-(metal clanks) -(liquid bubbling)
Hmm, nice.
-Turn it off in five minutes. -Yes.
Kothimbir vadi for table three.
Shev bhaaji for table five.
-I'll bring out the bhakris. -Yes, madam.
(people chattering)
I've brought piping hot bhakris.
And your favourite thecha.
-Let me know if you like it. -Okay.
Mr. Mhatre, you've come after so long.
-I was not in town. -Oh, I see.
-You want some bhakris? -Yes.
(sombre music)
Special modak for my good boy!
(soft music)
Hey! Eat slowly.
Don't be hasty.
Chew your food properly.
Listen, I'll finish closing the restaurant in ten minutes,
and then, Teju and his aai...
-will go watch a movie! (laughs) -Will go watch a movie!
Come here!
(sentimental music)
(title song)
(sombre music)
Sir, you knew all along?
We struck this deal with her 25 years ago
on the condition that she would confess to the eight murders,
and in return, we promised that her son
would be kept away from the case and her.
She didn't want even the slightest impact of it
to fall on you.
Was it her idea to bring me on this case?
But I want something in return.
You must bring my son Tejas Phadke on this case.
That was her only condition.
Sir, please take me off this case.
Please.
Okay, Tejas.
Thank you, sir.
Will it help if I apologised, Arun?
You betrayed my trust.
How did you render my team unconscious?
I grew mushrooms in jail.
They are not dangerous.
The amount of powder I added to the food
doesn't cause loss of consciousness for long.
-What about Omkar? -He refused to eat.
So, I had to use other means.
What if he had died?
You know my reasons for killing people, Arun.
I have never killed an innocent person.
If you brought the mushrooms with you from jail,
you must have planned this well in advance.
I thought... it might come in handy someday.
What was the need to run?
And if you did run, why did you allow yourself
to get caught so easily?
What else are you hiding from me?
It's difficult, Arun.
Every time I saw Tejas sitting in front of me,
I battled the urge to get up and hug him.
I wanted to caress his face.
You have no idea how much pain a mother feels
when she can't acknowledge her own son.
I've been through all kinds of torture.
But this...
Isn't this what you always wanted?
For your son to grow up thinking his mother is dead.
I know.
But I couldn't help myself.
Everything I had suppressed for 25 years
surfaced the moment I saw Tejas.
Believe me, Arun.
I had no intention of telling Tejas the truth.
But unfortunately, things didn't go as planned.
So, there was no other reason behind your escape?
No other big plan?
No.
So, you simply wanted to witness the life your son
and daughter-in-law had built together, correct?
You left, went straight to their house,
and then to the parlour.
Then waited for the parlour to open. Correct?
Correct.
I just wanted to get a glimpse of their life and come back here.
If I intended to escape,
I wouldn't be sitting around in Tanvi's parlour.
I always thought you to be honest.
But I was wrong.
Like every common criminal,
you too have turned out to be a liar.
You said you reached Tanvi's parlour at 10 o'clock.
But you didn't go to Tanvi and Tejas's house before that.
We checked every CCTV camera in the area.
You left at 3:10 a.m.
At about 8:45 a.m., you reached Tanvi's parlour
and entered the place at 10:00 a.m.
The question is...
where were you between 3:10 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.?
You were missing for 5 hours and 45 minutes.
You went somewhere else too.
Am I right?
Did you go to meet the copycat?
The copycat that you created?
You know that's not true, Arun.
I have no idea what's true and what's not!
You tell me, Seema.
Trusting a serial killer has really paid off well for me.
Serves me right.
Mrs. Deshpande, you will now return to Hyderabad jail.
Because that's where you deserve to be.
(doorbell rings)
Teju! Come in.
Why did you lie about my mother?
I was always afraid this day would come.
Why did you hide this from me, Ajoba?
If not during my childhood, you could have told me later.
I promised her.
When did you find out that she was killing people?
At the time she got caught.
My mother is a serial killer. (scoffs)
Fuck!
This is why I never kept a single photo of her around the house.
I wiped out every trace of her.
If you had known the truth about her,
you would never have become the person you are today.
By keeping this from you,
your mother, my daughter did the right thing.
Are you really praising that woman, Ajoba?
Yes... and no.
