Lin returns to the city from the outer villages to see Karla and her friends. He proudly tells the group about treating patients in the village and being able to provide them with care they would otherwise go without. One of the friend group, Kavita, is a journalist. She takes an interest in Lin’s story. Back in the village, the residents contribute some of their food rations to Lin in thanks for his care and treatment. Abdul’s henchman delivers a shiny new motorbike to Lin in front of the whole village. Prabhu looks nervous as Lin takes Ravi on a test ride.
Meanwhile, Karla is at a fancy party with Abdel Khader Khan, her gangster friend. The two of them speak with the government minister Karla attempted to bribe in the previous episode, with Khader warning of the perils of being a politician (should things not go his way, of course.) Later, Karla questions Khader about his plans for Lin. She worries he will get hurt in his black market medicine dealings – and so do I.
Lin hangs out with his new henchman “brother” Abdullah and expresses his frustration at not being able to work out Karla’s intentions for their relationship. “A mystery tied in a riddle wrapped in an enigma,” is how Lin describes her, and he’s right. But while Karla definitely has feelings for Lin, she’s trying to keep him at arm’s length to protect him from getting caught up in her business dealings. I hope Lin realizes this before it’s too late.
The same group of men who attacked Lin and Abdullah stroll into the café. Lin tries to smooth things over, but the group of attackers are not having it – and Rafiq, their leader, tells Lin to leave Bombay before something happens to him. Rafiq says Lin chose a side – the wrong one. We knew dealing with Khader would place a target on Lin’s back, but I don’t think Lin thought it would happen this fast.
Back in the village, one of Lin’s friends refers to Abdullah as “Karla’s man” – not Khader’s, which I find very interesting. A known leader in the village, he gives Lin some cash for supplies, telling him it’s important the village pays their own way. The man seemed quite nervous to see Lin get given the motorbike and is clearly worried that Lin has fallen in with the wrong people – and that the villagers may become collateral if something goes wrong.
Khader shows Karla a school for orphans that he provides funds for. I’m not sure why he’s trying to convince Karla he’s a good guy, when she clearly knows him very well and knows about his shady business dealings. Karla feels like she’s in over her head. The two have a father/daughter relationship, and I hope one isn’t forced to betray the other in future… but I have a feeling Karla will be forced to choose between Khader and Lin.
Kavita tracks down Lin in the village, excited to do a story on him – much to Lin’s dismay. He panics, telling her there’s no story and destroying the film in her camera. She questions why he doesn’t want his story told and he apologizes for the camera film but she storms off. This has probably put a bigger target on Lin’s back now that Kavita will be curious what he has to hide… and sure enough, she goes to the hotel Lin first stayed at and locates his information and (fake) passport number. Uh oh.
Prabhu and Lin have a catch up, and Lin confesses he feels guilty about accepting the villagers money for supplies as he didn’t have to pay for the first batch – Khader did. Prabhu tells him this is very bad, but he cannot give the villagers money back as they will be offended. I love that these two are best friends, they provide comedic moments but also look out for each other. In a funny highlight, Prabhu encourages Lin to go out and get laid.
Instead, Lin goes to see Khader to insist he will pay him back. Khader is gracious, and understands Lin wants to abide by the village rules. He tells Lin he will still help him when needed, while Abdullah does not understand why the villagers are too proud to accept the help. After settling part of the debt, Lin then goes to visit Karla. She questions if him coming to visit her will “make one of the slum girls jealous” as she doesn’t understand why else he would live in the village, if not for a woman. “It’s such an arrogance to love someone, and to expect it in return,” a beautiful line from Karla as she and Lin question the good things in the world. Power, Karla says, is the opposite of love. I don’t think she’s going to be able to have both.
Lin confesses his past to Karla – the heroin addiction, the bank robbery, the death of the cop. The prison escape, fleeing to Bombay. He’s entrusting her with a lot, as we know her friend Kavita is desperate to know the truth about Lin. In return, Karla tells Lin about her childhood and complicated relationship with her father. It explains why Karla is hesitant to trust new people. I feel for her. In one of the final scenes of this episode, the passport office calls Kavita back to let her know the real Lindsay Ford has been dead for six years, and that Lin’s passport is a fake. The target on Lin’s back just got a whole lot larger.
