I’ve become quite a fan of mafia-style series like Farzi, Mirzapur, and Paatal Lok—they always seem to grab my attention. So, naturally, when I started watching Murshid, especially with Kay Kay Menon in the lead, I had high hopes. But to be honest, it felt repetitive and pretty mediocre. Anyway, to give you an idea, “Murshid” revolves around a mafia boss of the same name. He had left his life of violence after his older son’s death but had to pick up a gun again to save his younger son. As he became powerful once more, he grew even more influential in the end. The question is, what really happened to push Murshid back into this life? And who were the key characters that influenced his return to power? Let’s break it down in this cast and character guide of Murshid season 1.
Spoilers Ahead
Murshid
Kay Kay Menon’s portrayal as Murshid shows the story of a gangster who first rose to power in 1993, and ruled Mumbai’s underworld. He was the king of the streets, feared by everyone. But when his older son died, something shifted in him. The pain of losing his son made him reevaluate his life of violence because he didn’t want to be that man anymore—the one who destroyed lives. Instead, he turned his focus to helping people by giving away his wealth to the poor and needy. It was as if he was trying to better himself from all the bloodshed and suffering he had caused. He became a humanitarian who wanted to do some good with the money and power he had. But as luck would have it Murshid had to come back to this life of violence. When his younger son, Junaid, got caught up in a mess, Murshid had no choice but to pick up the gun again. He couldn’t bear the thought of losing another son. That fear, that deep love and protection for Junaid drove him to return to the life he had sworn off. In this, we see how much of a selfless and protective father Murshid truly is.
What stood out to me the most was how Murshid wasn’t just a mindless gangster. Yes, he could be ruthless, but there was always a strategy behind his actions. Take his alliance with Jayant Rao, for example. Even though at first he aligned with another party leader, Namdev Kulkarni, for the time being, Murshid eventually saw that the political winds were changing. He knew that teaming up with Jayant could give him the leverage he needed to finally take revenge on Farid. It wasn’t just about brute force—it was about playing the game smarter by using his connections and influence to gain the upper hand. And guess what? He finally achieved success by manipulating his way to power by becoming the chief minister of Maharashtra after cunningly eliminating Jayant Rao’s father, the former chief minister. Later, with the help of his political connections, he was successful in killing Farid in the end. But what really made me feel for Murshid was his guilt. He knew he had caused pain, not just to strangers but to people he cared about. He asked his foster son, Kumar Pratap, to kill him as a way of seeking redemption for having killed Kumar’s father all those years ago. That, to me, showed the complexity of Murshid’s character. He wasn’t just some heartless don. He believed he deserved to be punished for what he had done. Murshid had a moral compass which made him different than the others. At the end of the day, Murshid wasn’t just about power and control. He wanted to use his influence to help those who couldn’t help themselves.
Farid
Farid, played by Zakir Hussain, is a character that shows ambition and betrayal. In his early days, Farid worked as a loyal helper under Murshid’s reign by following his orders and learning the ropes of the Mumbai underworld. But after Murshid’s downfall, when Murshid left his life of crime behind to become a humanitarian, Farid saw an opportunity. He rose to power and filled the void Murshid left behind, and soon became the new king of the streets. With Murshid out of the picture, Farid built his own empire and became a notorious gangster. However, Farid’s hunger for power didn’t stop there. When Murshid was forced to return to the underworld to protect his younger son, Junaid, Farid saw it as a chance to show his dominance and take revenge. He played a dirty game by blaming Junaid for killing his men and stealing his money, even though it was Farid’s own men, Mahesh and Ayub, who had set the whole thing in motion. Farid knew that if he could destroy Murshid’s family, he could show everyone that he was the one in control now. By targeting Junaid, Farid aimed to send a clear message: he was the boss now, and no one could challenge him—not even the legendary Murshid. But Farid underestimated Murshid and the lengths he would go to in order to protect his son.
After Murshid killed Mahesh and Ayub, two of Farid’s closest allies, Farid became even more determined to take him down. In Farid’s mind, Murshid was now his greatest enemy, and he needed to be eliminated. Farid’s arrogance and self-assurance in his invincibility ultimately led to his downfall. He placed his trust in Jayant Rao, a political player who he believed would help him. But at the last moment, Jayant Rao switched sides and aligned himself with Murshid. This betrayal left Farid vulnerable and exposed. The man who once rose to power through manipulation had become the victim and for that in the end, he was ultimately killed by his old mentor and enemy, Murshid. Felt like a poetic justice, don’t you think?
