “Satyamev Jayate,” a slogan for truth in action.

In a twist of fate, Veer encounters Shikha (Aisha Sharma), a fellow activist. While treating an abandoned puppy, Shikha grimly muses that death may be a more merciful option for the animal. Their relationship deepens as they bond over their shared ideals.

Tracking down another corrupt cop, Bhosale (Rajesh Khera), Shivansh listens in on the ongoing abuse at a local police station. In a dramatic rescue, Veer infiltrates the station disguised as an officer, confronting and brutally punishing Bhosale for his crimes. Unbeknownst to Shivansh, he is relentlessly pursuing his own brother — a revelation that remains concealed throughout the turmoil.

Flashbacks reveal the brothers’ past, highlighting the shared trauma from witnessing their father’s degradation at the hands of corrupt officials, culminating in an act of self-immolation that deeply influenced Veer’s vengeful desires. As the series of events precipitates, Shivansh discovers that one of Veer’s victims has survived and is being treated in a hospital. Yet during Veer’s audacious move to “finish” the surviving cop, he cleverly deceives Shivansh to cover his tracks.

The tension escalates when Shivansh rounds up the corrupt cops in a secure compound, but Veer manages to gather intel and incinerate the safe haven. Meanwhile, Veer, a gifted painter, showcases his works, revealing twisted interpretations of the cops he has eliminated. This prompts Shivansh to suspect that Veer may indeed be the killer he is hunting.

When Veer kidnaps Shikha, who turns out to be the commissioner’s daughter, the stakes are raised. Shikha’s complicated relationship with her father — marked by trauma and separation due to domestic violence — adds layers to Veer’s motivations. Eventually, the brothers confront their father’s corruption and seek justice at the very place where their lives unraveled.

“He framed Shiv for crimes he never committed,” Veer presses the Commissioner, forcing a confession that illuminates the pervasive corruption in the system. However, as they prepare to confront the Commissioner with the truth, a betrayal unfolds, leading the police to unleash a deadly force against both brothers.

In a heartbreaking climax, Veer, consumed by his rage for justice, attacks the Commissioner, while Shivansh grapples with conflicting loyalties—wanting to arrest his brother but ultimately faced with an impossible choice. The battle culminates in despair as Shivansh reluctantly shoots Veer to prevent further chaos, yet it is Veer who manages to burn the Commissioner alive before succumbing to his wounds. In the end, a tragic cycle of vengeance proves that the fight for justice comes at a high personal cost, leaving both brothers ultimately consumed by the very corruption they sought to eradicate.