“Mandala Murders” grips with suspense and mystery, but falters at the end. Read our in-depth review exploring its highs, lows, and shocking twists.
Mandala Murders, the newest crime thriller film streaming on Sony LIV, promised a thrilling ride through a convoluted maze of conspiracies, dark secrets, and heinous murders. With a star cast, an interesting premise, and slick direction, it hooks you into a space where nothing is what it seems. Although it has atmospheric highs and flashes of brilliance, the show stumbles through its third act. Ultimately, most viewers will be left half-satisfied and half-confused.
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)
A Good Beginning: Done Right with Twists and Tension
From the opening frame, Mandala Murders sets the tone for a layered thriller. Set in the dark heart of Varanasi, the show revolves around a disturbing motif of killings that mimic an ancient mandala symbol. The visuals are gritty, the sound design is haunting, and the pacing (in the first half at least) is sharp and compelling.
The lead actor, Raveena Tandon, is boxed into a corner, playing the character of Avni Bharti — a no-nonsense cop with a misty past — who delivers priceless gravitas during her performance, and whether told with flashbacks, multiple points of view timelines, or symbolic images, the creators of Mandala Murders have intentionally crafted a layered narrative.
One aspect that adds a layer of uniqueness to an otherwise standard murder mystery is the introduction of karmic retribution and cosmic justice as a sort of spiritual and philosophical dimension.
Layered storytelling, but a little overreaching
Where Mandala Murders shines is in the world-building. The series shifts between faith, political agendas, and cult-like aspects of religion and society, all while keeping the viewer a little off-balance with additional characters coming into the fold that may or may not be directly tied to multiple grisly murders.
But with this increased storytelling ambition also comes Mandala Murders’ Achilles’ heel. As the series introduces more characters and layers story threads, the plot begins to feel overcrowded. Some arcs land nicely — like the backstory that introduces the trauma of a forgotten orphan who is tied to the murders — and some arcs feel developed, if not stretched too long.
The subplot involving Avni’s childhood trauma and connection to the case was workshopped really well in the beginning, but fades back into confusion. The writers seemed to have been in a tug of war between traditional police procedural storytelling and the more philosophical journey of karma, trauma, and fate. In trying to accomplish both, the writers let go of both slightly.
Impressive Performances Emphasize the Series
Aside from Raveena Tandon, Mandala Murders features other rich supporting actors. As Arvind Rao, the mystical guru-like character, Parambrata Chatterjee takes many of the scenes that he shares with these performers with his restrained yet haunting performance. His position adds another layer to the mystery – Is he a spiritual guide, a puppet master, or is he at the root of it all?
The other notable performances include:
Divya Dutta as the politician with a twist
Freddy Daruwala is a CBI agent with troubling morals
Jatin Goswami is a tortured soul with connections to the original murders
They build so much more depth to the mystery by making their characters seem lived in, and real – even if some of their arcs feel inconcluded.
Atmosphere and Cinematography: What A Win!
Mandala Murders is visually stunning and brings in varying real places in India (Varanasi, Lucknow, and Bhopal) to highlight the haunted beauty inherent to these locations.
The mandala symbol weaves throughout both the reality of the series and the meditative moment, and it is a beautiful incorporation of both.
The image is enhanced by the shadows, colors, and silence that build suspense. Congratulations to the show’s DOP and the set designers for creating a world that felt sacred, surreal, and breathtakingly dangerous at the same time.
A Faltering End – The Final Blow
After a well-paced seven-episode build, Mandala Murders starts to go off the rails in the finale. The big reveal – which should have been a tour de force – is rushed and lacks the impact required. Instead of being an opportunity for the series to wrap up all narrative threads, it, instead, leaves multiple questions and plenty of loose threads.
Some viewers may find themselves rewinding the final scenes to piece together the complex final twist, and still feel like they don’t understand what just happened. The spiritual and symbolic layers that accumulated throughout the series are suddenly and unceremoniously discarded in favour of a straight “whodunit”, which is contrary to the philosophical pace they established initially.
Worse yet, it foreshadows season two but fails to resolve central arcs, which is perplexing rather than exciting.
What Could Have Been Improved
Had Mandala Murders featured a tighter narrative and mitigation of some characters and stories, this could have been one of India’s greatest web thrillers. Attempts at being mystical with comfortable procedures, and character development, but plot-heavy ultimately fail.
Here are some major changes that could have improved the show:
Paced the second half better
Resolved the main mystery clearly
Examined fewer characters/heavy story
Less extreme out-of-nowhere twists.
Final Verdict: Watch It or Skip It?
It is recommended to watch it for good atmosphere, acting, and the first five episodes, but remember to keep expectations low for the finale.
Mandala Murders is an oddly motivated but essentially something different in The Indian thriller category. While being visually brilliant and having great acting, it, at the same time, tires itself too much by trying to do a lot. However, for those who enjoy a dark mystery with a bit of spiritual undertone and don’t mind an imperfect payoff, this show is well worth their time.
FAQS
1. What is Mandala Murters about?
Mandala Murders is a crime thriller series on Sony LIV, and it is about a series of mysterious killings connected with a symbolic mandala pattern. As the allegation proceeds, dark secrets, spiritual symbolism, and psychological trauma come to stand at the very heart of that mystery.
2. Who is the Leading Actor in Mandala Murders?
The lead is played by Raveena Tandon. She is Avni Bharti, a cop with a strong sense of duty but burdened with many inner demons, and she is trying to solve these murders.
3. Where can I watch Mandala Murders online?
You can stream all episodes of Mandala Murders exclusively on Sony LIV.
