Loyalty is an endangered sentiment. Even for the most committed non-vegetarians, dogs and cats occupy a completely protected tier of affection. The reason is simple: they are companion animals whose existence is closely linked to ours, and dogs, in particular, form strong, family-like attachments. Don’t we always want the absolute best for our family and close friends? In director Amit Rai’s Ohh My Dog, this unwavering, unconditional bond is explored through the framework of a thriller.
Unfolding awkwardly at the funeral of a service dog in Mumbai, the film splits into two parallel narratives set in Assam and Bihar. Rai’s social drama paints human greed as its central villain. In Assam, murky schemes are thwarted by a tech-savvy Gen Alpha kid, Apu (Maahi Rai). In Bihar, a resolute companion dog named Oscar enters full single-screen action-star mode to save Prince, a teenage labourer who loved him most.
Written by Rai himself, the narrative operates like two different films, with contrasting filmmaking styles. The Assam chapter works beautifully as the now-rare children’s detective adventure where a smart kid attempts to solve a case using technology. The Bihar track, meanwhile, splits its energy between two components: one in which Oscar takes up a case to solve it with his canine peers, and another in which the humans around Prince attempt to piece together Oscar’s trail to uncover the truth about an organ-harvesting racket.
Apu’s story, which is far better written, trades canine screen time for a tight mystery. It is easy to champion a child detective who outwits oversmart adults with logic and sharp thinking. Oscar’s track has its own distinct charm, provided you buy into his larger-than-life resolve to protect his friend. It delivers unadulterated, whistle-worthy catharsis, channeling a vintage hero arc that pulls off the film’s emotional heavy lifting. Where it stumbles is in burdening Oscar’s emotional journey with a clunky, human-led procedural subplot. The unnecessary side hustle involving a local teacher (Pankaj Tripathi almost plays himself here) and Prince’s friends constantly threatens to sabotage the momentum of his journey.
This is where editing alone could have made Ohh My Dog a much tighter and more intriguing film. A leaner, back-to-basics edit would have allowed the Bihar segment to focus almost entirely on Oscar, with the humans providing context to his relationship with Prince rather than running a parallel investigation of their own. The Assam segment succeeds precisely because it remains linear, with no unnecessary side quests. It also finds space for the deep bond a mother (Geeta Agrawal, lovely as always) forms with a dog, just as she does with her son.
While length remains a concern, Ohh My Dog keeps you hooked on its core thesis: in a brutal and unsafe world, the bond between humans and dogs retains the sanctity it always had. Oscar’s chapter, in particular, touches on the divisive debates surrounding India’s rising stray dog population, yet its primary directive remains clear: to thrill animal lovers to bits, even as the ethical conundrum of stray animals’ safety and health persists.
With both chapters being distinctive in tone and texture, Rai’s film made me wonder if Ohh My Dog should have been a set of linear stories instead. That way, the constant flipping between parallel narratives could have been avoided. It would also have given more breathing space to characters who are pretty well-etched on paper but needed a bit more focus beyond being obvious good guys and plain baddies.
Still, what I liked a lot about the screenplay is its commitment to local realities. The geography of Assam shapes its specific conflict while the Bihar chapter tackles child labour, entrenched poverty and the need for education. There are moments of devastating social commentary, none more harrowing than a destitute father’s sigh of relief on learning that his son can survive on a single kidney, a chilling testament to how poverty can systematically cheapen human dignity.
ALSO READ: ‘OMG 2’ review – Pankaj Tripathi’s bravura act decorates a witty, responsible film
The film uses music well, with a couple of good songs to set the mood. However, a late musical set-piece inserted merely to elicit a reaction from Apu’s dog, Momo, severely dulls the momentum built by the detective plot. Thankfully, the climax lifts itself as Oscar is finally allowed to operate alone, unencumbered by his less-sharp human counterparts. This is also where the Bihar chapter works best: when it simply trusts the dog to turn into a canine Allu Arjun, sporting a colourful scarf on his neck, and carry the story himself.
Rai’s film is anchored by a stellar ensemble, led by animal actors Oscar and Bruno, who win our hearts throughout. Maahi Rai is a revelation, embodying the character’s resourcefulness with remarkable ease. His sharp mind and investigative skills make us believe how easily the younger generation can outwit elders with logic and technology. Assamese actor Sulakhyana Baruah provides strong support, while Pawan Malhotra is a hoot as a dimwitted yet endearing Sardar cop. Playing corrupt officers, Rajesh Kumar and Vijay Mishra offer delightfully sinister turns that remind us how underutilised they remain in Hindi cinema.
As the curtains fall and two emotional heroes’ journeys are complete, Ohh My Dog makes you wonder if it is designed for pet lovers or if its intention is to persuade more of us to become dog parents. After all, it’s a very simple relationship that takes very little investment for a lifelong bond of love and trust.
The recent Hollywood charmer The Sheep Detectives lets its animals take a case upon themselves, but only at the cost of making them chatty. Ohh My Dog doesn’t need that because Bollywood already comes from the legacy of films like Teri Meherbaaniyan and Maa, where beloved companion dogs turned superheroes for the people they loved.
Rai’s film succeeds in selling that conviction. Yes, the writing and storytelling get convenient with their choices, but the feeling it delivers is pure gold. You walk out of the hall with moist eyes and an ache to hug your own pets (both real and imagined) tighter, and the simple realization that, for all its flaws, Ohh My Dog has its heart in the right place.
VERDICT: ★★★ 1/2
For more reviews of Ohh My Dog, head to the Film Critics Guild.
