Shantaram – Season 1 Episode 5 “The Sin in the Crime” Recap & Review

The Sin in the Crime

Like old times, Lin, Diedre, and Karla sit together in Reynaldo’s. This time around, Maurizio, Sebastian, and Lisa sit on their own separately. Kavita sits among them too and is really impressed by what Lin is doing for the people of Sagardwada.

Lisa is charmed by Sebastian when he stands up for her against the manager, who calls her a whore. She later goes to Karla’s table, exchanges greetings with Lin, and then the group leaves. Back home, she kisses Sebastian and now believes that he meant it when he said he loved her. Lin accepts to himself that he is gradually forgetting he is a fugitive on the run. He must get control over himself and stay under the radar.

The people of Sagarwada shower Lin with gifts and rations for his unselfish help to them. Kavita mentions to Nishant her desire to do a story on Lin and expose the medical community in the region which is more inclined to make money than fulfilling its ethical obligations. Nishant accepts and also asks out Kavita for dinner. She responds positively. Khaderbhai and Karla meet Minister Pandey at an event. They once again try to sway him to change camps but Walid is on hand to once again sound out a warning. In other news, Abdullah gets Lin a Royal Enfield Bullet, the same bike he drives, as a gesture of appreciation.

While most of the people in the community are struck by its beauty and power, Qasim and Prabhu are wary of associating with Kaderbhai. Lin takes out Ravi for a ride on his bike. He is still trying hard to win over his confidence but is failing to do so. Kaderbhai and Karla discuss the theme of the episode – the sin in the crime rather than the other way around. The former loves Karla like a daughter but does not expect anything in return. He even offers her to walk away any minute from all this without him getting sour about the decision.

Kaderbhai shows how he avoids doing nefarious and morally corrupt trades and invests in people. He funds various schools for orphaned kids in hopes of someday getting something back from them. It is quite truly a serene conversation between the two, showing how well the makers have tried to extract the core essence of the novel. Lin tries to make up with Rafiq, explaining that he a neutral in Walid and Khaderbhai’s fight but Rafiq rejects his advances and instead spits on his hands. He also warns Lin of dire consequences if he stays in Mumbai.

When Lin comes back to Sagarwada, Qasim gives him an envelope of money. He reminds Lin that the people owe nothing to anyone, including Lin and Kaderbhai. It is a polite reminder for Lin to clear up the air with Kaderbhai and tell him that the people of Sagarwada are their own and do not need anyone’s patronage. Lin understands and knows what he has to do. Lin panics when he sees Kavita clicking his pictures and expressing her interest in doing a story about him and how he has helped the people of Sagarwada without any self-interest. Quite frenetically, he snatches the camera away from her hands and throws away the roll. She walks away disgusted and Lin breathes a sigh of relief, albeit temporarily.

Later that night, Lin has to share the hut with Prabhu as Parvati is in his hut to take care of a female patient. Lin and Prabhu continue their friendship and the latter reminds Lin not to choose anyone’s side over Sagardwada. He asks Lin to use the money Qasim gave to him to pay off Kaderbhai and sever ties with him. The people need him but will not accept him if he does not do this. Lin goes to Kaderbhai that night and politely does the job. Kaderbhai accepts his plea and knows that Lin has to do this to continue on his mission. Someday perhaps, this seed will also bear him great fruits.

Kavita is on Lin’s case and bribes the bookkeeper at the hotel Lin previously stayed in to get his information. She copes his passport number on a diary. Lin goes to Karla and the two share the night together. Karla explains why she is distant and does not believe in love. Her father abandoned her and did not reciprocate the love that Karla had for him. Since that episode, she has been reluctant to have any emotional dependence on anyone and mostly kept to herself. Lin understands and shares his own secret of the robbery with her.

He says he needs a friend in Karla, even if they do not get involved romantically. They do share a passionate kiss but Karla stops him. Kavita called the New Zealand Embassy in India to enquire about Lins’ validity. She discovers that the passport belongs to a dead man and Lin is lying about his identity.

The Episode Review

The most convoluted element that could have disrupted Lin’s fairy tale story has been introduced in this episode. Kavita now knows about his identity and is another step closer to sending him back. Karla and Lin definitely have a strong bond and it is unlikely that she will add to the misery. There was a certain kind of balancing of interests in this episode.

The strength of the people of Sagarwada was showcased when Qasim essentially threatened Lin to break off ties with KLaderbhai.

Speaking of which,  his character truly is a sage with immense wisdom. He certainly seems to be a character like Don Corleone, who is good at heart but a gangster nonetheless. It makes it difficult for viewers to choose whether or not to root for such characters. Shantaram has certainly started to pick up the pace and now the real tests of friends and enemies for Lin start. We’re excited to see if he passes or not.