Aayush Sharma
Created by Gopi Puthran, Netflix’s ‘Mandala Murders’ is a crime thriller series that starts as a story about gruesome murders happening in Charandaspur. However, as the narrative progresses, the truth about these murders begins to appear and haunt the entire city. When things start to get out of hand, a fierce CIB officer, Rea Thomas (Vaani Kapoor), and a suspended Delhi Police officer, Vikram Singh, join hands to solve the case of these slayings. As they dig deeper into the matter, they find unsettling details about the brutal crimes. Consequently, they begin to suspect that the killings are more than just random acts of violence and unravel shocking details about a secret society, Aayast Mandal, that has been living among the residents of Charandaspur. They carry terrifying patterns that gravitate towards ritualistic slayings, which adds a chilling layer to this tale.
Apart from exploring the crimes, ‘Mandala Murders’ doesn’t shy away from concentrating on the lives of Rea and Vikram, and how they are dealing with their traumas. Rea is one of CIB’s best officers, but she isn’t allowed to go on field assignments because of something that happened in the past. Meanwhile, Vikram, who was born in Charandaspur, has returned to the town so that he can find answers about his mother’s disappearance, which happened almost two decades ago. As they try to fight their own demons, Rea and Thomas must put aside their past to complete the investigation before it is too late. Their journey is not just about solving the murders; it is about finding who they are and what they can do when the chips are down.
Mandala Murders is a Thrilling Adaptation of a Book by Mahendra Jakhar
To answer the burning question straight up: No, the Netflix series’ Mandala Murders’ is not based on a true story. However, it takes a lot of inspiration from the 2014 novel ‘The Butcher of Benares’ by Mahendra Jakhar. The book primarily focuses on a murder mystery in the city of Varanasi, which is located in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. In the book, a young, female American research scientist is found gruesomely murdered in the aforementioned city. As soon as the news of her murder spreads, it sends shockwaves through the city, prompting the Indian authorities to collaborate with the FBI to solve the case. Indian police officer Hawa Singh and FBI Agent Ruby Malik are given the task of investigating the case and finding out who killed the scientist. As the story progresses, the mystery deepens and unravels shocking details about the narrative involving the Vatican, as well as the age-old astrological text Bhrigu Samhita written in Sanskrit.
The book’s narrative doesn’t only talk about the murder that took place, but it also explores the discord between science and faith. However, things take a wild turn when it is revealed that the Vatican has been trying to gain knowledge of Hindu astrology by learning extensively about the Bhrigu Samhita. Hawa Singh and his partner, Ruby Malik, search every corner of the ancient Indian city to find the killer. Jakhar, who has previously worked as a screenwriter in the Indian film industry, began his professional journey as a journalist at the Times Group. Consequently, he started working as a scriptwriter and in 2014, he wrote ‘The Butcher of Benares.’ While talking about his book and the character Hawa Singh with Hindustan Times, Jakhar noted that he created the character’s persona by drawing inspiration from his father. He said, “He (Jakhar’s father) was a simple army man, who came from a small village but made sure all his kids got the best education. We had a lot of respect for each other, but we could never spend much time together. So, I have created Hawa Singh in his memory.”
Even though ‘The Butcher of Benares’ was released in 2014 as a novel, Jakhar originally wanted to make a film and approached a lot of Indian filmmakers for it. During an interview with Syahee, the author noted, “I was writing a film script with the same title THE BUTCHER OF BENARES (my first novel) and approached a lot of film directors and producers but none showed any interest.” However, when he started to write it as a book, it opened new avenues for him and changed the story to a crime thriller with historical undertones. He added, “So I had this title and then I started writing the book. The story changed totally from what I had in the film script. And I am a big History lover, so yes, somewhere I have put history into the book. The history that becomes a part of the book also is something that’s unknown to the common man.”
The Show Traces Its Roots Back to Mahendra Jakhar’s Story With a Twist
Jakhar’s novel is filled with a lot of chilling sequences and a terrifying mystery. Although ‘Mandala Murders’ takes inspiration from the book, the show’s story has taken creative liberties to come forward with a project that can be expanded into multiple stories. In the novel, the murder of the young, female American scientist shocks the city. However, it’s not just the murder that has terrified everyone; it is the way that the scientist was slain. When her body is discovered, it is revealed that her heart has been removed, which hints at a ritualistic killing. Although more bodies are found as the story continues, the novel’s focus remains on the scientist’s murder and how the butcher took her heart. The Netflix series follows something similar, but it doesn’t stop at focusing on just one murder that takes place in Charandaspur.
When Vikram’s father discovers the remains of a press photographer, Abhishek Sahay, he is shocked to see the condition of his body. His torso is missing, while his legs and arms have been stitched to his head. Moreover, the killer seems to have carved a unique symbol on his forehead. As the murders continue to take place, all the victims lose a part of their bodies, hinting towards ritualistic slayings. As such, the title expands on Jakhar’s original vision and creates a story that has the essence of the source material, creating a more thrilling narrative and providing wholesome entertainment to the viewers.
Mandala Murders Blends Murder Mystery with Themes of Superstition and Cult Worship
Throughout human history, there have been several instances where men and women have fallen into the trap of following people who call themselves messengers of God. Whether it was Charles Manson or David Koresh, these cult leaders made people believe that they communicated with their deities. Shockingly, people believed them and followed them blindly. This is one aspect that ‘Mandala Murders’ portrays perfectly. The title introduces viewers to a secret society named Aayast Mandal, which has its own God (Yast), and they live by their own rules. The people in the Aayast Mandal are called Aayastis, who believe that they have been facing a lot of injustice from the world because they are different from others.
Their leader, Rukmini, who is often referred to as Mahamani by the Aayastis, claims that it is important for Yast to come back to earth and cleanse it for a fresh start. However, her motives turn out to be more sinister because she believes that people who believe in Yast have the right to live on this planet. Her followers blindly follow her and feel that only Yast can save the world. Rukmini’s unhesitating authority, mixed with the blind devotion of her followers, makes Aayast Mandal feel less like a normal society and more like a cult. The ritualistic killings carried out by the group are not about punishing bad people; it’s all about reviving their own deity by killing innocent people.
