[10] Harish Basavarajaiah of The Times of India gave 4/5 stars and wrote "Kaiva is a beautiful retro love story set in the backdrop of the raging underworld of Bengaluru.
"[11] A. Sharadhaa of Cinema Express gave 3/5 stars and wrote "The film opens a window to a bygone era, inviting viewers to witness the tapestry of Bengaluru's history woven intricately with love and turmoil.
"[12] Swaroop Kodur of OTTplay gave 2.5/5 stars and wrote "What should have been a taut action thriller is ultimately rendered an overlong saga, as a result.
"[14] Shuklaji of The News Minute wrote "Kaiva is a huge opportunity missed because the premise and the setting offer so much potential for drama and conflict.
"[15] Vivek M. V of The Hindu wrote "Jayathirtha is a far better filmmaker than what we see here and Kaiva is a misstep in his interesting career thanks to a wobbly screenplay that struggles to find rhythm.