Story: A mandala is an artistic expression that symbolises the wholeness and unity of the universe and cosmos. The Manan Rawat-directed and Gopi Puthran-created Netflix series explores the same idea of this cosmic diagram but with a sinister twist. Mandala Murders follows two police officers, met by fate, who join hands to solve the spine-chilling serial killings related to the mandala concept. The brutal homicides taking place in a small town in North India send shockwaves among people due to the unprecedented murder techniques.
Review: The series begins by introducing the evildoers who consider themselves devotees of Yasta (a powerful “God” who grants wishes). In other words, the plot explores the most unheard and bizarre version of black magic that is practised by a community of people who call themselves Ayasta. At first, the show appears a bit slow while it introduces the pivotal characters and the main plot. However, a couple of episodes later, it starts becoming intriguing with each dreadful event.
The writers, Avinash Dwivedi, Chirag Garg, Gopi Puthran, Gabe Gabriel, Anurag Goswami, and Matt Graham, try their best to keep this multi-timeline thriller drama on a comprehensible track. However, the different facets of the story make it chaotic, so much so that it becomes quite impossible to keep track of everything, everywhere, all at once. Apart from solving the gruesome case involving serial killings, a police officer also tries to find his long-lost mother, while a budding politician tries to win the public’s heart, amid trying to save her own life along with her son. The show highlights key affairs from at least half a dozen time periods, which again makes it a tad complicated to watch while memorising each detail so as not to get lost in the bewilderness. That being said, with each new episode, a crucial character enters the show, bringing freshness to the tale.
From the smooth perspective shifts with clever camera angles, to the masterful use of colours and lights in a fictional remote town that looks similar to Varanasi, India, the fine cinematography by Shaz Mohammed makes the visual experience quite intriguing, despite a flawed script and a bit of jarring screenplay. Mandala Murders manages to capture and retain the viewers’ attention with multiple dimensions in the story, such as mythological relations, scientific discovery, karmic returns, power politics, and police procedures. Also, the show doesn’t fail to give shockers every half hour in this 304-minute web series.
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Spoilers ahead! One of the most horrifying yet fascinating events takes place in an old couple’s lives, played by the brilliant artists Raghubir Yadav and Piloo Vidyarthi. The Panchayat actor seems convinced that he is going to die; however, both of them perish together. The death comes for the husband by mere accident, while it takes away the wife’s life and “something more” in the most unpredictable way possible. The whole sequence takes place in as poetically dramatic way as it sounds above. At the same time, it changes your perspective about the show and makes you even more captivated by it.
Gladly, the actors and their outstanding performances raise the standard of the show. Vaani Kapoor appears in a new light with a serious and powerful role as a CIB officer, and stuns with her kicks and punches. Vaibhav Raj Gupta, who is also a cop, impresses with his profound performance as an intense and troubled person. Meanwhile, Surveen Chawla takes away the most applause with her chameleon act, and lives in your thoughts long after the show ends.
On the other hand, Jameel Khan appears to be a breath of fresh air amid a weighty plot. At the same time, his camaraderie with Vaibhav reminds you of their father-son duo from Gullak (a SonyLIV series). Sharat Sonu, who recently appeared in Prime Video’s Mitti Ek Pehchaan, keeps the narrative amusing as a humorist, yet crucial. Shriya Pilgaonkar and Aditi Sudhir Pohankar also add value with their meaningful act. Meanwhile, Saurabh Dubey, Manu Rishi Chadha, and Siddhant Kapoor support the narrative well.
Verdict: In even simpler terms, the Netflix thriller drama revolves around a cult that vows to create their God, aka a Frankenstein’s monster with the help of strange scientific device, to worship, absurdly believing that it will grant them wishes. Honestly, the central idea of the plot is brilliant, but the writers couldn’t seem to keep up with their own vision in the script. However, the exquisite cinematography, prolific performances, and a few excellent jump scares salvage Mandala Murders and make it worth a watch.
