To assume that the release of Sacred Games marked a turning point for detective dramas in the OTT era that began a few years ago would not be false. This crime thriller captivated audiences and gave the genre the boost it was missing. The story follows an officer of honor racing against time to unravel the cryptic prophecies of a crime boss and his doomsday plans. The drama stood out for its premise and interpretations, inspiring subsequent detective series to continue the venture. Here’s a rundown of the crime series that have dominated the OTT era so far.
1. She
Imtiaz Ali is the writer and creator of the series, which tells the story of an Indian police officer who joins the Counter-Narcotics group to take on a powerful drug lord. Bhumika (played by Aaditi Pohankar) disguises herself as a prostitute in the city of Mumbai as part of her assignment.
2. Scam 1992
Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, set in Bombay in the 1980s and 1990s, focuses on the life of stockbroker Harshad Mehta. The story describes the dramatic rise and fall of Harshad Mehta, the exuberant bull of the stock market.
3. Paatal Lok
The premise of the series centers on Hathiram Chowdhary (Jaideep Ahlawat), a cynical police officer tasked with investigating a high-profile crime. Gradually, he is drawn into the darkest corners of the underworld due to his involvement in the investigation.
4. Crime in Delhi
The first season of the series, starring Shefali Shah, Rasika Dugal and Adil, was based on the 2012 Delhi gang rape. The show tells the story of what happened after the gang rape and how the case was investigated. The show’s second season, which debuted recently, focuses on the infamous gang of Kaccha Baniyan and the shocking crimes they committed in the city.
5. Mirzapur
After the first installment, the popular detective series immediately gained cult status. The outstanding performance of the ensemble’s stellar cast, which also included Ali Fazal, Pankaj Tripathi, Vikrant Massey, Shweta Tripathi, Rasika Dugal and Divyendu Sharma, was what really made the series shine. The plot, on the other hand, centered on the realm of the mobsters in Mirzapur, characterized by drugs, firearms and anarchy.
6. The Family Man
The protagonist of this spy thriller series, which Raj and D.K. created, is a man who secretly works as an undercover agent. The stellar ensemble, which included Manoj Bajpayee, Samantha (Season 2), Sharib Hashmi and many more, received much praise for the show’s outstanding storytelling and brilliant performances.
7. Aarya
Adapted from the Dutch drama series Penoza, the detective series that marked the digital debut of Sushmita Sen. Sen, who plays the titular character Aarya, decides to work in the criminal underworld to pay off her debts after the death of her spouse. In the second season of the web series, the actress surprised the audience even more than the first.
8. Human
Shefali Shah, Kirti Kulhari and Seema Biswas all played leading roles in the critically acclaimed medical crime drama series. The premise of the series addresses sinister themes, focusing primarily on drug trials and medical malpractice. The main character, Gauri Nath, a motivated and ambitious doctor, is played by Shah. He would stop at nothing to get what he wants, even at the cost of using vulnerable subjects in studies of illegal drugs that could lead to their death.
9. Jammara
The idea behind this detective series was inspired by the famous phishing scams that worked in Jamtara. A successful phishing operation is run smoothly in the city by two young men until a rogue politician and police officer get involved with them and break the system.
10 Asur
Set in the mystical city of Varanasi, Asur follows forensic expert turned teacher Nikhil Nair. He then returns to his roots at the Central Bureau of Investigation and teams up with his former boss Dhananjay Rajpoot to hunt down a deadly serial killer.
11. Criminal Justice
This legal Hindi crime thriller web series directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia is inspired by a British series of the same name. The life of Aditya Sharma (Vikrant Massey) changes due to the unfair accusation of the murder of Sanaya Rath (played by Madhurima Roy), which is the main focus of the show.
12. Breathe
R. Madhavan and Amit Sadh played the lead characters in the debut season of the gripping crime web series. The protagonist of the narrative was a father who would do anything to save his son’s life. As a result of the season’s success, its sequel, which featured Abhishek Bachchan as the lead, also received a lot of positive press.
