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Mantra (2017) movie poster

Characters & Themes

Mantra (2017) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
2017 · 90 mins · Hindi
Directed by
Nicholas Kharkongor
Starring
Rohan Joshi, Adil Hussain, Kalki Koechlin, Rajat Kapoor, Shiv Panditt, Shantanu Bhamare

Set in 2004, during India’s ‘India Shining’ campaign, this film explores the impact of economic globalization on one family. It follows Kapil Kapoor, the founder of a popular snack brand from the era of the ‘License Raj,’ as he struggles to maintain his business against a powerful multinational corporation. As Kapil fights to save his company, his family also faces personal challenges, reflecting the broader societal shifts occurring in New India.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Characters explained (6)
  3. 3 Where & when it takes place
  4. 4 Themes & meaning (4)
  5. 5 Character & meaning questions
  6. 6 Movie threads
  7. 7 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Mantra (2017)

Where can you watch Mantra? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Plex, Amazon Video and Apple TV Store: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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6 main characters · contains spoilers

Mantra Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of Mantra (2017), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Mantra

    A woman who relocates to Hyderabad for a software job and has spent years in hostels after losing her parents. She feels pursued and finds herself in a house haunted by a deadly past. Her journey intersects with a family secret and a supernatural turn that binds her fate to Ramarao’s legacy.

    • 🧭 Mystery
    • 👻 Supernatural
  • Vijay

    Mantra’s ex-classmate who is now a police officer. He rekindles their connection and becomes a stabilizing force as the mystery deepens, supporting her through danger and emotional tension.

    • 🔎 Detective
    • 💖 Romance
  • Ramarao

    The elderly man who with his wife takes in Mantra as their daughter. His past actions and the family’s secrets drive the central mystery, and his spirit later exerts influence from beyond the grave.

    • 👪 Family
    • 🪦 Ghost
  • Ramarao's Wife

    The elderly woman who welcomes Mantra into the family and shares in the sorrow of losing the second daughter. She becomes a victim in the pursuit of wealth and security.

    • 👪 Family
    • 🪦 Ghost
  • Ramarao's Brother

    The antagonist whose greed leads him to murder Ramarao and his wife in order to seize wealth and the remaining daughter. His plans trigger the eventual karmic confrontation.

    • 🗡️ Rivalry
    • 💥 Betrayal
  • Man from Jharkhand

    played by Adil Hussain

    The taxi driver who approaches Mantra as an assistant sent by her employer. He facilitates her initial living arrangement as a paying guest.

    • 🚖 Driver
    • 🗝️ Deception

Last updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:29

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Setting

Where and When Does Mantra Take Place?

The setting of Mantra (2017): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Present day

The events unfold in the present-day Hyderabad, where a software job, a taxi ride, and a police officer friend anchor the narrative. Modern communication and urban life intersect with supernatural occurrences, grounding the story in a familiar, contemporary setting. The timeline emphasizes current social dynamics while exploring a timeless family secret.

Location

Hyderabad

Hyderabad serves as the contemporary backdrop of the story, a major IT hub in Telangana with a busy urban landscape. The plot centers around a paying guest home in the city where a friendly elderly couple lives, which becomes the site of eerie events. The city’s modern rhythm—tech workplaces, taxis, and daily routines—juxtaposes a haunting mystery that disrupts ordinary life.

  • 🏙️ Hyderabad
  • 🏡 Ghost-infested house
  • 🚕 Urban life

Last updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:29

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4 major themes

Mantra Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is Mantra (2017) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Haunting

    A ghostly presence inhabits the house Mantra stays in, turning a normal residence into a dangerous trap. The haunting is linked to a murder investigation and a buried family past. Characters confront unseen forces and the chilling history tied to the home.

  • Twins & Secrets

    The story reveals a hidden twin lineage: Mantra is connected to the elderly couple’s extended circle and raised as their daughter alongside a deceased sister. A letter and photographs uncover a long-standing family secret about inheritance and identity. The revelation reshapes how characters understand themselves and their ties to the house.

  • Love & Trust

    Mantra’s relationship with Vijay evolves from friendship to a deeper bond as danger arises. Their trust and cooperation help them navigate the supernatural peril and the unfolding mystery. The arc culminates in mutual support and a hopeful escape from the haunted setting.

  • Revenge & Justice

    The murder driven by greed—Ramarao’s brother killing Ramarao and his wife to claim the wealth—frames a story of vengeance. Ramarao’s soul ultimately acts through possession to pursue justice against his killer. The theme underscores the consequences of family conflict and the moral weight of retribution.

Last updated: October 03, 2025 at 14:29

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Character & theme questions

Mantra Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about Mantra (2017): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where is Mantra set?

The movie takes place in Hyderabad, a major IT hub in Telangana. Most of the story unfolds in a paying guest home where an elderly couple lives, which becomes haunted by a dark family secret. The modern urban landscape of tech workplaces and taxis contrasts with the supernatural events occurring in the house.

  • hyderabad setting
  • ghost house
  • haunted house location
  • paying guest home
Q2

Why does Mantra move to Hyderabad?

Mantra moves to Hyderabad for a software job. She has spent years living in hostels after losing her parents. Her relocation to the city leads her to the paying guest home where she becomes entangled in a supernatural mystery connected to a buried family past.

