The latest Shantaram episode 5 finds Lindsay Ford dealing with the newly found attention at Sagar Wada while preventing the consequences of his past. The latest instalment also explores his relationship with Karla, Khader Bhai and the honest people of the slum. For the unversed, the Apple Original is about an Australian fugitive ( played by Charlie Hunnam) who finds refuge in Bombay, during the eighties.
The cast of this episode includes the series regulars like Alexander Siddig as Abdel Khader Khan, Shubham Saraf as Prabhu, Luke Pasqualino as Maurizio, Elektra Kilbey as Lisa Carter, Alyy Khan as Qasim Ali, Matthew Joseph as Ravi, Sujaya Dasgupta as Kavita, Antonia Desplat as Karla, and Fayssal Bazzi as Abdullah Taheri. The total length of this episode is forty-eight minutes.
-Shantaram Episode 5 Review Does Not Contain Spoilers-
Shantaram episode 5 starts with Lin receiving the ration offering from the people of Sagarwada, as gratitude for his medical services. Lin initially declines the offerings, but ultimately accepts them later (kind of his trademark in the series now).
Moreover, the entire episode follows this heartfelt appreciation and acknowledgement of Linbaba’s effort in restoring the healthcare of the slum. But beyond any of these, only Lin knows the real reason behind his efforts. The former convict seeks a kind of redemption, that will lower his past regrets, if not permanently erase them. He is also aware that the people of Sagarwarda suffered because of him, and that he needs to repent for it.
However, trouble arises when Kavita (played by Sujaya Dasgupta) starts to transform the act of kindness into a journalistic story. She tries to photograph Lin in the middle of the slum, which makes him angry enough to destroy the unprocessed footage.
Also Read: Shantaram Episode 4 Review: Linbaba Finds his Place in Sagarwada
Lin confronts the fact that he is drawing too much attention for his own sake. And that the consequences of his act, might not be that far. Furthermore, Lin cannot take any more help from Khader Bhai and has to learn to survive by the rules of Sagar Wada.
The episode works as a setup break for the series. We get introduced to the ongoing conflict in Lin’s life and are also prepared for a major consequence. It is indeed a calm before the storm, but one that is less intriguing than the rest.
The series is nearly halfway through the season, and all the characters are already falling into place. At first, things might take time to pan out, but I am hopeful for an intriguing aftermath. Morever, there is a lot left to uncover about Lin’s relationship with Karla, which just gets more secretive in this episode.
Charlie Hunnam gets spot-on with the developing character arc of Lindsay Ford. The English actor is pitch-perfect in his portrayal and is successful in adding a layer of genuine curiosity to his role. It will be interesting to see how he redeems the philosophical convict in the rest of the episodes.
Shantaram Episode 5 Final Thoughts
The episode is at a standpoint between Lin’s conflict and consequences. Furthermore, there is a new theme of redemption, that has overtaken the element of choice. Eventually, as the series progresses further, we can expect more thrill, drama and philosophy to come our way.
You can stream the episode on Apple TV+. Let us know your thoughts about it in the comment section below.
Also Read: Shantaram Episode 1-3 Review: Charlie Hunnam Shines as the Philosophical Convict