“Mandala Murders” (Netflix, 2025) is a gripping crime thriller that weaves together ancient rituals, mysticism, and fantasy. The story opens with the enigmatic Aayastis—a secretive group bound by a long-standing vendetta and the possession of a powerful, mystical artifact. Their thirst for vengeance unleashes a chain of events that stretches across decades, linking past traumas to present-day horrors.
When Vikram, a resolute police officer, returns to his hometown, he’s drawn into a web of personal grief and an eerie murder investigation. As he searches for answers about his missing mother, he stumbles upon a series of ritualistic killings marked by a strange, recurring symbol—one that defies logic and points toward something far more sinister.
Simultaneously, Rea, a brilliant yet haunted CBI officer, is assigned to the Charandaspur case. Carrying the weight of her own past, she dives headfirst into a town steeped in secrets and shadowed by powerful forces. Her investigation exposes ties to high-ranking figures and a covert organization operating beyond the reach of law.
Blending the structure of a police procedural with eerie supernatural elements, Mandala Murders explores themes of karma, destiny, and the cosmic consequences of human actions. Each revelation deepens the mystery, inviting viewers into a world where mythology and reality collide. With its haunting atmosphere and intricate storytelling, the series is a must-watch for anyone who craves a thriller layered with symbolic depth and mythic resonance.
This article contains spoilers.
Mandala Murders (Netflix TV Series 2025) Episode 1, “Chapter 1” Recap:
The episode starts in 1952 in Charandaspur town. The group called Aayastis has been waiting for this day for almost 14 years. The group has created a yantra (device) which can modify certain energies that exist in the universe. In a room, there are two bodies, and a blood transfusion process is ongoing. There is a blue mani (gem) which is placed on the chest of one person. This process, along with the power of this unique device, the Aayastis hope to get revenge on the society that has been unjust to them.
The one in charge of this spiritual/traditional/cultish group is Rukmini. Outside, the villagers think this group is filled with witches, and they need to be eradicated from the face of the earth. They try to barge into the room just as the process of transferring energy takes place. Unfortunately, the villagers enter the room before the process is complete, so Rukmini has to take the device and flee. However, one of the Aayastis brings a jar filled with a liquid. With the villagers inside, the woman drops the jar, creating an explosion.
How does Anhishek’s death help Ananya?
At present, Vikram, a cop, heads home to Charandaspur from Delhi. At the railway station, Vikram spots press photographer Abhishek embracing a woman, which reminds him of his comatose fiancée, Kavita. Inside the train, Abhishek befriends Viswanath (Vikram’s father). While chatting, Vikram notices Abhishek’s thumb is severed. Upon arrival in Charandaspur, Vikram and his father return to their old home, stirring childhood memories. Earlier, a young Vikram took his brother Pawan on a moped, which led to a severe accident. Since then, Pawan has been critically ill.
Later, police return Vasuda’s (Vikram’s mother) purse to Viswanath, stating only the purse was found, implying Vasuda is missing. Meanwhile, Abhishek uncovers a political scam and is assigned to photograph Sujay and Vijay with a minister. However, after taking implicating photos, Abhishek is spotted and flees from the goons.
The next day, Vikram meets his childhood friend and cop, Promod (Phantom), by the river. There, Viswanath takes a dip and emerges screaming after discovering Abhishek’s torso-less body, bearing a strange symbol on the forehead. Notably, this same symbol was found in Vasuda’s purse as a coin. Earlier, on the day Vasuda vanished, she took Urmila (Vikram’s aunt) and Pawan to Varuna Forest, believing it held a cure. The next day, police discovered Pawan’s body near the forest and Vasuda’s purse.
Whose help did Vasuda take to cure Pawan?
The dark side of Ananya’s story is that her husband is bedridden and blames her for his condition. Meanwhile, the media falsely accuses Sujay and Vijay of murder, but privately, the brothers confess to their mother that they could not find Abhishek and did not kill him. At the same time, Vikram discovers that key files have been deleted from Abhishek’s laptop—an act orchestrated by Ananya. Soon after, Vikram arrives at Abhishek’s wife’s house, where Ananya is already present, while Sujay and Vijay’s men cause chaos outside.
Turns out Ananya is Kavita’s sister. Following this, Ananya devises a plan and has the police arrest Sujay and Vijay, but manipulates their naïve brother Bunty by claiming his brothers will be killed. Predictably, Bunty panics and kills a police officer, prompting a CBI probe. Consequently, Ananya uses images from the incident to blackmail the Chief Minister and gain a political seat.
