Harishankar, the central figure in Officer on Duty (2025), is a man shaped by loss, vengeance, and a deep-seated distrust of the judicial system. Haunted by the tragic fate of his eldest daughter, Nila, he becomes consumed by his relentless pursuit of justice—a path where the line between right and wrong begins to blur.
As he takes on a ruthless gang guilty of blackmail, rape, and murder, his methods grow increasingly extreme, pushing him further into moral ambiguity. Though he ultimately triumphs over his enemies, his journey raises a crucial question: Is he a hero delivering justice or merely a man consumed by vengeance? This analysis explores Harishankar’s descent and the ethical dilemmas at the heart of his actions.
Spoilers Ahead
Officer on Duty (2025) Plot Summary and Movie Synopsis:
Is Harishankar Responsible for Chandrababu’s Daughter’s Death?
Harishankar is a complex guy. He is aggressive, often violent, and struggles with his anger issues. However, his skills as a cop are undeniable. In Chandrababu’s case, he quickly uncovers the truth; Chandrababu’s daughter was blackmailed into replacing the original gold chain with a fake one. But does this make him responsible for her tragic death? Harishankar solves the case, but his approach is far from gentle. He is known for his violent tendencies, evident when he kicks a woman to extract information. This pattern suggests that he prioritizes results over sensitivity. Yet, in this case, his actions do not directly push Chandrababu’s daughter toward suicide. He merely exposes the truth, doing his job as an investigator.
Chandrababu refuses to believe Harishankar, rejecting the idea that his daughter was being blackmailed. This denial prevents him from offering her the support she desperately needs. If he had acknowledged the situation, he might have saved her. His disbelief, combined with his daughter’s fear and shame, plays a significant role in her tragic decision. The blackmailer, who records and exploits the girl’s private moments, is the primary cause of her distress.
He manipulates her into theft, putting her in an impossible position. With no way out, she sees death as her only escape. Harishankar’s aggressive nature might have influenced how the information was revealed, but the primary responsibility lies with the blackmailer and Chandrababu’s refusal to accept reality.
What Happens on the Bus?
The conflict begins inside a bus when a group of drug-using criminals encounters Geeta and her elder daughter, Nila. Geeta objects to their behavior, leading to a heated confrontation. The situation escalates when Chandrababu, the bus conductor, steps in. His intervention brings the police into the scene, with Officer Joseph making the arrests.
However, Joseph’s actions go beyond lawful duty as he assaults Anna and Celine, two members of the gang. This mistreatment fuels the gang’s thirst for revenge. They set their sights on those who opposed them: Chandrababu, Geeta, Nila, and Joseph himself. This event marks the beginning of a cycle of violence and personal vendettas that will later entangle Harishankar as well.
What Happens to Harishankar’s Elder Daughter?
As Harishankar probes into the recent demise of Chandrababu’s daughter, he has a panic attack. This scene exposes his long-buried trauma; he has survived the same terror that Chandrababu is going through. Nila, Thomas’ daughter, was cheated by Shyam, a man who exploited young women. He played with her emotions and finally betrayed her by exposing their intimate moments to the world. The revelation shatters her, and the psychological distress results in her untimely demise. Harishankar’s agony goes even deeper since he avenged Nila personally by murdering Shyam at the police station. His fellow officer, Thomas, accepted the crime on his behalf, aware that he would have done the same since his daughter is also affected.
Harishankar has never come to terms with Nila’s death. During the panic attack, he is convinced that she lives, a psychological coping mechanism against his guilt and grief. This delusion has destroyed his marriage with Geeta, who has to carry the weight of an emotionally absent husband stuck in the past. Their younger daughter, Minu, also suffers, growing up in a home where unresolved trauma dominates all.
The incidents within the bus create a chain reaction of revenge, deceit, and betrayal. Although a man of action, his injuries of the past are never tended to. The tragic end for Nila is not only etched into his current life, but it wreaks havoc on the stability of his family life. His incapability to put the past behind him makes him a shattered human being; someone who continues battling wars long after they are fought.
How Do Shyam’s Friends Learn About Harishankar?
Shyam may be dead, but his crimes were not his alone. A group of like-minded criminals, Christie, Anna, Lance, and Celine, have been orchestrating a network of sexual assaults and blackmail. Their operations reveal a disturbing level of coordination, making them far more dangerous than Shyam ever was alone.
Now, with Shyam gone, their focus shifts to vengeance. They believe Thomas is the one who killed him, and they set out to eliminate him. To get close to Thomas, the group uses deception. Anna and Celine pretend to be friends of Thomas’s deceased daughter, gaining his and his wife’s trust. Once inside, they poison both Thomas and his wife, ensuring there are no loose ends.
Before succumbing to the poison, Thomas’s wife unexpectedly reveals the truth—Harishankar is the real killer of Shyam. This revelation is puzzling. Given that she is moments away from death, her confession serves no apparent purpose. Perhaps it is a final act of defiance, or maybe she believes they will spare her if she gives them new information. Regardless of her motive, the consequence is clear: Shyam’s allies now have a new target. The criminals now know Harishankar is responsible for Shyam’s death. With their revenge-driven mindset, they undoubtedly go after him. The cycle of violence continues, with Harishankar now in the crosshairs of a group far more organized and dangerous than one man ever was.
Officer on Duty (2025) Movie Ending Explained:
What Happens to the Remaining of Shyam’s Friends?
The final act of “Officer on Duty” is a showdown between Harishankar and Christie’s gang. They want revenge for Shyam’s death, fully believing in their own twisted sense of justice. This false sense of self-righteousness proves they are just reckless criminals. The gang goes to extreme lengths to break Harishankar. They kidnap his wife, Geeta, and their younger daughter, Minu. They also kill Chandrababu, adding to the growing list of their crimes. The action sequences are standard, but the outcome is inevitable – Harishankar overpowers them. However, despite having the gang within his reach, they manage to escape as more police officers arrive.
At first glance, it appears that the villains get away. But in a twist that is predictable yet satisfying, we later learn that Harishankar has secretly taken his revenge. He poisons Christie and the rest of the gang, ensuring that they can never harm anyone again. This act confirms that Harishankar is not a conventional hero. He operates outside the law, making decisions based on his personal sense of justice. He has already killed Shyam, and now, instead of relying on the legal system, he eliminates Shyam’s allies in a way that ensures no consequences for himself.
Harishankar’s actions stem from more than just revenge. His past trauma, particularly the loss of his elder daughter, Nila, fuels his need to take justice into his own hands. He has already experienced how the system fails victims, and he refuses to let it happen again. His extreme methods show that, despite being a cop, he believes that true justice can only be served outside the law.
Harishankar may have won, but his actions suggest he is far from at peace. By killing the gang, he ensures the safety of his family, but at the cost of his morality. The ending, where he celebrates Minu’s birthday, suggests a sense of closure. Yet, his decision to poison the gang hints that he remains trapped in his violent past. Ultimately, Harishankar does kill all of Shyam’s friends, proving that he is willing to cross any line to protect those he loves.
