relates the epic journey of Lin, an escaped convict who flees to the underworld of contemporary Bombay. Entering a hidden society of beggars, gangsters, exiles, and holy men, Lin searches for love and meaning while running a clinic in one of the city s poorest slums and serving his apprenticeship in the dark arts of the Bombay mafia. The keys to unlock the mysteries that bind Lin are held by two people: his mentor Khader Khan, mafia godfather and criminal-philosopher, and the beautiful, elusive Karla, whose passions are driven by dangerous secrets.