Dev 2004

Two lifelong friends, Dev Pratap Singh, a duty-bound Joint Commissioner of Police, and Tejinder Khosla, the balancing force between political interests of Chief Minister Bhandarker and the rule of law, navigate a city where power and justice constantly clash. Each man holds firm to his own ideals: Dev champions strict adherence to the law, while Tejinder weighs political realities against public safety, trying to maintain order without sacrificing integrity. Their bond sits at the heart of a turbulent urban landscape where every decision ripples through communities, politics, and the streets.

Farhaan is a fresh law graduate raised on ideals of non-violence and patriotism. A peace demonstration turns brutal when his father dies, and Dev’s actions—even if unintended—leave Farhaan wounded in more ways than one. That single moment seeds a corrosive anger inside him, steering his future away from the quiet pursuit of justice and toward a path marked by rage and catastrophe. The city’s fragile peace tilts as Farhaan’s sense of purpose becomes hijacked by a harsher, more violent resolve.

Taking advantage of Farhaan’s vulnerabilities, Latif, a corrupt politician, steers him toward violence. He supplies training, guidance, and the means to wield a gun, transforming a hopeful young man into a dangerous instrument whose loyalty is to political power rather than the people he once sought to protect. This manipulation exposes how swiftly a principled upbringing can be bent by cynical ambition, and how easily fear can masquerade as righteous action when violence becomes a shortcut to “order.”

Aaliya enters Farhaan’s life as a beacon of light—beautiful, sincere, and brave enough to challenge the darkness around them. She embodies innocence and courage, standing up for truth even as she, too, is drawn into the extraordinary circumstances spiraling around Farhaan. Her presence offers a counterpoint to the violence, reminding him of a future that might still be saved by integrity and love.

On a train bound for Bombay from Surat, a police inspector interrogates Farhaan about his purpose in the city and any potential links to Pakistan. He explains he’s going to live with his father and has no such connections. As he probes deeper, he discovers that the Mumbai Police are targeting Muslims under the banner of counter-terrorism, resulting in killings that shock him into questioning the system. He learns that Dev Pratap Singh is involved in this ruthless campaign, a revelation that fuels his inner conflict and pushes him toward a pivotal choice about whom he will trust.

Farhaan’s sense of betrayal gives way to a grim realism as he joins Latif in the fight he’s been drafted into. He undergoes further indoctrination in weapon-handling and is prepared for operations that blur the line between justice and vengeance. Yet when the moment comes to act, he cannot bring himself to kill Dev—who escapes, rattled but alive—revealing the fragility of the line between heralded authority and failed governance.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Bhandarker presses a ruthless campaign to root out perceived terrorists, stacking the deck in favor of swift, brutal measures and sidelining due process. The violence intensifies as Farhaan’s life intertwines with a riotous climate that destabilizes both Hindu and Muslim communities. In the chaos, Latif plots and coordinates a wave of attacks against Hindu targets, while his ally Mangal Rao—a right-wing figure who rises to organize the riots—stirs sectarian fury and fanatical crowds. The city becomes a tinderbox where every act of retaliation feeds another round of violence.

When a package Farhaan delivers explodes near a Hindu temple, the resulting carnage devastates neighborhoods and ignites widespread riots. Hundreds lose their lives as authorities are instructed to stand by rather than intervene, deepening the fracture between communities. Latif mobilizes his men to strike at Hindus and Hindu establishments, escalating fear and mistrust throughout the region. To end the bloodshed, Latif and Mangal Rao agree to a fragile truce on one condition: no Muslim male, female, or child may file an FIR in any police station. This chilling stipulation locks the community in silence and exposes the darkest side of political bargains.

In the fallout, Farhaan realizes he has been a pawn in Latif’s larger game. With his faith in the manipulators shattered, he makes a decisive pivot, choosing to place his trust in Dev Pratap Singh and to become an informer. The choice marks a turn toward accountability, even as the city’s wounds run deep and the futures of many—friends, lovers, and strangers alike—hang in a delicate balance between justice and vengeance.