In Kohrra, we get to watch plenty of characters that are not exactly bad or good. There are multiple shades of gray given to almost everyone in the show to help us understand the motivations that make them want to behave a certain way. There are fathers, uncles, brothers, mothers, cousins, and daughters who believe that whatever they are doing is right. Especially the elders in the show tend to take steps that they claim are in family’s best interests, even though they might not be good for their children. Nothing but a lot of self-awareness can get someone to admit that they might be wrong, and since Kohrra is set in the present day, expecting people close to you to not to be selfish is difficult.
Amarpal Garundi, a young police officer working with Balbir Singh with Punjab Police, is the Imran Ansari to Balbir’s Hathi Ram Chaudhary and Constable Katekar to his Inspector Sartaj Singh. Based on how both have been presented in the show, it seems that they have been working with each other for a while, and Garundi enjoys Balbir’s company. Though Balbir is senior to Garundi, they work like buddies, and at the same time, Garundi respects his seniority and the experience he brings to the table. The duo is at the crime scene, and very soon, they look for initial findings on the spot because the deceased, Paul, was from a rich family, and he is a British national as well. The media has a field day with the murder, and the pressure drives Garundi and Balbir to look for every bit of evidence that would lead them to suspects. Garundi especially comes across as a decent but not a good cop because, just like every other police officer, his job is to remain blunt with every person he meets at his place of work.
The viewers are introduced to Garundi’s family as well. He lives with his brother and his sister-in-law, Rajji. From the very beginning, it is established that he is having an affair with Rajji, and this has been going on for ten years. There is no reason stated as to why the affair began. It can be assumed that since Garundi and Rajji were always near each other, their attraction led them to succumb to their desires.
It is not uncommon for such relationships to exist in the rural part of the country because there is hardly a way for men and women to talk about their desires with their spouses. The physical act of love is only meant for procreation, not affection or pleasure. Maybe Rajji found warmth in his presence, which she never got from her husband. Garundi is a guilt wracked man, but he cannot help but follow his urges. Their clandestine affair is a sad saga because both know they cannot be together forever for obvious reasons.
In regard to the case, Garundi immerses himself in it because, just like everyone around him, including his superiors, the media, and the families of Paul and Liam, he is desperate for answers. Understanding their grief, Garundi goes out of his way to find leads and witnesses and gather as many suspects as possible to avoid delay. He and Balbir do not hurry up the case because they want to take their time. Garundi, just like his colleague, knows the murder case is only the tip of the iceberg. They will unearth many uncomfortable truths, one of which is that Paul’s cousin, Happy, tried to kill him in a freak accident just to get the upper hand on a property dispute.
Garundi’s only wish is to get married, settle down, and have a family of his own. He probably wants to get rid of the guilt over betraying his brother. There is no way he could confess to his mistakes, for it would destroy his family. Rajji is unhappy to know Garundi is meeting Silky, a prospective bride, for she does not want to lose control over him. It seems as if she wanted to have him around so that his property would also stay with her, just like her husband is working hard to sustain his share of the large fields. A selfish move indeed, but since she has no other income in hand but the money they get from farming, Garundi’s married, will lead to the property splitting, and Rajji will be left with nothing.
His brother and Rajji emotionally blackmailed him not to consider marriage to Silky. His brother’s only worry is the property dispute, and Garundi is quick to understand Rajji’s manipulative ways. Garundi puts his foot down politely and lets his brother and his sister-in-law know about his decision to marry Silky. Garundi’s decision comes at a time when he realizes there is a strange toxicity in his family as well. He would rather move away from it and wants to do this peacefully without creating any rift. On the night of the engagement, Rajji causes a gas cylinder explosion, a delaying tactic on her end. Her jealousy has reached a point where she admits to being in love with Garundi to her husband. Garundi’s brother probably knew of the affair, and maybe he realized Garundi getting married would indeed be right for the family. Luckily, his engagement is not called off, and his marriage to Silky is fixed.
Amidst all the family drama, his investigation work does not stop. He was the one who informed Balbir about Nimrat’s suicide attempt. When Balbir meets with a near-fatal crash, he disappears from the scene of the accident, and Garundi goes into a frenzy to find him. As a fellow police officer, he respects Balbir sir, and he always treats him like just another elder brother who understands him. Garundi had to break many bones on his way to the rescue, and ultimately Balbir is rescued thanks to Garundi’s presence of mind. Though by the end of the show, it was Balbir who did all the shouldering of revealing the truth to Paul’s family, Garundi inadvertently makes a statement that ‘family is supposed to know their children, but they are unable to do so.’ Garundi, through the case, remains an excellent partner who has always worked in sync with Balbir. In the end credits of the show, we get to see him getting married to Silky eventually. Garundi cannot be considered a good person, but he is not exactly a bad person either.