Simultaneously, in the CBI office, Rea researches the Charandaspur case. Although Rea is promoted due to the Defence Secretary’s request, she struggles with hallucinations of a girl, which hinders her fieldwork. Nevertheless, Rea remains determined to pursue the case. Meanwhile, Vikram uncovers that Abhishek, also known as Babloo, is Urmila’s son.
Therefore, Vikram and Promod visit Urmila’s house, discover bloodstains, and deduce that Abhishek was murdered there and dumped in a river. Finally, a 20-year flashback reveals Vasuda’s sacrifice to cure Pawan. For the cure to happen, Vasuda places her thumb in the Aayastis’s device. After the thumb is cut, an Aayastis says that the cure is done. The episode ends with Abhishek’s torso placed on a table.
Mandala Murders (Netflix TV Series 2025) Episode 2, “Chapter 2” Recap:
The episode opens with a 7-year-old flashback. At the time, Sujay and Vijay hide near the Nepal border. One day, Vijay steps out of hiding when Pratap’s men spot him. Consequently, Pratap orders his men to kill the brothers. Meanwhile, their mother, Leela, learns about the threat and seeks help from a mysterious woman who gives her a coin to make a wish. So, Leela visits the Varuna forest and, like Vasuda years ago, sacrifices her thumb.
Suddenly, a swarm of bees attacks the goons, sparing Sujay and Vijay, as Leela wished for their enemies’ destruction. Simultaneously, Pratap chokes to death at home. In the present, Rea gets her wish granted—field duty—and is sent to Charandaspur. There, Rea begins working with local police, including Promod. Elsewhere, Vikram, pretending to be from an insurance company, meets Abhishek’s wife and learns that Urmila is alive but mentally unstable. Fortunately, Abhishek’s wife gives Vikram Urmila’s location.
Meanwhile, Leela seeks another wish, but the mysterious woman’s assistant disapproves. Still, the woman insists Leela’s fate is sealed. While Vijay mocks the wish-granting method, he suggests killing Ananya instead. Next, Rea discovers that someone erased files from Abhishek’s computer, likely Ananya. The following day, Rea joins Ananya on a drive and confronts her about a call to Abhishek from her home. Although Ananya claims they only hired him for campaign photos, the driver veers off course.
Alarmingly, the driver reveals that Vijay blackmailed him. Suddenly, Vijay and his goons attack. Though Rea and Ananya fight back, Rea hallucinates about seeing a girl, giving the goon time to knock Ananya out. Eventually, Sujay and Vijay use Leela’s method and send Birju to make the wish. However, a strange smoke paralyzes them, and a dark entity kills the brothers but spares Birju after seeing a severed thumb. Finally, Vikram hears the commotion, rescues Rea, and finds a fiery ring around the brothers with a mysterious symbol—possibly Aayastis.
Mandala Murders (Netflix TV Series 2025) Episode 3, “Chapter 3” Recap:
The episode opens with Shastri, an astrologer, sensing an ominous presence, death’s shadow, in his house. Meanwhile, the cops investigate a crime scene in Varuna forest, where Vikram enters a cave where torches do not work. Inside, Vikram finds a human cutout with a gem-shaped hole in the chest. After Sujay and Vijay’s deaths, Ananya has gained public sympathy.
In the makeshift office, Rea questions Birju, Ananya, and Vikram. Now, Birju shares everything except his wish in the forest and hides the fact that he saw the killer’s face. Meanwhile, Ananya claims she fled in shock with her driver, Bunke, and later called the police. However, only Bunke reached the station, while Ananya says she went to a nursing home due to BP issues. Still, Rea suspects Ananya delayed informing the police to benefit from Rea’s death.
Who is the mentor that is to be sacrificed?
Later, Vikram reveals his missing mother and the symbol connecting the deaths of Abhishek, Vijay, and Sujay. So, Vikram offers Rea a choice—work with him or lose a key ally. Now, Shastri arrives, and Rea lets Vikram join the conversation. Then, Shastri shares that his friend Jimmy Khan predicted a mentor’s death and that Shastri saw death’s shadow at home. Additionally, Shastri is a shadow-worshipper and parapsychologist who followed the shadows to the Varuna forest. Also, Shastri reveals that the murder weapon is an ancient sword. By then, Kalindi takes Shastri away, saying their son Amrit needs to eat.
Next, Vikram visits Jimmy’s house during a power cut and gets kicked out after questioning him about the murders. Later, Rea learns from a barber that Amrit died years ago. Later, Rea confronts Birju, learns that his son Awdesh has returned, and blackmails him. Consequently, Birju confesses that the killer used an ancient sword and moved swiftly. Furthermore, Birju reveals he had wished for his son’s return in the forest.
