It seems that Guru-ji's ultimate motive is to supply his allies and followers with weapons and arms (sold by Gaitonde) that could allow them to conquer the subcontinent after his planned nuclear blast took place. With Guru-ji's ambitions to bring about a massive apocalypse, we'll be sure to see his own underground Hindu organisation enter the fray - the Kalki Sena. Trivedi would then channel his funds into the true organisation behind it all… Guru-ji's Kalki Sena 'When it transpired that the Pakistanis wanted to contribute, the irony was by far one of the best rewards for all Trivedi's work over the years,” writes Chandra, explaining through a character how the group managed to even receive misguided funding from the Pakistani government - and specifically, a Pakistani agent named Shahid Khan. Named by Guru-ji's right-hand man Trivedi, the 'Hizbuddeen' allows him to not only deflect attention towards Pakistani state-sponsored terrorism but also channel further funds into Guru-ji's schemes. Guru-ji seems to be one of those characters with more pies than fingers - going so far as to create his very own fake Islamic fundamentalist group. This takes Gaitonde away from the smouldering, post-riot ruins of Bombay, and towards the shores of Southeast Asia - all under the watchful eye of Guru-ji.Īs Gaitonde dives further into the world of international organised crime, he begins to supply his Guru with more than just praise - sending over the components required to build a nuclear bomb. In the book, once Gaitonde is rescued from prison by Guru-ji (named Swami Shridhar Shukla in the novel), he's urged by the Godman and a RAW representative named Mr Kumar to leave India and manage his operations overseas, while providing information on anti-national elements and taking care of 'dirty work' for the organisation, in return for funds, logistics and most importantly, a chance for revenge against Gaitonde's bitter rival, Suleiman Isa. This device detects and measures radiation - all this evidence points towards a nuclear bomb going off in the city, an ethnic 'cleansing' of millions. The bunker Sartaj discovers at the end of the episode reveals gas masks, food, oxygen supply and most importantly, a Geiger counter. This one is pretty easy to spot, if you had a keen eye and watched the Season one finale, you'd have probably had a hunch that the 25-day countdown mentioned by Gaitonde leads to a nuclear bomb blast. If you're allergic to spoilers, please turn around and walk away, because I'm about to blow the lid off every major story arc we'll be seeing in the next season: Bombay Goes Nuclear, Gaitonde Goes Global Last season's cliffhanger ending tied their destinies across separate decades, as Sartaj discovers a hidden bunker under Gaitonde's hideout and Gaitonde is rescued from the brink of death by his teesra baap, the mysterious mastermind behind it all - Guru-ji, played by Pankaj Tripathi.Īnd so, unable to bear the wait any longer, I've combed through the book in an attempt to figure out just where all these intricately woven plot threads lead to. It's this version of Sartaj that we all know and have grown to love, as he finds himself spiralling into the sinkhole of Gaitonde's life, death and metaphorical resurrection.
Saif's version of the character on the show is younger, tougher and still adheres himself to a moral code - working in tandem with the actor's strengths. Sartaj Singh, the series' main protagonist played by Saif Ali Khan, was depicted as past his prime in the book and far more weathered down by Mumbai cop life - ready to indulge in bribery to keep himself going.
Rather, the series sticks true to director Anurag Kashyap's ability to highlight and draw the best characterisations possible from his actors, even if it means sending the script back to the drawing board. This isn't to say that Vikram's work is reproduced with one-hundred-per cent accuracy. While film adaptations of Indian novels aren't by any means a new trend (Chetan Bhagat, anyone?), they've rarely, if ever, been taken this seriously. It's been over thirteen years since Chandra introduced us to the character's nuanced, socially charged and deeply human perspective on Mumbai's underworld - ever since the novel was adapted into India's very first Netflix Original series, it's been heralded as the dawn of a new age for Indian cinema. 'Yes.'” - Ganesh Gaitonde, on Guru-jiĪcross Vikram Chandra's bestselling Sacred Games novel, you'll find twenty-four chapters, nine of which bear Ganesh Gaitonde's name. There was a tightness in my throat, and I blinked away the blurriness in my eyes. In the gentle flow of his voice, there was an irresistible power.