-What she did-- -Eight people!
-She killed eight people. -I know.
But she was still a good mother.
(smirks) A good mother, Ajoba?
Tell me, is this why you went to Siddhivinayak every week?
To cleanse yourself of her sins?
We've all committed sins, Tejas.
But she never let the shadow of her sins fall on you.
(chuckles)
Who knows? Maybe there's a psycho hidden in me too, like her.
Stop this nonsense.
Ajoba, it feels like
I don't know who I am anymore.
In a single moment, everything's changed, Ajoba.
Please forgive me, dear.
What else have you kept from me? Now is the time.
Nothing.
This was it.
The weight has been taken off my shoulders today.
I know this is difficult, but you have to move on.
That's what your mother would want too.
She's not my mother.
Twenty-five years ago, a series of murders took place in Pune.
Not one, not two, but a total of eight.
A cheap nylon rope was used to strangle the victims to death.
Their bodies were posed in front of a mirror.
History is repeating itself once again.
This time, in Mumbai.
Has the Pune Strangler shifted to Mumbai,
or is this Mumbai Strangler a copycat?
-Haniya. -Hmm?
It's possible that the killer killed someone
before his first known victim, Robby Carvalho.
Look through our database for all the strangulation cases
before Robby Carvalho.
Okay, ma'am. I'll look into it.
And did you find the name of the IT company
Tejas sir was talking about?
The one that digitised the Pune court records.
Yes. It's Zylocomp Technologies. They were given the project.
I have the list they shared.
But they mentioned that they also hired sub-contractors
since the workload was too high.
They'll be sharing another list tomorrow.
I'm going through it, but it will take me some time.
It's a very long list.
-Zylocomp? -Yeah.
Teju.
(melancholic music)
(melancholic music continues)
(keyboard clicking)
-Good morning, ma'am! -Morning.
Didn't you go home last night?
Ma'am, I went through the database
and look what I found.
Please come. I'll show you.
Sunil Gupte, 27 year old.
Seven months ago, his body was found
in a well, in the compound of a bungalow.
He was strangled to death using a nylon rope.
SI Rane has shared the post-mortem report.
Luckily, it was a dry well.
And, ma'am, guess what?
To keep the victim's eyes open, the killer used a synthetic glue.
My God! The exact same method.
But why a well this time?
Why not mirror or glass?
Ma'am, that I don't know.
But Rane has shared one more important piece of information.
The victim worked at an IT firm.
So I took a shot in the dark thinking I'd cross-check...
And, ma'am, guess what?
He was an employee at Zylocomp Technologies?
Yes, ma'am.
Good job. Good job, Haniya!
Thank you, ma'am.
(phone buzzes)
Sir, ACP Tejas was not responding, so I came to you.
Sunil Gupte was killed seven months ago.
(intense music)
(handcuffs click)
I have to show you something.
Did the copycat kill again?
Not exactly.
Sunil Gupte. Seven months ago.
His body was found in this dried well.
I know you've never killed anyone and thrown them into a well.
And yet, I think this murder was committed by the copycat.
Yes, he's the one who did it.
Why do you feel so?
I will only talk to Tejas.
Mrs. Deshpande, don't test my patience.
This is not a game.
I have nothing left to lose now. I'm going to jail.
I just want to see my son one last time.
Tejas doesn't want to meet you.
Then you will have to convince him.
(phone buzzes)
Sir.
I've sent you some photographs. Take a look.
-Now? -Yes, now.
I saw them, sir.
She is 100% sure that the copycat committed this murder.
Sir, it is also possible she is lying.
She could make up anything just to meet me.
I'm aware, Tejas.
But did you know Sunil Gupte worked for Zylocomp Technologies?
It's the same IT firm that got contracted
to digitise the Pune court records.
What?
Daruwala told me the copycat may have got access
to the files from a digitising company.
And he was right.
You need to meet Mrs. Deshpande one more time.
One last time.
If we don't manage to catch the copycat with her help this time,
I promise you I'll send her back to jail.
-Okay, sir. -Okay.
(intense music)
My anger, my confusion, nothing matters.
Right now, I need to do my duty.
I can feel sorry for myself later.
(chuckles) God!
(sighs)
Teju, I can't even imagine what you must be going through right now.