Elsewhere, Ananya and Vikram spy on her husband and discover his secret coup colluding with the other party members. The plan is to come to light at the last minute and take the election seat. Taking Ananya’s help, Vikram brings power back to Jimmy’s house. Now Jimmy shares that his grandfather fought the Aayastis. Additionally, Jimmy reveals the Aayast mandala holds eight symbols, three of which he has deciphered. That night, Shastri says he knows Rea sees a little girl. Suddenly, Shastri chokes and falls, and Rea finds Kalindi’s head chopped off.
Mandala Murders (Netflix TV Series 2025) Episode 4, “Chapter 4” Recap:
The episode opens with a flashback to before Kavita went into a coma. At that time, Kavita and Vikram were dating—she is a journalist, and he is a cop. Meanwhile, a murdered journalist had sent Vikram a hard drive exposing DDK Pvt. Ltd.’s multi-million-dollar scam. Therefore, Kavita wants to break the story, but Vikram tries to stop her, fearing for her safety. Soon after, Vikram heads out, and two goons attack him. Alarmed by the gunshots, Kavita rushes out and is struck by a rod, landing her in a coma.
Currently, Vikram talks to comatose Kavita, and the nurse notes her heartbeat spikes that day. At the crime scene, the police find a numbing tablet used on victims. So, Vikram secretly takes the evidence to investigate further. Then, Vikram explains the Ayast mandala to Rea. Inside Kalindi’s cupboard, they find eight symbols from the mandala. Shockingly, Kalindi poisoned Shastri, causing his death. Also, the Aayasti machine is discovered to be ancient. Accordingly, Rea gets Jimmy to decode the symbols. Later, Vikram asks Promod to trace the tablet’s origin.
Meanwhile, Jimmy cracks one symbol—it depicts a princess’s face. Since Ananya’s maternal family has royal roots, Vikram warns her to stay alert. So, Ananya invites him to join her on her village campaign. Elsewhere, Rea learns Abhishek was a womanizer; one affair led to a cop vowing revenge. Interestingly, that cop later died in a crash, and Abhishek returned missing a thumb—alongside the coin. Additionally, photos reveal Kalindi outside a pharmacy. Consequently, Promod visits the pharmacy late at night.
During this, Vikram stays with Ananya and kisses her, but regrets it. Suddenly, Bunty attacks Ananya; Vikram saves her. Simultaneously, Rea sees a female killer take a woman’s face. Rea tries to fight the killer, but Promod’s body falls, and the killer escapes. Finally, Vikram wails, and in the last scene, a jar with a face is kept beside a torso.
Mandala Murders (Netflix TV Series 2025) Episode 5, “Chapter 5” Recap:
The episode opens with a flashback when a servant asks for his son to be saved from a genetic illness that runs in his family, which kills all the males. While a doctor cures the servant, the old man asks the doctor to care for his son after he dies. This doctor is none other than the mute and deaf lady who was working for the mysterious woman giving out the coins.
At present, the lady meets the grown-up son and tells him that he is going to die next. However, there is a way to save himself. Elsewhere, Rea learns that the princess died from a head injury and was killed six hours before the face was taken. The person has a steel rod attached to the ankle as well. Later, Rea meets Vikram and tells her story. Two years ago, the cops got a tip about Punjab’s most wanted criminal hiding in Delhi.
How does Vyankat escape death?
Once they reach there, there is a little girl, and this is the girl Rea could not save, who still haunts Rea. In Ananya’s house, her husband Jairaj gropes the nurse after she gives him an injection, when Ananya suddenly enters. Now, Jairaj is arrogant as he is sure he is going to win the election, pushing Ananya aside. However, the injection the nurse gave has paralysed Jairaj’s legs.
Furthermore, Ananya uses Jairaj’s men to ensure he will not be able to talk again. At the station, Rea’s boss takes Rea to a press conference. The journalists worry about the CBI’s incompetence. Just then, Ananya arrives asking for answers. Near the pharmacy, a janitor tells Vikram that Leela used to visit often, and a deaf and mute woman, Mythili, also works there.
Now, Vikram beats up Bunty to reveal Leela’s location. Once there, Leela reveals that Kalindi used to hand out coins. Once Leela sees an image in Kalindi’s house, she takes it. It is an image of the Vitruvian Man. Meanwhile, the cops search Vynakat’s (the servant’s son whom Mythili raised) house. Vyankat is also Ananya’s right-hand man. Later, Vikram brings Jimmy and Rea to the cave, and each symbol attaches around the man, revealing it to be a Vitruvian Man.
