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Tarkieb (2000) movie poster

Plot Summary

Tarkieb (2000) Plot Summary Explained

Release, runtime and language
2000 · More mins · English
Starring
Tabu, Ashutosh Rana, Aditya Pancholi, Nana Patekar, Akhilendra Mishra, Milind Soman

A CID inspector tries to crack the murder case of a young woman.

On this page (4)
  1. 1 What happens: full plot
  2. 2 Plot questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

Full plot summary · contains spoilers

What Happens in Tarkieb: Full Plot Summary

The whole story of Tarkieb (2000) explained, from the opening scene to the final frame: every key event, every twist and what it all adds up to. Read it as a quick recap before the sequel, to check a scene you missed, or to finally understand what really happened.

A routine day by the creek turns into a chilling mystery when a washer girl discovers a severed hand and soon the pieces mount into a full-discovery of a corpse. The scene shifts from a simple cleaning task to a grim puzzle as the washer women nearby gather, call in the authorities, and watch as the investigation begins to piece together what happened to a young woman whose body parts are found scattered. The early detectives identify that the body is that of a young woman, but the head remains missing, complicating efforts to confirm her identity and trace her last movements. A standard check with missing persons yields no matches, leaving the case dangling in uncertainty and driving the investigation into a deeper, more methodical phase.

Insufficient evidence and a series of troubling developments push the case toward a new direction. Inspector Pyare Mohan, who initially handles the inquiry, receives a threatening phone call that advises him to close the file. The ominous message introduces a sense of peril and suggests that someone is watching the investigation closely, eager to see the case pushed aside rather than solved. The threat casts a long shadow over the official effort and foreshadows the peril the investigators will encounter as they pursue the truth.

Eventually, additional evidence emerges that pushes the case beyond the jurisdiction of the local police and into the hands of a higher investigative authority. CBI Officer Jasraj Patel, along with his capable assistant Gangaram, is brought in to review the evidence, reexamine the scene, and reframe the questions that must be answered. As they delve into the mystery, they confirm that the victim is Roshni Choubey, a young woman who grew up in a poor family with four unmarried sisters. This detail about Roshni’s background helps illuminate the social pressures and precarious relationships she navigated, providing context for the men in her life who might have had motive or opportunity.

The investigation reveals that Roshni was associated with several men at the Army Hospital, including Dr. Kamal Dogra, Mohan Multani, Captain Ajit Verma, and Bishan Nanda. Each man has potential motive or connection, and the investigators carefully weigh these ties against the escalating threat to Roshni’s life. The question that drives the inquiry becomes central: who killed Roshni and why? The team follows multiple leads, taking the case through a maze of personal histories, professional permissions, and the shadows cast by love, desire, and power. As Patel interrogates people who knew Roshni, the danger intensifies, and the risk to him personally grows with every step he takes deeper into the case.

Patel’s persistence is marked by a willingness to place himself in harm’s way in the pursuit of the truth. He presses beyond the obvious suspects, aware that the killer may be hiding in plain sight among the circle of men who knew Roshni’s life, or perhaps in a more elusive place than anyone anticipated. The tension builds as the killer targets those who press too hard or who embarrass the failure to uncover the truth, turning threats into real peril as the investigation progresses. This mounting risk underscores the stakes of solving the case and the commitment required of those who work to bring the truth to light.

In a pivotal turn, the inquiry reaches a realization that the most straightforward culprits—the men who had relationships with Roshni—may not be the actual killer. The strands of evidence and motive are carefully reevaluated, forcing the investigators to reconsider assumptions and to look for a more concealed, but compelling, explanation behind the murder. The plot thickens as Patel inches closer to the unlikely truth, challenging the notion that passion alone explains the crime and pushing him to examine broader motives and hidden dynamics within Roshni’s world.

The climax delivers a shocking and decisive revelation: Bishan Nanda, driven by lust, is identified as Roshni’s killer. With this crucial insight, Jasraj Patel moves to arrest Bishan and bring him to justice, finally closing the loop on a case that began with a scattered body and a chilling threat against the investigators. The resolution emphasizes the triumph of careful investigation over hasty conclusions, and it underscores the persistent pursuit of justice in the face of danger and deception. The film culminates with the killer behind bars, and Patel’s relentless determination vindicated by the successful outcome of the investigation.

Last updated: January 28, 2026 at 12:45

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Plot questions answered

Tarkieb Plot Explained: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask most about Tarkieb (2000): what happens in the confusing scenes, why the characters do what they do, the twists, hidden details and what the ending means. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Who killed Roshni Choubey and what was the motive?

Bishan Nanda was identified as Roshni Choubey's killer. The investigation revealed that Bishan murdered her out of lust. This revelation came after CBI Officer Jasraj Patel carefully reexamined the evidence and questioned the initial assumption that the men Roshni was romantically involved with were responsible for her death.

  • bishan nanda
  • roshni chowbey
  • killer
  • motive
  • lust
  • murder
Q2

Why was Roshni's head missing from the body?

The summary does not explicitly explain why Roshni's head was missing from the dismembered body. The missing head initially complicated efforts to confirm her identity and delayed the investigation, as standard missing persons checks yielded no matches.

  • missing head
  • dismemberment
  • corpse
  • identity
Q2

Q3

Why did Inspector Pyare Mohan receive a threatening phone call?