(sighs)
-But I'm so proud of you. -Thank you.
Sir. I'm ready.
I know you'll never forgive me, son.
First of all, I'm not your son.
You're Mrs. Deshpande for me, and I'm ACP Tejas Phadke to you.
And secondly, no emotional or personal conversations.
Keep to the point. Am I clear?
Sit.
Why do you believe Sunil Gupte was killed by the copycat?
It was a Tuesday.
I clearly remember
because back then, I used to fast on Tuesdays.
It was 10 p.m.
I sent my entire staff home, closed the restaurant
and went to the kitchen to clean up.
Hi, Seema.
-Joseph, the restaurant is closed. -(chuckles)
I know.
-You're drunk. Go home. -I'm always drunk, my love.
You will enjoy it more like this.
-(Mrs. Deshpande grunts) -(metal clanks)
-I told you. -(breathes heavily)
(grunts)
(screams in pain)
(chuckles)
(grunts)
(gasping in pain)
-(Joseph grunts) -(Mrs. Deshpande screams in pain)
(screams in pain)
-(gasping in pain) -(intense music)
(chuckles)
(lighter clicks)
(eerie music)
(screams)
(chuckles)
(laughing)
(screams)
(tense music)
(choking)
(breathes heavily)
(sobbing)
Is this true?
Or just another big fat lie?
Unfortunately, my broken bones have mended.
But if you wish to see,
I still have the scars on my back. I can show you.
Should I?
No, no, no! Please stop. Stop!
There's no need for that. Sit.
(Mrs. Deshpande) I don't know how long I was lying there.
Then, Baba came there,
he saw me and understood what had happened.
(tense music)
(water splashing)
Baba dumped Joseph's body in the well.
It took him all night to seal the well.
So, the copycat replicated your first murder too.
But, sir, how did he find out about this murder?
It's not in the court files.
I think he must have seen something.
(melancholic music)
I'm not sure how long Joseph's son, Alex, had been there.
Or what he saw and what he didn't.
You think Alex is the copycat?
I can't say for sure.
By killing Joseph, I orphaned Alex.
I felt very bad.
So, I brought him to stay with us.
What?
Impossible. I would have remembered that for sure.
We often forget the things we don't wish to remember, de...
Inspector.
You were only four years old at the time.
-Where did Alex go after that? -I don't know.
I never saw him
after the day Arun arrested me.
Sir, I think I know where we can start looking for Alex.
Arun, I will be of more use to you from here, than from Hyderabad.
I'll think about it.
Ajoba, you said you weren't hiding anything else.
I had no choice!
What else could I have done?
Handed my daughter over to the police?
And that too, for killing that perverted drunk?
If she hadn't killed him, I'd have killed that motherfucker myself.
Is the body still in the well?
That's why I haven't sold that house till date.
It must be lying there.
Ajoba, now I feel like I don't even know you anymore.
We'll talk when you calm down.
And then I'll explain to you what love for your child means.
What happened to Alex after that?
When we had to leave from there,
I left him in an orphanage.
-Did he ever try to contact you? -No.
He had a lot of respect for your mother.
He really loved her. He'd always cling to her...
like her own son.
I never liked that boy.
Why?
He was the blood of that bastard.
And what am I, Ajoba?
The blood of my mother.
Which orphanage did you leave him in?
Suchak Shelter Home.
(indistinct chatter)
-ACP Tejas Phadke. -Purandar Joshi. Please come.
NAME - ALEX ALAPAT AGE - 6 YEARS
(Purandar) A man named Dinanath Phadke left him here.
-Purandar-ji, this is Alex. -Okay.
He's your responsibility now.
(melancholic music)
Alex, this is your bed.
(Purandar) Alex was a very smart boy.
But he was short-tempered and didn't talk much.
And whenever he'd get angry,
he'd break things.
One day, I saw him near the old restaurant.
But the restaurant was closed.
-Marathi Chav? -Yes, that was the name!
(Purandar) People say Alex last saw his drunk father
at this old restaurant.
Then, as he grew up, he went astray.
It started with petty thefts, drugs...
and suddenly, around the age of 25, he disappeared.
He called me a year ago.
Told me he had mended his ways.
Did you save his number by any chance?
