Meet Cyanide Mohan, who inspired Vijay Varma's character in 'Dahaad'

Vijay Varma's character in the recently released Dahaad, of a psychopath killer who mercilessly kills over 20 women and shows no remorse, is enough to send shivers down one's spine. While the credit goes to Varma's acting that makes us instantly loathe and abhor him, what's scarier is the true story of the Karnataka-based serial killer who inspired the Reema Kagti directorial.

In Dahaad, Varma played the role of Anand Swaranakar, a Hindi teacher who preys on vulnerable women, persuades them to elope, impregnates them, and feeds them contraceptive pills laced with cyanide. In a few hours, these women are found dead in public washrooms. Swaranakar's modus operandi is the same as that of Mohan Kumar, who reportedly killed over 20 women with this method.

Both Kumar and Swaranakar befriended women who weren't highly educated and hence, unsuspicious. They were usually in their 20s and were battling marriage pressure, but the lack of dowry translated into no proposals. Both the reel and real killers would urge them to run away with jewelry or cash to "start a new life." Kumar, too, was a teacher, though he taught Physical Education.

The makers haven't attributed the entire story to the crimes of Cyanide Mohan, but the similarities are too discernible to be ignorantly brushed off. That being said, there are also some differences between the two. While Kumar operated from Karnataka, Swaranakar stayed in Rajasthan. Moreover, Swaranakar's access to cyanide is explained through his family's gold business, while Kumar allegedly pretended to be a goldsmith.

Per DNA, "Kumar is serving life imprisonment at the Hindalga Central Prison in Belagavi after being convicted and sentenced to death in four murder cases and life imprisonment in 15 similar cases." "In 2020, he was found guilty of raping and murdering a 25-year-old woman from Kasaragod, which was the last of the 20 cases of murder registered against him."