There is a box with a girl’s photo in Vyankat’s belongings. There is also a chain, and it is the same as the one Kavita gave Vikram. One of the pictures is also of Kavita. Just then, Malik (cop) informs Rea that the princess’s face is that of Kavita. In a flashback, we see Kavita befriending Vyankat when they were kids. In a house somewhere, Vyankat hides, and the killer arrives. So, Vyankat asks the killer to kill Anwesh, as he is also the son of a servant, and his father, Birju, asked for a miracle. In the final scene, we see the sword filled with blood.
Mandala Murders (Netflix TV Series 2025) Episode 6, “Chapter 6” Recap:
The episode opens in a flashback, 25 years ago. At this time, Jimmy is in Ladakh and has not spoken to his family in a month. When Jimmy calls his son Zulfi, he learns that his wife died days ago. So, Jimmy’s wife’s sister takes Zulfi away. In 2022, Shastri brings Noor (Zulfi’s daughter) to Jimmy, urging him to be a better grandfather. This is the same girl Vikram met when he first visited Jimmy. Meanwhile, Vyankat is saved, and Awdesh is killed. Now, Jimmy deciphers the next symbol— a child’s heart.
In the morgue, Vikram cries beside Kavita’s body when Ananya arrives. Apparently, Ananya had unknowingly signed Kavita’s hospital release papers, which Vyankat orchestrated. Suddenly, Ananya gets a call— her son Ritwik is kidnapped. So, Rea forms a task force to find him. After that, Vyankat breaks into his own house and takes something with him. Soon, Vikram arrives and notices many of Kavita’s belongings there.
Then, he finds a flyer for a house and heads there. At the house, Vyankat drinks and watches Kavita’s footage. Eventually, Vikram arrives and brutally beats Vyankat. Vyankat confesses that he loved Kavita and worked for her father. After buying the house, he thought he could propose, but Vyankat discovered Kavita was dating Vikram. So, Vyankat tricked the landlord, installed CCTV, and uncovered the scam. When Vyankat told the company owner, they sent goons to kill Vikram, but Kavita went into a coma.
Meanwhile, a cop finds a missing ambulance but is struck by a dart. Consequently, Rea arrives, but Pradyut declares he is taking over the case. Still, Rea enters the ambulance, tricks the motion-censored darts, and rescues Ritwik. Finally, Jimmy learns from a book that his grandfather once asked Ayastis for a wish to save Jimmy’s dying brother. So, the cycle continued— Zulfi wished, and now Noor must die. Even though Jimmy reaches Noor, he cannot save her due to a numbing tablet.
Mandala Murders (Netflix TV Series 2025) Episode 7, “Chapter 7” Recap:
The episode opens with Jimmy waking up in the hospital, asking to meet Rea. Unfortunately, Noor is killed. Now, Jimmy shows Rea the book he has been reading, written by Robert McCauley. There is a picture of a couple in the book, and the woman looks exactly like Rea, but her name is Nandini. The episode moves to a flashback. One day, Nandini (particle physicist) and her husband Anant arrive at the Varuna forest, as the government has been permitted to build a nuclear power plant exactly where the Aayastis are.
The people in charge, Robert and Giasuddin (Jimmy’s grandfather), warn the couple about Aayastis and propose to build the power plant on a different site. Still, Anant insists they go to the location even in the middle of the night. When they arrive, Giasuddin insists that Nandini speak with Aayastis. Inside, Nandini sees the Vitruvian Man with the blue gem.
How is Rea connected to the Aayastis?
Nandini meets Rukmini, who says they worship Yast and he has chosen this place. Furthermore, Yast chooses his devotees. The worshippers mostly comprise women. Suddenly, Anant emerges and promises Rukmini that they will build another site for their worship. However, Rukmini warns Anant that if they break the place, then no one can control what will happen next. That night, Nandini tries to convince Anant to look at the other site, but he disagrees. Later, the site is torn down.
Anant asks Nandini to head back to the guest house. A while later, Rukmini visits Nandini and shows her the Yast Grant. In that Grant, it is written that the one who destroys their place of worship will help in creating one. This is done through a device. The prediction is true as Nandini works on a device that is shown in the book. The next criterion is that the woman becomes pregnant, and Nandini is pregnant; however, no one, including Anant, knows of this.
The third is that the woman will be a widow. There is a knock on the door, and someone informs Nandini that Anant met with an accident and is dead. A year later, a baby girl is born, and Nandini creates the device that can breathe life into the dead. Thus began the sacrifices to bring Yast to life. One day, Yast was coming to life, and Rukmini revealed that the whole of Charandaspur would pay a price for what they did. This makes Nandini nervous. So, Nandini unplugs some wires, infuriating Rukmini, who stabs Nandini in the neck. By then, Giasuddin is at the door. Now, Nandini wakes up, burns the body, and falls dead. The police officer investigating adopts Nandini’s child. Rea says the child that was adopted was Rea’s mother.
