Raj Acharya’s Murder in Mahim has been adapted from the famous novel by Jerry Pinto of the same title. Throughout the seven-episode series, we have gotten the gist of the story and how it centers around a murderer targeting people, from gay sex workers to police officers linked with them. The motive behind these killings is strong; it’s a hate crime. The series vividly portrays the harsh reality of their lives in Mumbai in 2013, where it was extremely difficult for homosexuals to survive in a society where they were constantly threatened to be exposed for simply loving someone of their own choice. Here we come across a character named Sooraj Desai, who is married to Hemali but is secretly gay. His sexual involvement with Proxy, also known as Laxman, at the Mahim station led to severe consequences when their relationship was recorded by police officers Padmat and Durra. The murderer not only killed Proxy but also these two officers, ultimately leading to Sooraj’s suicide. But was it truly a suicide, or was it murder? Will they ever get justice? Retired Journalist Peter Fernandes (Ashutosh Rana), Inspector Shiva Jende (Vijay Raaz), and Assistant Sub-Inspector Firdaus (Shivani Raghuvanshi) are on the case. Let’s find out what happened in the final episode of Murder in Mahim on Jio Cinema.
Spoilers Ahead
Why were police after Biral?
In the previous seventh episode, we saw that Leslie, who was in love with Biral, also known as Swass, actually confessed his crimes to Peter, admitting he was the actual murderer. Do you know why he did that? For his love for Biral, he took the blame. You see, Biral pretended to be in love with Leslie and fabricated a report claiming Leslie was HIV-positive. So, Leslie thought he was going to die anyway and willingly took the blame for his love because he understood Biral’s intentions behind the murders. He believed Biral killed those people because he was in love with Sooraj, and he felt the police officers wronged him. Not just them, but the entire society wronged them Mumbai’s homosexual population. After all, where there’s no right to love someone freely, how can you be free? Loving someone of the same sex seems like a crime, and people see you as a criminal and think that you’ve polluted society. So, maybe that’s why Biral killed those people. Leslie happily took the blame until he realized the truth. While in jail after his false confession, he heard that the AIDS report was fake because, in reality, he is HIV-negative. Everything became clear to him and the police. They interrogated Hemali, Sooraj’s wife, and from her, they found the truth.
When investigating the case, Peter got in touch with Sooraj’s wife, Hemali, who told him that Sooraj committed suicide after his mother-in-law’s death because it was a huge shock for him, and he didn’t have the money to pay for her hospital bill. His suicide note was found under the pillow on the bed, and he jumped from the balcony. Later, she said it was found on the table, so there was something wrong with the statements. Also, the handwriting on the suicide note was Hemali’s, so something is just not right, and Hemali must have known something that she was trying to hide so hard. But Hemali denied it, so who was it? It was none other than her brother, Biral, also known as Shwaas. Through interrogation, Shiva, Peter, and Firdaus found the truth that Biral actually killed those people because Sooraj hurt his family members. He gave money to these sex workers because he was gay and had been secretly going to them for pleasure. There was no relationship between him and his wife, and to avoid being exposed, he bribed the police so much that his bank account was emptied. That’s why it was rumored that Sooraj committed suicide, but actually, Biral murdered him by throwing him from the balcony, and afterward, he continued to kill one after the other the ones who were linked with Sooraj. As soon as they found out, the police went to Biral’s house to arrest him, but he ran away from there.
Who murdered Biral?
Throughout the series, we’ve seen that Proxy had a true friend in a guy named Unit. He was also a close friend of Peter’s son, Sunil. Through his interactions with them, we learn how difficult life is for gay sex workers and how they’re exploited by the police, physically abused, and subjected to derogatory names. They live in constant fear of losing their jobs just because of their sexual orientation. Even if they find acceptance, their lack of education makes it hard to hold onto those jobs, pushing them from one precarious job to another. That’s why many turn to sex work, despite knowing the risks involved. But after Proxy’s death, Unit had no desire to stay in Mumbai anymore. He wanted to settle in Dubai and get married. However, before leaving, he was determined to avenge Proxy’s death because he knew how much Proxy also wanted to change his life. So, when he discovered that Biral had fled to hide from the police and was staying with his mentor after bribing him with money and his valuable ring, Unit followed his trail. He used a filleting knife, which he had from his time working at a veterinary office, to kill Biral and exact revenge for his friend. How did the police find Biral after he ran away? Well, Peter and Leslie went to Biral’s mentor’s place to search for him, only to discover he wasn’t there. However, Peter suspected the mentor was lying because he noticed that he had the same ring he had seen on Biral’s hand. But when the police arrived, it was too late; Biral had already been murdered by Unit. They realized it was Unit when the forensic report confirmed that the cuts on the victim’s body were made with a filleting knife.
Did Peter accept his son’s sexuality?
Peter was a very loving and caring father, as we’ve seen throughout Murder in Mahim series. He even went as far as pretending to be a reporter again to investigate when his son, Sunil, became a suspect in the murder case because he was one of the last numbers dialed on the victim’s phone. However, Peter’s only problem with his son was his homosexuality. He struggled to accept Sunil’s sexuality after seeing him attend gay rights rallies and show reluctance to marry a girl, which didn’t sit well with Peter because he was deeply homophobic. But as the investigation progressed, Peter began to realize the harsh reality faced by homosexual people. He saw how they were denied the freedom to love who they wanted and were labeled as criminals, which saddened and opened his eyes. So, when Sunil finally confided in Peter and his wife about being gay, Peter accepted his son with open arms. He told Sunil that he was completely fine with him being gay as long as he was happy, realizing that there was nothing more important than his son’s happiness. This transformation was also evident when Assistant Sub-Inspector Firdaus was called a criminal for wearing a rainbow flag while on duty and openly expressing her choice to love who she wanted. The ACP ordered Shiva to take action against her, but both Shiva and Peter stood by her side, offering her their support and letting her know that there was nothing wrong with her choices.
In Murder in Mahim‘s ending, Inspector Shiva Jende and Assistant Sub-Inspector Firdaus went to the State Police Complaint Authority to file a complaint against ACP Jagdish Singh, as he is linked to gruesome crimes like organ trafficking. They know there’s a risk, but they believe it’s worth a try. However, we know how the system works and how it often fails to deliver justice, allowing those who have wronged society to go unpunished time and time again. Even though homosexual people are not criminals, they are forced to hide their true identities and choices, as if they have committed a crime. So, there’s a possibility that the ACP may not be punished for his illegal activities. And what does the future hold for Peter Fernandes? We have seen how he has returned to being a reporter once again after so many years. He is a magnet for controversy and always ready to expose crimes and corruption, so we can expect him to continue doing so.
