Wild Dog 2021

On 13 February 2010, a devastating bomb explodes at John’s Bakery in Pune, taking many innocent lives and setting off a high-stakes investigation. Two weeks later, the Ministry of Home Affairs hands the case to the National Investigation Agency, and its top officer Vijay Varma, Nagarjuna Akkineni, is recalled by his senior ally, the DGP Hemanth, Atul Kulkarni. As the clock ticks, Vijay and his team piece together the puzzle through a combination of forensic clues and careful testimony. They flag a CCTV clip showing a man entering the bakery with a bag and leaving without it, and a survivor’s account helps them draft a sketch of the culprit. The investigation also ties back to a two-week-old incident at the Andhra–Tamil Nadu border, where two cops were killed inside a truck, and a tip about 50 kilograms of RDX being moved across a border checkpoint adds urgency to the case. Through the evolving picture, the connection to a man named Mirza Baig surfaces, and the pursuit of Khalid—the architect of the bakery bombing—begins to take shape. Malhottra Shivam brings Mirza Baig to life on screen, while the suspect Khalid is portrayed by Bilal Hossein as the principal antagonist.

The trail intensifies as Vijay orders a close look at Khalid and dispatches Ali Reza, Ali Reza, undercover into a prison, hoping to pull more threads from Khalid’s networks. The operation is guided by Dayanand Reddy, Dayanand Reddy, who plays Mohd. Peerbhoy, and points them toward a library named Darul-ul-Islam in Darbhanga, Bihar, where Ali’s contacts hint at crucial leads. Vijay’s team discovers that Khalid is a member of the Indian Mujahideen, and the investigation widens to target Khalid’s associates, including an accomplice named Khatil who is tracked down in Bihar while visiting his ailing son. Through these breakthroughs, the police secure several suspects and deepen their understanding of the broader network encircling the plot.

As the case expands, a librarian named Asadullah guides Ali toward a key contact in Mumbai. Khalid communicates with Ali by phone while watching his every move, and Vijay comes within reach of a takedown in Mumbai. However, a move by the Mumbai ATS, spurred by a tip from Bihar, foils the seize. Frustration runs high; Vijay is suspended after a heated confrontation with a police officer, yet he refuses to walk away, continuing to work unofficially. A new lead emerges when Arya, a Nepal-based contact, helps Vijay locate Khalid in Nepal, prompting a bold, covert plan that he daves as “Operation Wild Dog.” Saiyami Kher portrays Arya, whose information becomes pivotal to the operation.

The Nepal chapter brings a brutal confrontation: a rendezvous point is ambushed by armed men, and the team fights back with Arya lending crucial aid. Suspicion falls on Hemanth, who appears to have been the only one fully aware of the mission’s details, casting doubt on his loyalties. In Kathmandu, Nepal, inspector Laxman, K.C. Shankar, reveals that the attackers were tied to Bomzan, a don who had ordered the hit and who is ultimately killed in the skirmish. Bomzan’s revelation points the investigation toward Abdullah, a Member of Parliament with ISI connections, and demands a hard choice from Vijay and his team.

Vijay and his squad press on, and a tense shootout near the border finally culminates in Khalid’s capture after a daring sequence that involves disguises and a staged “VIP operation.” The plan hinges on an ambulance crossing the border with Khalid contained inside, while two teammates pose as Indian Embassy officials. The ruse succeeds, and Khalid’s life is saved long enough for Vijay to complete a dramatic defibrillation-based maneuver that confirms his capture. In a climactic twist, Vijay reveals that there was a traitor within the agency: Vinod, Anish Kuruvilla, had been aiding with the operation. With Khalid in custody, Vijay hands him over to Hemanth, and the team salutes the tricolor in a hard-won moment of closure and resilience.