Netflix India’s latest series “Black Warrant” delves into the complex world of Delhi’s notorious Tihar Prison through the eyes of an idealistic jailer who confronts corruption, violence and moral ambiguity within the system.
Based on the bestselling book “Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer” by jailer Sunil Kumar Gupta and journalist Sunetra Choudhury, the series chronicles the true story of a prison officer’s 35-year journey through one of India’s most infamous correctional facilities.
A black warrant is a jailer’s authorization to carry out the execution of a convicted criminal. The series benefits from Gupta’s insider knowledge of the prison. During his time working there he oversaw prisoners including Charles Sobhraj (aka ‘Bikini Killer’ and ‘The Serpent’) and kidnappers Kuljeet Singh (alias Ranga Khus) and Jasbir Singh (alias Billa).
The series is created by acclaimed filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane (“Sacred Games”) and writer-director Satyanshu Singh (“Chintu Ka Birthday”). “From a dramatic perspective, the book has hook after hook,” Motwane tells Variety. “The first hook is Charles Sobhraj getting in, the second hook is Ranga’s hanging, and then you have hook after hook. I can’t believe this is a real story.”
For Singh, who spent extensive time researching prison systems, the appeal lay in the project’s multifaceted exploration of society. “It is sociology because it is jail, the society of jail, but also how it mirrors the society outside,” he says. “It is political science because it is about resources, it is about liberty, it is about justice. It has ethics, moral philosophy.”
The series features a ensemble cast including Zahan Kapoor, Rahul Bhat, Anurag Thakur, Paramvir Singh Cheema and Sidhant Gupta as the infamous Charles Sobhraj. Motwane reveals that Kapoor’s casting came through a blind audition process, while Bhat was chosen after the creators saw his performance in 2023 Cannes title “Kennedy.”
One of the series’ most striking aspects is its nuanced portrayal of both prison officers and inmates, achieved in part through meticulous attention to background casting. Singh hails the series’ secondary and tertiary cast, who played warders and prisoners. “They only had their presence. Many of them didn’t even have lines. They were shooting with us every day, from morning to evening. So they created their own sense of awareness of their own inner life within the prison, and that made our job very easy,” Singh says.
“Very few stories really tell the stories of prison officers and what they go through,” Singh adds. “So I feel like it’s our responsibility to make sure that prison officers should watch the show and say, ‘Thank God someone has said this to the world that we are doing a thankless job where everything is fucking with our head and there’s no one to take care of us.’”
“Black Warrant,” shot by Saumyananda Sahi, features distinct visual treatments for each episode, reflecting the emotional journey of its protagonist. “Episode one is fun and games, you’re seeing the world of Tihar,” Motwane explains. “Episode two is brutal. Three is hopeful. Four is emotional. Five is even more emotional. Six is gut-wrenching.” This carefully structured approach allows each episode to maintain its own thematic and tonal identity while serving the larger narrative arc.
Produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Andolan Production and Confluence Media, the series is directed by an ensemble team including Motwane, Singh, Arkesh Ajay, Rohin Raveendran Nair, and Ambiecka Pandit. The series aims to spark conversations about prison reform while offering a compelling dramatic narrative.
“I hope that this series is one of those that can have legs in multiple kind of realms,” Motwane says. “It can appeal to people who like deep, interesting dramas. It can appeal to people who like a slightly voyeuristic, melodramatic, masala approach to certain kind of things.” The intent while creating the series was not to make it “grim, dark and over serious,” and “not intellectualize it too much,” Motwane adds.
“Black Warrant” Season 1 covers jailer Gupta’s experiences through 1984. It showcases Motwane’s return to Netflix after “Sacred Games,” “AK vs AK” and “CTRL” with the filmmaker revealing he’s preparing for “lots of series and movies” in the next five years. Meanwhile, Singh is developing a horror feature film while remaining committed to “Black Warrant’s” future seasons.