Jayant Rao
Rajesh Shringarpure as Jayant Rao was a member of the Praja Pratinidhi Party, and the son of Mumbai’s former Chief Minister, Baburao. he knew he was next in line for the top spot. But as the elections approached, he realized their political game was weak. The opposition was gaining strength, and aligning with Farid wasn’t doing him any favors. Farid’s obsession with taking down Murshid wasn’t helping Jayant’s ambitions at all, especially since he needed to focus on winning the election, not getting involved in a mafia feud. So, Jayant decided to switch sides. He called Murshid and struck a deal: he would help Murshid take down Farid in exchange for Murshid’s backing to make him become the Chief Minister. But this wasn’t just about shifting alliances—Jayant went so far as to have his own father, Baburao, killed by Murshid’s men, to gain the sympathy of the people. So for power, he went so far as to betray his own blood. It was a cold move, but it worked. By positioning himself as the grieving son who had just lost his father, Jayant won over the ordinary masses and secured his spot as the new Chief Minister of Maharashtra. With his newfound political power and the backing of the police, Jayant kept his promise to Murshid. He helped him take down Farid by ensuring that Murshid’s old enemy was finally eliminated.
Kumar Pratap Rana
Kumar Pratap Rana, played by Tanuj Virwani, has one of the most complex and emotional stories in Murshid. He was adopted and raised by Murshid after he killed his real father. Growing up, Kumar had no idea that Murshid, the man he called “father,” was actually his own father’s killer. He respected and loved Murshid deeply, not knowing the truth. But when he finally found out, Kumar was already a grown man, a respected police officer in Mumbai. How could he continue calling Murshid his father, knowing he was responsible for his real father’s death? That internal conflict drove him into depression. He began drinking heavily, and the strain on his personal life, especially his marriage, became unbearable. Yet, despite the anger and confusion, Kumar couldn’t bring himself to betray Murshid. He still had a deep respect for the man who raised him. This complicated love for Murshid pushed Kumar to help him when Junaid, Murshid’s biological son, was in trouble. Even though he was torn inside, Kumar still stood by Murshid when it mattered the most by helping him out with all the information and police backing. At the end, Murshid, burdened by guilt, told Kumar to kill him—to take revenge and get justice for his father’s death. But Kumar couldn’t do it. He couldn’t lose another father, especially the one who had loved and cared for him all these years, despite the dark past. This showed just how grateful Kumar was to Murshid and how conflicted he was between love, loyalty, and justice.
Namdev Kulkarni
Namdev Kulkarni, a key figure in the Naya Yug Party, had big ambitions. His party was genuinely working towards creating a violence-free Mumbai and tried to bring about real change. But somewhere along the way, Namdev got his hands dirty. When Murshid approached him for help in his battle against Farid, Namdev saw an opportunity. He agreed to provide Murshid with men and the support he needed for revenge, but there was a catch—Murshid had to join his party. Namdev thought this would boost his standing, especially by gaining sympathy from the Muslim majority in the city. What Namdev didn’t realize, though, was that by making this deal, he was dragging himself into the underworld game—a game far from the clean politics he once envisioned. His intentions might have started off good, but by aligning with Murshid, he became part of the dirty politics he was trying to avoid. He hoped this move would secure his position and help him win against his opposition, but things didn’t go as planned. When Murshid switched sides and teamed up with Jayant Rao, Namdev’s entire plan crumbled. He lost the political game to his opposition at the end.
Mahesh
Mahesh worked for Farid. He ended up playing both Salim and Junaid by taking the money and belongings after killing the Taliban, just as Farid had instructed him to do. He thought he had everything under control, but clearly not. When Murshid’s men abducted Mahesh’s mentally challenged son and threatened to kill him, Mahesh’s entire world flipped upside down. He wasn’t afraid for himself—his only concern was for his son. With no other choice, Mahesh had to help Murshid, as he feared that if he didn’t, his son would be the one to pay the price. Desperate to protect his son, Mahesh helped rescue Junaid and returned him safely to Murshid. He even handed over the money and belongings he had taken. But deep down, Mahesh knew his fate. He had double-crossed too many people, and in the end, it caught up with him. The Taliban eventually killed him, something Mahesh knew was inevitable from the start. He couldn’t escape the consequences of his actions.