After taking initial statements and beginning the investigation, Inspector Pyare Mohan received a cryptic phone call from an anonymous caller warning him to close the file. The threat suggested that someone was closely watching the investigation and wanted the case dropped, introducing an element of danger and intimidation into the probe.

  • threat
  • phone call
  • inspector pyare
  • mohan
  • intimidation
Q4

Why was the murder case transferred to CBI?

The case was transferred to CBI Officer Jasraj Patel after insufficient evidence and a series of troubling developments pushed the investigation beyond the local police's jurisdiction. New evidence emerged that warranted a higher-level investigation, leading to Patel and his assistant Gangaram taking over the case.

  • cbi
  • jasraj patel
  • police
  • investigation transfer
Q4

Q5

How was the victim identified as Roshni Choubey?

After CBI Officer Jasraj Patel and his assistant Gangaram took over the investigation, they re-examined the evidence and successfully identified the corpse as Roshni Choubey. Her identification provided a crucial focal point for establishing motive and understanding the social context of the case.

  • roshni chubey
  • identification
  • corpse
  • patel
Q6

What was Roshni Choubey's family background?

Roshni Choubey came from a poor family with four unmarried sisters. This detail about her precarious social position provided context for understanding the men in her life and how their motives might be weighed during the investigation.

  • roshni family
  • sisters
  • poor background
  • social context
Q6

Q7

Who were the suspects in Roshni's murder case?

Investigators learned that Roshni had connections with several men at the Army Hospital: Dr. Kamal Dogra, Mohan Multani, Captain Ajit Verma, and Bishan Nanda. Each man was examined for potential motives and alibis were checked, though the investigation later revealed the actual killer was not among those with romantic involvement.

  • suspects
  • army hospital
  • kamal dogra
  • mohan multani
  • ajit verma
  • bishan nanda
Q8

Q8

Why did Patel doubt that the initial suspects killed Roshni?

After extensive investigation and reevaluation of evidence and motives, Patel came to doubt that the murder was committed by any of the men Roshni was romantically involved with. He continued investigating, considering alternate explanations and searching for overlooked evidence, which ultimately led to the discovery that Bishan Nanda was the actual killer.

  • patel doubt
  • investigation
  • re-evaluation
  • alternate suspect
Q9

How did Jasraj Patel uncover Bishan Nanda as the killer?

Patel dug deeper despite escalating threats to his safety, pressing beyond the obvious suspects and reexamining assumptions. His persistence in pursuing solid evidence and willingness to place himself in harm's way led to the discovery that Bishan Nanda, driven by lust, was responsible for Roshni's murder.

  • patel investigation
  • bishan nanda
  • arrest
  • evidence
  • discovery
Q10

What happened to Bishan Nanda after being identified as the killer?

After Jasraj Patel uncovered that Bishan Nanda killed Roshni out of lust, he moved to arrest Bishan and bring him to justice. The film concludes with the killer behind bars, and Patel's relentless determination was vindicated by the successful resolution of the case.

  • bishan nanda
  • arrest
  • justice
  • prison
  • conviction
Q10

Q11

Who was making the anonymous threats against the investigators?

The summary does not explicitly identify who was behind the anonymous threats made against Inspector Pyare Mohan and later against Patel. The threats appeared designed to intimidate the investigators into dropping the case, suggesting someone with connections to the killer or powerful interests wanted the truth suppressed.

  • anonymous threats
  • caller
  • intimidation
  • cover-up
Q12

Q14

Q16

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Movie threads

More Movies Like Tarkieb, by Mood & Story

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

Methodical Murder Investigations like Tarkieb

Step-by-step detective work unravels a brutal crime under escalating threats. For viewers who enjoyed the step-by-step investigation in Tarkieb, this section features movies with a similar vibe. These are tense police procedurals where detectives methodically solve brutal crimes, often facing danger themselves.

  • suspenseful
  • tense
  • methodical
  • threatening
  • mysterious
  • dangerous
  • Tone: tense, threatening
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative follows a detective or investigator as they piece together evidence from a grisly crime. The plot unfolds steadily, with new revelations methodically raising the stakes, often involving anonymous threats that heighten the personal danger for the protagonist.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped by their shared focus on a systematic investigation, a tense and threatening atmosphere, and a steady pacing that builds suspense logically rather than relying on action or complex twists.

Tense Cat-and-Mouse Thrillers like Tarkieb

A relentless pursuer is hunted by a hidden, dangerous adversary. If you liked the dangerous pursuit in Tarkieb, explore these movies. They feature a similar cat-and-mouse dynamic where an investigator is targeted by a hidden killer, creating a tense and suspenseful viewing experience.

  • suspenseful
  • tense
  • dangerous
  • psychological
  • pursuit
  • threatening
  • Tone: tense, dangerous
  • Pacing: steady, building
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The story revolves around a central conflict where the line between hunter and prey blurs. The protagonist, often a detective or authority figure, is methodically challenged by an unseen foe who knows their moves, leading to a climactic confrontation.

Why they belong together: These films share a core structure of psychological warfare and strategic moves between two opposing forces. The similarity lies in the sustained tension, the methodical pacing of the threat, and the high-intensity feeling of being personally targeted.

Every angle

Tarkieb (2000) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Tarkieb 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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