I did. 992928481.
One more thing, ACP.
When Alex first came here, he was holding a bag.
Children usually carry clothes or food items in their bags,
but, even today, no one knows
what was in Alex's bag.
He stayed here for 12 years,
but, until the very end, he refused to let anyone
come close to that bag.
(melancholic music)
Haniya, I'm giving you a number. Track it.
-Tell me, sir. -992928481.
Sir.
(Mrs. Deshpande) Special modak for my good boy!
Teju and his aai will go watch a movie!
Jai Hind, sir.
(intense music)
-Jai Hind, sir. -Jai Hind, sir.
(intense music continues)
-(Haniya) Hello, sir. -(Tejas) Yes, Haniya?
Sir, the registered address and location
linked to that number has been found.
Okay, send it to me.
-Should I alert the team, sir? -No, not now.
(Haniya) Okay, sir.
Since when has he been staying here?
It's been two years, sir.
A spare key to his house is usually with me
because, when he's out, I have to feed the fish.
I see.
(door creaks)
-Okay, you may leave. -Okay.
(doorbell rings)
Hi.
-Hello. -Can I help you?
Tejas?
I'm here to meet Tejas.
Tejas is not home. Who are you?
Alex. Tejas' childhood friend.
-From Pune. -Oh! Hi.
Actually, Tejas is on duty right now.
Do you want to wait?
-Please, come in. -Thank you.
(intense music)
(eerie music)
-Ajoba still looks the same. -(chuckles)
-Only his hair has turned grey. -(Tanvi chuckles)
Please.
How long has it been since you met Ajoba and Tejas?
It's been a very long time.
I think 20-23 years. I don't remember clearly.
That's a long time.
You must have been very little then.
Yes.
We'd get tired of playing, you know.
And of laughing too.
(laughs)
I don't laugh anymore.
(mysterious music)
(slurps)
(doorbell rings)
I'll just take it.
We had a great day today. 50k in cash!
Shush...
Tejas' childhood friend Alex is here.
And he's a bit weird.
Okay. I'll stay until Tejas comes.
Yes. Okay.
(taps)
Alex. This is my friend, Divya.
-Hi. -Hi.
(slurps)
(tense music)
Do you have any biscuits?
Uh... Yeah. I'll get some for you.
(sighs)
(intense music)
(phone buzzes)
-Yeah, Tanvi? -Teju, when are you coming home?
I don't know. I'll be late.
-Can I call you back-- -Listen...
Your childhood friend stopped by.
-What? Who? -Alex.
-What! -Yes. I mean, he's a bit sweet
but weird.
-He has tattoos all over his body-- -No, no, no... Tanvi, listen to me.
Is he still there?
No, when Divya came over to give me cash, he left.
Thank God.
-Is he dangerous? -Yes...
I'll explain when I get home.
Okay, listen...
Should I send you a photo of him?
-What? -Yes, I secretly took
a photo of him when he was sitting here.
Tanvi, I love you.
-Sending it to you right now, sir. -Yes, please.
-(phone buzzes) -(chuckles)
(phone buzzes)
-Sir. -Pallavi, I'm sharing a photo.
-Share it with everyone. -Yes, sir.
Sir, may I know what's going on?
I'll tell you when I get there. And...
I'll call you back.
Mumbai 365...
(tense music)
Show me your ID.
(indistinct chatter)
Sir!
His name is Alex, and he's our primary suspect.
He either works here or is a regular customer here.
We don't know for sure, but check every single person.
The club is crowded, so hide your guns properly.
He's extremely dangerous...
and we need to catch him alive.
Copy?
-Let's go. -Yes.
(upbeat music)
(suspenseful music)
(tense music)
(panicked screams)
(Alex humming)
(metal clanks)
Hello, Teju.
Hello, Alex.
It's been years.
Feels good.
But I don't feel good at all, Alex.
Have I done something wrong?
Purandar Joshi told me
that you were the smartest child at Suchak.
Then why are we playing this game?
(chuckles)
You know, Teju, Ajoba left me there.
I used to be angry at the two of you all the time.
(scoffs)
But then I thought, how is this Teju is fault?
Or even Ajoba's fault?
It was only God's fault, Teju.
God didn't do right by me.