  • mantra character
  • software job
  • hyderabad
  • orphan
Q3

What is the family secret in Mantra?

The film reveals that Mantra is connected to the elderly couple's extended circle and was raised as their daughter alongside a deceased sister. A letter and photographs uncover a hidden twin lineage and long-standing family secret about inheritance and identity. This revelation reshapes how characters understand their ties to the haunted house.

  • family secret
  • twins
  • identity
  • inheritance
  • ramarao
Q4

What causes the haunting in Mantra?

A ghostly presence inhabits the house where Mantra stays, turning a normal residence into a dangerous trap. The haunting is linked to a murder investigation and a buried family past involving Ramarao's death. Characters confront unseen forces and the chilling history tied to the home.

  • haunting
  • ghost
  • supernatural
  • murder investigation
Q5

Why does Ramarao's brother kill him?

Ramarao's brother murders him and his wife to claim their wealth and the remaining daughter. Driven by greed, he eliminates his own family to seize inheritance. Ramarao's soul ultimately acts through possession to pursue justice against his killer, framing the story around vengeance and karmic consequences.

  • ramarao brother
  • murder
  • greed
  • revenge
  • justice
Q6

Who is Vijay in Mantra?

Vijay is Mantra's ex-classmate who has become a police officer in Hyderabad. He rekindles their connection and becomes a stabilizing force as the mystery deepens, supporting her through danger and emotional tension. Their relationship evolves from friendship to a deeper bond as they navigate the supernatural peril together.

  • vijay
  • police officer
  • mantra relationship
  • love trust
Q7

Who are the elderly couple in Mantra?

Ramarao and his wife are the elderly couple who take in Mantra as their daughter. They run a paying guest home in Hyderabad. Their past actions and the family's secrets drive the central mystery. Ramarao's wife becomes a victim in the pursuit of wealth and security by Ramarao's brother.

  • elderly couple
  • ramarao
  • paying guest home
  • family
Q8

What is Mantra's true identity?

Mantra is discovered to be connected to Ramarao's extended family, raised alongside a deceased twin sister. The revelation of her true identity comes through a letter and photographs that uncover long-standing family secrets about inheritance and lineage, fundamentally reframing her relationship to the haunted house and its tragic history.

  • mantra identity
  • true identity
  • twin sister
  • revelation
Q9

When does Mantra take place?

The events unfold in present-day Hyderabad. The timeline emphasizes current social dynamics with modern communication, tech jobs, and urban life intersecting with supernatural occurrences. The story grounds itself in familiar, contemporary settings while exploring a timeless family secret.

  • present day
  • timeline
  • hyderabad
  • modern era
Q10

What are the main themes in Mantra?

Mantra explores several interconnected themes: haunting and supernatural terror linked to a murder investigation; twins and hidden family secrets about identity and inheritance; love and trust developing between Mantra and Vijay; and revenge driven by greed, where murder leads to karmic confrontation and the pursuit of justice beyond death.

  • themes
  • revenge
  • justice
  • haunting
  • family secrets
  • love trust

Movie threads

More Movies Like Mantra, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Mantra tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Supernatural family thrillers like Mantra

Protective bonds are tested by ghosts and secrets from the past. If you liked Mantra's exploration of a family haunted by its past, you'll find similar stories here. This list features movies where supernatural events force characters to uncover dark family secrets, blending psychological tension with emotional drama in a claustrophobic setting.

  • supernatural
  • family secrets
  • psychological
  • unraveling past
  • protective
  • cathartic
  • Tone: tense, melancholic, protective
  • Pacing: steady, investigative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically begin with a sense of encroaching unease or a supernatural presence that seems personally targeted. The plot unfolds as an investigation, not just into the supernatural phenomenon, but into the family's own history, leading to a climactic revelation of a hidden tragedy—such as a death, betrayal, or crime—that fuels the haunting. The resolution often involves confronting this truth, leading to a cathartic but bittersweet release.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped together because they share a core premise where the supernatural is a metaphor for unresolved trauma. They blend the tension of a thriller with the heavy emotional weight of a family drama, creating a specific, claustrophobic vibe where the scares are deeply personal.

Slow burn tense thrillers like Mantra

A steady, oppressive tension that builds towards a devastating truth. For viewers who appreciated the steadily mounting tension and claustrophobic atmosphere of Mantra, this list highlights similar slow burn thrillers. These films build dread methodically, often within a confined setting, leading to a heavy emotional payoff and a revelation that recontextualizes everything.

  • slow burn
  • claustrophobic
  • tense
  • anxious
  • ominous
  • psychological thriller
  • Tone: tense, anxious, ominous
  • Pacing: steady, slow burn
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Stories in this thread unfold deliberately, establishing a baseline of normalcy that is slowly eroded by unsettling details and a growing sense of wrongness. The plot avoids major action set pieces in favor of psychological pressure and character-driven suspense. The climax is typically a revelation or confrontation that has been carefully foreshadowed, delivering a powerful emotional or psychological impact after the sustained build-up.

Why they belong together: These films are united by their shared approach to pacing and mood. They prioritize atmosphere and psychological tension over fast-paced action, creating a specific viewing experience for audiences who enjoy feeling a sense of dread that is earned through careful, steady storytelling.

Every angle

Mantra (2017) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Mantra in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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