Most outstanding Indian crime dramas on OTT

To many Indian filmmakers who are crime genre enthusiasts, the OTT sphere is a fertile ground where they can unleash their imagination in a way they couldn't in a feature film. Here, we look at the most outstanding crime dramas on streaming. (Curated by Sajin Shrijith)

Sacred Games (Season 1) (Netflix)

The sensational show from Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane broke boundaries (and raised eyebrows?) in the same way that, say, a 'Game of Thrones' did elsewhere. The very fact that it exists is a miracle, no?

Paatal Lok (Seasons 1 & 2) (Prime Video)

There is something so irresistible about the idea of a hard-boiled investigator fighting against all odds to solve a case, especially when written by storytellers unafraid to tell the most uncomfortable stories.

Delhi Crime: Season 1 (Netflix) | Poacher (Prime Video)

Two perfect examples of filmmaker Richie Mehta's directing prowess, both shows drew from real events to present complex, sensitive, and incredibly layered procedurals that hopped between multiple characters, strong performances, and locations.

Scam 1992 (SonyLiv)

Granted, the financial jargon may have gone over the heads of some, but the show, from Hansal Mehta, is, regardless, a compellingly crafted piece of work, bolstered by a riveting lead performance from Pratik Gandhi.

Black Warrant (Season 1) (Netflix)

Another true crime-based series, 'Black Warrant' is powered by Vikramaditya Motwane's superlative filmmaking, coupled with the memorable performances from Zahan Kapoor, Rahul Bhat, Sidhant Gupta, Paramvir Singh Cheema, and Anurag Thakur. Bring on Season 2!

Jubilee (Prime Video)

Another show from Motwane that doesn't exactly make for comfort viewing, but its gripping storytelling — swirling around the world of cinema — and, of course, stunning production value, are factors hard to resist!

Trial by Fire (Netflix)

Again, another example of a heartbreaking but exceptionally made real event-based show featuring two impactful central performances from Abhay Deol and Rajshri Deshpande as parents waging a long, gruelling battle for justice.

Kerala Crime Files: Season 2 (JioHotstar)

Directed by Ahammed Khabeer & penned by Bahul Ramesh ('Kishkindha Kaandam'), Season 2, which takes a darker direction than S1, is the best investigative series to come out of Malayalam cinema yet.