He took my aai away from me.
She was the only one in the world who loved me.
(laughs)
And then, one day, I saw you on TV.
Inspector Tejas was none other than my brother Teju!
And after that day, I started following you.
And then, I saw Aai, Teju.
My aai!
God brought Aai back into my life.
Aai didn't die in an accident.
I saw Aai outside Tanvi's salon.
She's alive, Teju.
I followed you two everywhere.
And see... my aai,
my entire family... will now be back with me.
I understand you didn't have a good childhood.
But what does this mean?
-This is all mine, Teju. -I know.
Teju.
I have never let anyone lay a finger on this! Understand?
You're my brother... or else...
Alex, calm down.
Calm down! Calm down.
Calm down. Easy.
You're my brother. So, it's okay.
Now, tell me the truth.
Why did you kill those people?
Kill?
I didn't kill anyone.
Women's clothes...
This photo... You may be able to explain these.
But what about this?
Speak!
Aai.
Aai?
Teju, the day Ajoba was taking me to Suchak,
I went to Aai's room.
I took whatever I found...
in her cupboard.
These belong to Aai, Teju.
I didn't steal, Teju.
God promise, I wasn't stealing.
I was only taking Aai's things with me.
Teju, these were Aai's memories for me.
So, I took these with me to Suchak.
I'm alive today only because of these.
I had no one else.
I only had these to feel Aai's presence.
But I didn't steal.
I'm sorry, Teju. Really.
Teju, I'm sorry.
I wasn't stealing, brother.
(melancholic music)
Sir, we spoke to Alex's manager.
On the nights of all the four murders,
Alex was on night shift at the bar.
We have many eyewitnesses, sir.
We got the wrong guy.
I know.
(eerie music)
THE CITY IS IN A STATE OF SHOCK. FOUR MURDERS IN A ROW.
(handcuffs clinking)
(melancholic music)
(suspenseful music)
(clacking on keyboard)
(doorbell rings)
-Hi, Alex. -Hi.
Come.
So, you've already met Tanvi and Divya.
Yes, I think I made you two a bit awkward the last time.
-I'm sorry. -(Tanvi and Divya) No, it's okay.
Ajoba, Alex. Alex...
How are you?
-I'm fine. How are you? -I'm fine.
Okay. Food is ready.
(soft music)
Teju, when I came here the last time,
I took this by mistake.
(melancholic music)
-It's okay. -(Tanvi laughs)
Keep it.
I like your tattoos. What's the story?
This one? With the dragon here...
Just imagine.
Twenty-four hours ago, you were in my custody as a criminal.
And now I'm having kheer with my family.
(chuckles)
Tanvi bhabhi cooks so well.
But not better than Aai.
Aai is the best.
You remember so much, Alex.
And I remember nothing. How is this possible?
You always had love, Teju.
All I had were my father's beatings.
One day, when he suddenly left me
and I started living with you all,
I understood
what love, respect and motherly affection meant.
Only because of Aai.
That's why I remember everything.
You're very lucky, Teju.
(sad music)
-Aai is God. -(chuckles)
I have a request.
Can I meet her?
I don't know, Alex.
As I told you, she's undergoing treatment at a special nursing home.
So, she can't meet anyone.
Tell her that I'm Alex, her other son.
She'll agree.
I'll try.
-Thank you, Teju. -You're welcome.
I'm so happy that the two friends have reunited after so many years.
(chuckles)
But I still find him a bit weird.
You and your suspicious mind.
I mean, the poor guy is a bit of a depressed soul,
but he is sweet.
Don't tell me you find him attractive.
Tattoos, woman!
-You know they're my weakness. -(doorbell rings)
-Will you get that? -Mmm-hmm.
Namaste, ma'am.
I'm SI Praveer. This packet is for Tejas sir.
-Okay, I'll give it to him. -Thank you, ma'am.
I still have no control when I eat modaks.
(Alex chuckles)
Tejas, SI Praveer dropped this off.
-Praveer? -Hmm.
I'll get some more kheer.
-Come, I'll help you. -Okay.
(suspenseful music)
I'D LIKE TO SPEAK TO MRS. DESHPANDE.
YOU'LL RECEIVE A CALL TOMORROW AT 12 O'CLOCK.