Mandala Murders (Netflix TV Series 2025) Episode 8, “Chapter 8” Recap:
The episode opens with a flashback when Kalindi brings two girls in front of the Vitruvian Man. This is a test to become a killer. The killer is Moksha, who survives standing on a heated iron. The test continues as Moksha tolerates being bitten even by a scorpion. This is the last leg of creating the Yast. At home, Viswanath insists they leave the town immediately, but Vikram is hell-bent on finding his mother.
In an argument, Vishwanath blames Vikram for losing his wife and Pawan. When Viswanath leaves, Moksha arrives and kidnaps Vikram. Immediately, Rea and Ananya are called. Unfortunately, Pradyuth is unwilling to help Rea, but Ananya sends two local police officers to help Rea. There is a poster to find Mythili, and an auto driver remembers dropping Mythili at Varuna forest. Now, Pradyuth and the team rush to the Varuna forest.
Mandala Murders (Netflix TV Series 2025) Ending Explained:
Meanwhile, Rea checks the CCTV footage and alerts all check-posts about a truck. The truck is inside the Varuna forest. Rea heads there as well. There is an underground bunker, and as soon as Rea enters, the local cops lock her inside. Pradyuth’s team finds an image of Rukmini, and they head to Jimmy to figure out who Rukmini is. In the passageway, Moksha takes Vikram inside a room, closing a shutter so Rea cannot enter.
There are some loose wires. Using that, Rea tries to open the shutter door, but the electricity knocks Rea down. In the hospital, Jimmy says Rukmini is Ananya’s grandmother. The current leader of the cult is Ananya. In the room, Vikram is shocked to see Ananya. Ananya says Vikram will never understand the reasons she has to do this. It is also a huge responsibility on Ananya’s shoulders. The last leg is to bring the blood of the miracle son. Since Vikram has survived death, he is eligible for this.
However, Ananya asks Vasuda to come out. Unfortunately, Vasuda is unable to recognise Vikram. In a flashback, we see Rukmini let Vasuda live and stay with the cult until her wish is granted. Before Vasuda’s wish was granted, Pawan had died. Now, Vasuda gives Vikram an injection. The group then starts the transfusion. In the passage, Rea wakes up from Nandini’s words of stopping the Yast from being created. When Rea enters, she fights Moksha. Before the completion, the Yast does not accept Vikram’s blood as Vasuda’s unfulfilled desire has come true, and Vikram is saved.
Annoyed, Ananya is about to kill Vasuda, but Rea locks Moksha in a chain and stops Ananya. It is payback time as Rea uses the knife to kill Ananya just the way Rukmini killed Nandini. The outer part of the mandala represents the victims, the Yast in the middle, and the people who joined in forming the inner core. Now, Vikram found Vasuda, but it has come with a price. Until now, whatever Rea has learnt about these rituals, devices, and the cult is not enough. In the last scene, we see Moksha in the prison cell. A cop is killed, and someone stands in front of Moksha. The device also gets activated.
The killer is revealed to be Moksha, but the true power behind the cult lies with the Bharadwaj family. Even by the end, the purpose of creating a Yast remains shrouded in mystery. All we can infer is that the world, as it stands, is deemed irredeemable—and to set it right, a Yast must be created to annihilate the existing order and pave the way for a new one.
Vikram’s fate remains uncertain. Though Vasuda’s boon was granted, the cosmic rule demands balance—every gift comes at a cost. The cycle might have ended with Ananya’s death, but in a chilling twist, someone intervenes and rescues Moksha from prison, hinting that the ritual may begin anew. If a second season unfolds, Moksha could rise as the new leader, perpetuating the process with renewed zeal. Rea, relentless and wounded, is unlikely to rest until she uncovers the full truth behind the cult and its origins.
The series subtly embeds spiritual, religious, and cosmic themes throughout. Karma plays a pivotal role—Rea killing Ananya mirrors Rukmini’s killing of Nandini, revealing a pattern of cyclical retribution. The idea that everything is interconnected becomes increasingly clear: every action invites a consequence, every boon demands a sacrifice. There’s also the unsettling suggestion that the victims are carefully chosen and manipulated into seeking those very boons, sealing their fates. If there’s a continuation, we hope it dives deeper into the Aayastis—their origin, their philosophy, and the existential question at the heart of it all: Is the creation of a Yast an act of justice, or a misguided attempt at salvation?
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