Shantaram – Season 1 Episode 10 “Dig Two Graves” Recap & Review

Dig Two Graves

The days leading up to the escape are what come first in Dig Two Graves, title for Shantaram episode 10. Nightingale’s sleazy tactics to trick the inmates into thinking that he is a snitch work when Barnes beats Lin up. He barely survives the stabbing incident after he struck Barnes back and that is when Lin decided he needed to escape to save his life. His hand was indeed forced and he did not go back on his decision to confess in court.

In the present day, a vengeful Raheem manically chases after Lin and Didier by extension. He thinks they stole his money after Maurizio’s lie. But thankfully, the bonds that Lin forged with a pure heart helped him. Prabhu, in his newly acquired taxi, helps them escape. Lin is devastated by his circumstance and feels he lost an opportunity – a second chance – at life. Lin learns the truth from Didier and he informs Abdullah of his situation. The proclaimed brother comes running to his help and the two concoct a plan to free Lin of this suspicion.

Prabhu once again proves to be helpful when he tries to strike a deal between Raheem and Lin to sort out things. Karla’s conscience has forced her to come out with things about the deal of Sagar Wada. She discusses her options with Lisa, whom she asks to help with evidence about Rujul and Walid (a throwback to episode 1 when Lisa visited Zhou’s place). Lisa agrees conditionally – as long as she can escape the city before the news breaks. The plan goes accordingly as Lisa and Kavita meet and the former tells the journalist an altered version of things.

Lisa beseeched Karla to escape with Modena and her. Karla falls into a deep conflict about what to do next. Lisa frames Walid for Rujul, thus also saving Khader’s reputation and name. Karla pretends to be working for Khader’s rival and even gives Kavita the stuff she recorded in the last episode showing Sunita and Pandey together. She has Sunita on her back and Kavita seems convinced for now. Prabhu, Lin, and Abdullah plan an ambush at Raheem’s place, and Lin gets confirmation about Maurizio setting him up. He tells him that he has nothing to do with his business.

The drug dealer drops his concerns once Abdullah threatens him with Khader’s name. Lin finally gets his hands on Maurizio after Raheem agrees to deliver him. Lin being Lin decides to trudge off on his own but finds a bloody mess after Maurizio escapes killing all of Raheem’s men. Lin panics and leaves the place, as he is in enough trouble already.

The “Eagle” lands in Bombay chasing his elusive prisoner. Kavita is surprisingly protective of Lin and ousts Nightingale from his office, saying that the fugitive escaped once he learned of her intentions. It is essentially a trade-off between Karla and Kavita, wherein she gets a story about Walid and lets Lin off the hook. Nishant agrees with the choice and the two excitedly structure their story.

Things are about to get tense in The Palace after Mayritizo is caught. Karla is given the money she asked for by Khader, while also expressing her wish to get new passports for Lisa and Modena. As the bird sings about their betrayal, Karla walks in and Maurizio figures out that she was the one who gave him up. Karla does not care about it right now as she hands over the money to Sunita. Their deal was seen through till the end. She can now go start a new life and Karla gets Pandey off the hook too, now having a puppet in the ministry to hand over Sagar Wada to Khader bhai.

Zhou reminds Karla of her new knowledge before she leaves the place. Lin strikes a deal with Lisa at Karla’s place: a trade-off involving Maurizio and Lisa and Modena’s passports, which Lin found at Raheem’s place. Didier is involved too in the deal and along with Lisa, temps Maurizio back for the promise of delivering his stolen money back. Sunita is now with Kavita to testify, as promised, but Lisa is gone from her place.

Just as she’s leaving, Karla is told by Zhou to remember that their secrets now bind them. When Abdullah and Karla exit The Palace’s property, Zhou follows them. Around this time, Lin goes over to Karla’s place and finds Lisa there. He asks her about her involvement in the whole Maurizio-Raheem business, and she reveals all she knows. Lin tells her that if she gets Maurizio for him, he’ll give her passport back and Modena’s. Lisa reluctantly agrees.

Didier gets involved as a middleman to contact Maurizio, and the latter calls Lisa at Karla’s place. She arranges a meeting between her, Modena, and Maurizio at her place, where Modena will return his money back to him in exchange for their passports and some cash. Maurizio agrees. Karla takes Sunita to Kavita, as promised. When she arrives at her place after dark, she is shocked to find Lisa gone.

An even bigger shock awaits Lin. He pins down the vengeful Maurizio when he comes to Karla’s place with a gun. But he clears up Lin’s misunderstanding by speaking the truth about Karla and Khader. Lin is heartbroken when he realizes he has been used and none of it is real for him. The people and trust he thought he had won over at this time were all a fluke. Things start piling up for Lin as Nightingale is still in the city, unconvinced about Kavita’s revelations. He believes Lin is still there but gets no help from the local police there, facing a herculean task to find his whereabouts all on his own.

Karla is caught in her lie by Lin, who hands over the passports and confronts her. She knew all along that it would come to this someday when Lin would discover his estranged and unwitting participation in Khader’s plan to win over Sagar Wada. She tries to talk him out of leaving the city, even telling him that Kavita is taken care of. But the man is not convinced. He does not believe a word Karla says from now on and vows to leave the city and never see her again.

The Episode Review

Lin has got to be the most tortured soul in recent television history. There is nothing that can go right for him. The man just cannot catch a break! When it seemed like he had a genuine connection with Karla and finally found someone who accepted him for his truth. That illusion was taken away from him with a shocking revelation. Despite being in the best position, strategically, Lin would trade this for “love” any day.

There are many stereotypes that Shantaram started budging on after episode 6. This latest episode continues the trend of strong moves in the plot along with tender moments of vulnerability by characters on-screen. We have now reached an advanced stage of storytelling which feels like a tipping point for most of them, especially Lin.

Hunnam has truly done a remarkable job of getting his teeth into Lin’s skin and lending his charisma to a character who has none. Whatever happens next will make episodes 8, 9, and 10 seem like the show’s high points or some extremely well-conceived build-up to an excellent finale.