“The Great Indian Murder” is an intriguing, adrenaline-rushing novel with enough to offer when it comes to plot and character but lacking greatly when it comes to effective dialogue. It is an adaptation of Vikas Swarup’s novel Six Suspects. Because the plot unfolds in an odd linear format, one would wish for the series to be cut down in length. On the surface, “The Great Indian Murder” suggests that calm waters might be misleading.
The season’s nine episodes are far too long for the viewer’s interest. We join Vicky Rai (portrayed by Jatin Goswami), a chauvinistic Casanova serenading in his father’s majestic shadow, on a trip to discover who killed him. Vicky takes advantage of his position as the eldest son from his father’s previous marriage, in every way possible. Vicky’s life is peppered with personalities. The first episode establishes the plot. We watch Vicky’s hazardous entourage circle around him like eagles in the sky, and we gradually see each individual’s narrative come to life.
A Plot Summary
“The Great Indian Murder” is a gripping Indian thriller about a poisonous family’s genealogy and its ramifications throughout society’s hierarchy. When power is abused, the creation of a kingdom has disastrous consequences for all those who are involved. Vikas Swarup’s book is a harrowing celebration with a bold look at the explicit exploitation of indigenous people, confirming why certain laws are in place. The inhabitants of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are a protected population, with rigorous regulations in place to ensure that they, their environment, and their way of life are protected at all costs. It’s enough to say that it doesn’t teach you anything, and the creative freedoms used, make it seem like it’s just disgusting.
Director Tigmanshu Dhulia has experimented with how a tale might be explored with extremely poor dialogues in which the characters give half of themselves to the role they are given. Vicky introduces us to Shabnam Saxena, an emerging actress who is humiliated by him when she refuses to have any sexual contact with Vicky’s Nigerian government official. He finds two underage Naxal females for him to sleep with, realizing that he now has a drunk Nigerian government official to appease. The next morning, these two females were found dead from severe bleeding. Vicky tries to salvage the situation by sending the bodies out of the estate to be disposed of, when the car is stopped by the police for Naka Bandi. Vicky’s world is turned upside down when the bodies are discovered.
After Vicky’s incarceration, Vicky’s father, Jagannath Rai (portrayed by Ashutosh Rana), tries everything to get his son released from prison. While doing so, he distributes a considerable sum of money to several investigating authorities to ensure Vicky’s involvement fades into oblivion. Sudha Bharadwaj (portrayed by Richa Chadha) of the Delhi Police is one of the officers in charge of the investigation and accepts a portion of the bribe as well. Vicky decides to arrange a party to commemorate his comeback, three years after his arrest. The majority of those invited to the party are a mix of known and unknown acquaintances. Vicky is well aware of them, but he does everything he can to maintain his good name. Fireworks erupt as he prepares to cut his cake, and Vicky takes a bullet to the chest, providing perfect cover for the killer.
Sudha Bharadwaj, a Delhi Police officer, and her assistant, Manjot Singh, put their responsibilities to the forefront when they are tasked with investigating the murder of Vicky Rai with Suraj Yadav (portrayed by Pratik Gandhi) of the CBI. Suraj is the Chhattisgarh Minister’s stooge, and while he seeks to clear Vicky Rai’s name, Suraj, Sudha, and Manjot zero in on three possibilities. One of the prime suspects is Iketi, a native from the Andaman Islands whose primary aim is to locate his idol, Ingetayi, who was abducted by a researcher visiting the island. Prime suspect number two is Munna, a petty thief who comes upon a large bag of cash, which causes him a slew of problems. Mohan Kumar, a craftsman with multiple personality disorder, is Prime Suspect number three, adding uncomfortable and perhaps cringe-worthy drama to the story. An anonymous blogger keeps a careful eye on this case to provide his readers with an unbiased assessment of the case’s developments. After listening in on the phones of those engaged in the investigation, he discovers crucial information that puts his life in jeopardy.
The Great Indian Murder Ending Explained
The series concludes with a surprise when we learn that Ashok Rajput is a welfare official who betrays Iketi. He is only seemingly a loyal ally to Iketi, a lost soul who has always found himself in the most horrible of circumstances, forcing us to sympathize with her situation. Iketi flees the Delhi Police Station after learning that his idol is being held in the Evidence Room. He realizes the idol is a fake and insists that Suraj tell him where the original is. Suraj is perplexed but informs him that this is his chance to flee. Iketi is shot in the back after doing so, and we see how he used to live a free life on the island, making us wonder if maybe he was safer there.
The actual idol of Ingetayi is in the possession of Ashok Rajput, who stole it after realizing its worth of 2 crore rupees. The irony of the show’s title and content is that we only have three suspects. So, who are the last three?
Circumstances force you to examine Ritu Rai, Vicky Rai’s stepsister, who was raped by Vicky when she was 13 years old. Iketi’s welfare officer, Ashok Rajput, has an twin brother, Amar Rajput, who was a Forest Guard Officer. In 2016, Amar caught Vicky Rai going through the forest with rifles and ammunition at a particular check point. Vicky tried to bribe Amar, but he was in no mood for negotiations. After lodging a case against Vicky Rai, when Amar was on his way to the court, he was killed on the railway tracks when he got hit by a speeding train. On returning home to see his dead brother’s body, Ashok (the younger twin brother) promises his wife justice, and she also promises him that if he avenges his brother, then she will marry him. As a result of these circumstances, Ashok fires the gun and places it in Iketi’s bag alongside the bogus idol, resulting in Iketi’s arrest. This leaves a sixth person, who’s name is never disclosed, but he or she is the true murderer. “The Great Indian Murder” ends on a cliffhanger, leaving you with a lot of unanswered questions.
In Conclusion
“The Great Indian Murder” is marketed as a suspenseful mystery series but has little substance. It has a strong desire to tell stories. The creators have done a fine job of creating a long plotline, but they are unable to carry its weight. One would grow tired of jumping forward to check if anything had changed. With seemingly delayed twists and turns, the season ends on a cliffhanger, which one would say was unnecessary.
The series would make the viewer weary after a while. Nonetheless, it’s worth checking out at least once to applaud Ajay Devgan’s attempt as a producer.
“The Great Indian Murder” is an Indian Thriller series currently streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
