‘Mandala Murders’ review: Gruesome shocks and a decent police procedural

Mandala Murders is adapted from Mahendra Jakhar’s The Butcher of Benaras. The 2014 novel is about a collaboration between the Indian police and the American Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate a plot involving the Vatican and the ancient Sanskrit astrological text Bhrigu Samhita.

Instead of the Vatican, the Netflix series revolves around a secret cult led by Rukmini (Shriya Pilgaonkar) that worships its own god, Yast. The cultists are accused of black magic by the townsfolk living around their forest lair.

The image of Yast resembles Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man – an obvious detail explained by a character. Frankenstein’s monster is also mentioned in case viewers don’t get the connection with stolen body parts.

Created by Gopi Puthran and co-directed by him and Manan Rawat, Mandala Murders is hands down one of the grisliest shows in streaming. Digits, limbs and heads are chopped off, with mysteriously missing blood splatter.

Investigative officer Rea (a ramp-ready Vaani Kapoor) and suspended Delhi cop Vikram (Vaibhav Raj Gupta) combine forces to solve a trail of murders. Both have deeper connections to the case than they imagined, and both are troubled by recent incidents that haunt them.

Vikram returns with his father (Manu Rishi Chadha) to their old home in the town Charandaspur. Vikram reconnects with his old buddy Pramod...

Read more