In the previous episode of Breathe: Into the Shadows we saw Gayatri’s and Siya’s escape plan fail. This episode starts with the kidnapper bringing the girls back to the hideout. However, he does nothing to punish them except give Gayatri a furious stare. The next morning, a man picks up the paper frog and reads the girls’ call for help. Will Avi and Abha come one step closer to finding Siya in this episode of Breathe: Into the Shadows?

Avi tells Abha that Angad has a mundane routine- work, home and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings. Angad was in jail for 7 years where he was raped every single day after the lights went out at night. After being released, Angad was a broken man and resorted to drugs for 3 years. This distanced him from his friends and family. Finally, he overcame his drug addiction with the help of NA, did a diploma in pharmacy and opened a chemist shop which he now runs. Avi learned all of this by sitting through the open meetings of NA where people share their stories of overcoming drug addiction and rebuilding their lives. Avi says that Angad has been through a lot and he doesn’t deserve this.

Back to the scene from the previous episode where Shirley and J are in a shady hotel room. They talk and we learn that Shirley has a younger brother, Alan, who is in a boarding school. This reminds J of his own memories at his boarding school.

The crime branch gets hold of the paper frog and the DCP calls Avi and Abha. Meanwhile, Zeba tries to handle the media as they ask questions about the murders. She takes this up with the DCP who asks Kabir for a solution to handle the media. Kabir suggests that they should get an order from the court that no video should be aired by any media channel without the permission of the crime branch. Avi and Abha come in, prepared to act surprised. The DCP shows them the letter which has a drawing on the other side. Avi testifies that the drawing is made by Siya. The drawing shows the kidnapper as the ‘bad uncle’ and Siya and Gayatri standing at the side.

Kabir analyses the drawing and notices that one leg of the kidnapper is shorter than the other which means that the kidnapper is a limper. Kabir feels that Siya’s kidnapper and the ‘Ravana murderer’ are the same people. However, Prakash adds that it is a child’s drawing and can’t be trusted.

Avi is at the NA, attending another open session to learn more about Angad’s life. Avi meets Meghna there. Kabir also comes in and asks Avi’s reason for being there. Avi tells them that he is attending some open sessions to evaluate them because one of his patients wants to take a de-addiction program at the NA. Avi leaves shortly. Meghna apologises to Kabir for lashing out at him in the last call.

Now that going to NA is not safe, Avi feels that he should directly go up to Angad.

We’re taken back to Avi’s college days. He is sick and his roommate, Himanshu, goes to the staff room to bring medicines for him. While Himanshu is inside the staff room, a scared Angad enters and finds the answer sheets of the final year exams. He doesn’t see Himanshu and spills petrol on the answer sheets, lighting them on fire. In his panic, he spills the petrol in the whole room and leaves. Himanshu comes out after taking the medicines from the inner room of the staff room to find that the room is on fire. The door is locked and only has a small netted window. Himanshu shouts for help and many hostel boys gather outside the door. Looking at the commotion in the hostel, Avi goes to see what is happening. He sees Himanshu through the netted window and at that moment Himanshu chokes and dies in front of Avi. Again, this makes J come out. The next day, police arrest Angad.

In the present day, Avi goes to Angad’s chemist shop to buy medicines. Staging it as a chance meeting, he pretends to recognise Angad and introduces himself. Angad remembers him. They both get talking but there is a certain awkwardness between them because of the incident that happened in college. Avi says that he should move on. As they talk, Avi figures out that Angad’s trauma has made him afraid of darkness. After they part, Avi spends the night outside Angad’s building. Angad doesn’t switch off the lights of his flat all night. This confirms Avi’s hunch.

While making pasta, Gayatri gets an idea. She mixes vinegar, i.e., weak acetic acid with bleach. This portion can make one’s throat irritable.

The next day at the breakfast table, Avi and Abha talk about the next murder. Avi is sick of murdering innocent people.

In the next scene, Avi stealthily enters Angad’s flat while he is at his shop.

Elsewhere, Zeba reaches the office of the politician whose birthday posters caused a scuffle between Kabir and the party workers. Zeba injures the party worker who Kabir had hit. Will she put the blame of this injury on Kabir in the upcoming episodes?

Angad’s meeting with Avi triggers traumatic memories of college. He grows impatient and anxious. His desire for drugs comes back and he takes out a cough syrup from his shop. To not relapse, he calls Meghna and tells him about his situation. Meghna tells him to leave the cough syrup and go home. She will come to visit him. Meghna is with Kabir at this moment and they both head for Angad’s house.

Angad reaches his flat and freshens up when suddenly the lights go out. There is complete darkness which makes Angad panic. Avi has also blackened the flat’s windows. In the darkness, Avi overpowers Angad and ties his hands and legs to his bed. Avi has a camera fitted in his headgear to record the killing. He deliberately limps for the video and gives Angad an injection. Angad struggles and dies. This is extremely disturbing to watch. Avi sighs in despair. He quickly uploads the video on social media through Angad’s account. Kabir and Meghna reach Angad’s building. while Kabir helps an old lady with her groceries, Meghna enters the flat only to find a man coming out. She asks him about Angad but he runs away without answering. This is Avi. Meghna goes inside and finds Angad’s dead body. She shouts and calls Kabir. She tells him that she saw a man get out of the flat. Kabir goes after the man but is unable to find him. Meghna then shows Kabir the video posted on Angad’s social media account. Kabir spots footprints on the floor and calls Prakash to get the forensic team. Meghna also tells Kabir that the man didn’t have a limp.

For the crime branch, the case of the murderers gets more mysterious. Will Kabir get hold of any substantial evidence in the next episode of Breathe: Into the Shadows?

Episode Rating: 3.5/5