The Netflix series Aranyak follows the story of two police officers who become entangled in a perplexing case, revealing multiple hidden truths and a complex network of deceit.

Summary

In the fictional town of Sironah, Kasturi Dogra, a female cop, plans to take a year-long sabbatical to care for her family. Her temporary replacement, Angad Mallik, clashes with her due to their different approaches to policing. When a foreign tourist reports her daughter missing, the investigation leads to the discovery of her daughter's dead body with claw marks on her neck. Kasturi's father-in-law suspects the work of a local half-man, half-leopard myth called 'Nartendua.' Kasturi resumes her role and teams up with Angad to investigate. They suspect Kanti Dhumal, son of the local minister, but the evidence does not point towards him. Sundar Raja, Julie's boyfriend, becomes a prime suspect but is murdered in court, adding more questions to the investigation. As they dig deeper, more suspects arise, including Julie herself and a scholar named Gagan. The local guide, Bunty Rawat, eventually confesses but fails to convince Kasturi and Angad of his guilt. To complicate things, Angad spots the kidnapper and potential murderer of his son, Omi Chawla, in Sironah. The two cops must find all the answers to the many questions that arise. A full breakdown is available for anyone with doubts about the final episode.

A comprehensive explanation of the ending of Aranyak:

The fight back

Omi seeks protection from Manhas, and Nutan reaches out to Bunty after his name is cleared. The police call in Govind Agarwal, the local cafe owner, due to evidence of him leaving with a rope on the night of the murder. He explains that he is hunting down the 'Nartendua' to avenge his lover, who was killed by it 19 years ago. Chottu, a goon working for Manhas, tries to abduct Nutan to blackmail Kasturi, but Hari and Bunty intervene. It is revealed that Gagan raped Aimee after she was drugged by Kanti. Chottu confesses that Manhas instructed him to kill Aimee to prevent Gagan from being jailed, as he planned to use this information to convince Jagadamba to approve a resort in Sironah.

Who is the real Nartendua?

After doing some investigation, Mahadev discovers that Jagadamba's servant Nandan is an ex-convict who moved to Sironah and was responsible for the murders 19 years ago, making him the real 'Nartendua.' They warn Jagadamba, but it's revealed that she ordered Nandan to take care of Aimee after Chottu murdered her and framed Kanti. However, she was unaware that Nandan was the 'Nartendua.' Nandan confesses that he killed the women because he was in love with Jagadamba and was jealous of her husband. He used the myth to his advantage, making people believe that the cause was supernatural. He also killed Sundar to prevent him from mentioning Kanti's name in court. Jagadamba tries to flee, but Nandan catches her and takes her to the jungle before the police arrive. Kasturi and Mahadev confront Nandan, and Kasturi finds Jagadamba badly injured. Mahadev and Govind manage to subdue Nandan and hang him from a rope while Mahadev calls for backup.

Is Maroot alive?

While the others confront the Nartendua, Angad engages in a gunfight with Omi. Kasturi arrives to assist him and uses her rifle shooting skills to wound Omi, but Angad gets injured in the process. Despite his injuries, Angad manages to reach Omi and implores him to reveal what happened to his son, Maroot. Omi reveals that Maroot is alive but then shoots Angad, leaving Kasturi devastated. Angad lies on the ground, wounded.

It is later revealed that Maroot has become a drug dealer with the code name "Rabbit," and he stabs a client in the eye without hesitation when they refuse to pay. The fates of Jagadamba, Nandan, and Angad hang in the balance as the mysterious mushrooms, which were referenced throughout the series, are briefly shown.

Aranyak concludes with a reflection in the water of the real Nartendua, confirming its existence. This folklore is real and will presumably be explored in the second season.