Summary
Charlie Hunnam seems to be entirely wasted in this lackluster and clichéd affair. The second installment seems to drag even more than the first, with a lack of drama and too many two-dimensional characters.
This recap of the Apple TV+ series Shantaram season 1, episode 2, “Down and Out,” contains spoilers.
The first episode of Shantaram introduced viewers to the dangerous and dizzying delights of Bombay as our leading man Lin Ford (played by Charlie Hunnam), attempted to escape his troubled past in Australia and start afresh in India. It didn’t take long for Lin to find himself caught up in more criminal activity though. The premiere ended with Lin being badly beaten and mugged for getting involved with the wrong people. “Down and Out” continues Lin’s story, with the fugitive desperate to replace his stolen money and missing passport before the authorities send him back to jail.
Shantaram season 1, episode 2 recap
A flashback reveals who Lin was covering for and just how he managed to hop on a plane and make it to Bombay in the first place. Fellow criminal Charlie supplied him with a fake ID and a wad of notes as a thank you for his silence. Lin admits that he regrets working with the corrupt individual. Charlie asks if Lin is going to India to find himself and he replies by stating that he hopes to go to Asia to lose himself instead.
We cut back to the present, Lin is resting on the cobbled street after his beating, with blood dripping from an open wound on his forehead. A policeman helps him up and guides Lin back to his hotel, where Prabhu awaits. The city guide strongly suggests that Lin pays this officer off with a bribe, but Lin is completely broke after the mugging. Prabhu says that having no money and no passport is a rather big problem and the two must escape via the window, fleeing to the slums.
In Prabhu’s makeshift shack they discuss plans for the following day. Prabhu can sort Lin out with a passport at the Embassy, but Lin insists that they steer clear of the authorities. The new friends share a bottle of whisky and slowly drift off after the night’s chaos. Lin has awful dreams, where he is chased and wakes in the poverty stricken neighborhood. He leaves the slums in search of Karla, who is to blame for his fraught situation.
Meanwhile, Karla and Lisa discuss the trade deal that went down in the Palace brothel the previous night. Minister Rujul went behind Karla’s back and formulated a new business deal with Walid Shah, whilst in the midst of an orgy. Now Lisa feels just as used as Lin did, it seems like they were both just pawns in Karla’s scheme. Lin tells Karla of his mugging, believing Madame Zhou was involved. Karla states that this is not her problem and subsequently leaves. She meets with her business associate Khader Khan to inform him of the Minister’s betrayal. Khader then brutally stabs Minister Rujul to death for this deceit.
Lisa and Lin are left alone together in the apartment. Lisa hastily makes her move and brazenly flirts with the fugitive. He turns her down and manages to persuade her not to partake in anymore drugs as well. The showrunners are desperate for us to see Lin as a kind-hearted individual, who just happens to be caught up in all this corruption. He talks of his own problems with addiction and supports Lisa as she goes cold turkey.
The ending
Lin asks Didier for help getting an illegal passport, but the man isn’t interested. Then Lin seeks out pimps Maurizio and Modena, blaming them for his current predicament. Again, these criminals are less than helpful and Lin nearly gets into a fight, stirring up fuss in the neutral zone. Lin even calls up Charlie, asking for him to send over some funds, but Charlie thinks he is square with Lin now and doesn’t owe him anything more. Lin’s only option is to work with Prabhu to make a little pocket money, but Karla saves the day and gifts Lin with a grand for his troubles, organizing a new passport for the fugitive too.
In the end, Prabhu and Lin part ways, saying their final goodbyes. Lin continues his aimless journey and exits the slums. On his way out though, a man with a knife attacks him and Lin has to defend himself once again. In the fight, Lin accidentally starts a fire and sets some of the shacks ablaze. He quickly departs, resolved to stay out of trouble this time and keep to himself. But something deep inside causes him to turn back. He can’t help himself, he has to be the hero and right every wrong.
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