In the present, we follow Dale as he is helped by a policeman who accompanies him to his hotel after he refuses to go to the hospital.
The reason for the same is that this particular policeman is corrupt and will ask for bribes from him. If he can’t shell out money, Dale would be thrown into prison.
Although it is not much, Prabhu’s jhopadpatti in the Sagar Wada slum area provides safe shelter to Dale for the night. There, the two men bond over food, whiskey, and cannabis. Lisa finally gets her senses back and tells Karla what she needed to hear.
Someone called Rujul Aadekar will be handing over the contract for the Sagar Wada land to Wadil Shah. This puts Karla in a spot of trouble, as she makes an urgent appointment with her associate. Lisa accuses Karla of being selfish in getting her out as this information was essential for her and her associate, Khader. At the same time, she’s thankful to Karla for having gotten her out as the other girl, Sunny, who witnessed the deal is now dead.
Dale is left with no other choice but to ask Prabhu for help when Karla returns him. Although Prabhu offers to become his business partner, Dale rejects that idea. Dale’s experience and maturity in handling Lisa’s heroin withdrawal lead her to conclude he had someone who suffered from the same fate. This girl was his charm back in Australia and they had planned to come to India together only for the plan to go sideways. Dale was also an addict but has been able to avoid taking the drug. ..
Karla meets with Khaderbhai, a gentleman at first looks, but is in fact a local mafia. She informs him of Lisa’s information. Like Karla helped Dale, Khaderbhai had once helped Karla too to get her footing in the business.
The new information has led to a change in the plans of Karla and Khader for buying the Sagarwada land. Karla is now inclined to give the bid to Wadil Shah, in order to protect Dale from Khader’s suspicions that he might know too much.
Dale’s next stop is Reynaldo, where he meets Didier. The French handyman only has limited abilities and resources and the only person who could get him his passport and life back is Khaderbhai. Didier flatly refuses to talk about the Palace, Rujul, or Khader openly, but this makes Dale only more frustrated. He is taught a crucial lesson by Maurizio when he spits him at his table. “Know the game and the players before you enter it”, is the Italian’s advice to Dale. Modena has a different reaction to the news that Lisa isn’t well and goes in to check on her.
Khaderbhai invites Rujul to his place. The two had previously been on good terms. While the former provided bribes and commissions to the latter, Rujul provides the power of his government connections. Khader’s tone completely changes when Rujul says he has “called behind” Walid. Because Khader has opted not to get involved in the brown sugar and sex business, he has made him irrelevant. ..
Khader stabs and kills Rujul, as his handyman watches on. Dale is formed to take Prabhu’s offer of becoming a business partner after Charlie refuses to send more money. Karla comes to meet him and pays him a thousand dollars, just the amount he needs for a new passport, to keep him quiet about what he knows.
Dale is once again compelled to ask Prabhu’s forgiveness after he tries to abandon him. Since Karla gave him the money, he thought he could leave without a trace. When some goons come to confront Dale, the entire houses in the area are inadvertently set on fire. It is a risky prospect for Dale to stay but he does and helps out the slum people. Back at Karla’s place, Lisa and Karla dance together and Lisa admits to loving her, having looked up to her a lot in the past in wanting to be like her.
The Episode Review
In episode 2 of the show, we learn more about the real game of muscle and power going on in central Bombay. Karla is certainly not who we thought she was. She is actually one of the higher ups with a morality skewed to look out for own interests.
The woman who deceived and exploited her victims in this story is a manipulative and deceptive individual. However, in the end, she helped two people and redeemed herself. This story is important because it shows how someone can use their position of power to help others.
The two gangs are from different parts of the criminal underworld and it will be interesting to see how that plays out. ..
Charlie Hunnam is a major asset to “Sons of Anarchy.” He brings a level of intensity and realism to the show that is sorely needed. His character’s actions and reactions are what keep the story moving forward. ..
Shantaram promises a wonderful ride but with some more focus, the upcoming episodes could be even more interesting.
