Based on the 2019 memoir titled Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer, written by Sunetra Choudhury and Sunil Gupta, the Netflix series titled Black Warrant is a deeply felt, highly engaging, and unmissable book-to-screen adaptation. Created by Vikramaditya Motwane and Satyanshu Singh, the series, through the innocent eyes of its protagonist, penetrates the impenetrable walls of the high-profile prison complex of Delhi’s Tihar Jail, presenting a microcosm of the society, exposing the deep-rooted corruption and powerplay (between the prisoners and jailors, as well as that among the inmates) that form the core pillars of its flawed functioning.
Story:
When a coy, newly recruited Assistant Superintendent of Prison (ASP) Sunil Kumar Gupta (Zahan Kapoor) is appointed at the Tihar jail, he’s immediately and repeatedly told that he’s a misfit – physically and temperamentally, in the inhuman, unethical, high-stakes world of Tihar jail where gang wars, under the table dealings, illegal trading in drugs and alcohol, among other corrupt practices are a norm. Since he must contribute to better the financial situation of his family, he’s determined to do everything he can, to perform his duties by the book and keep his job. However, Sunil soon learns that barely anything in prison happens by the book and whenever he tries to do the right thing, he finds his neck on the line as a collateral damage.
Will Sunil learn the ropes and try to fit in, or will he try to fight against all odds to bring about changes and reforms in the workings of the notorious prison? The seven-episode series attempts to answer these questions and then some, while bringing to light the inner functioning of a high-profile, overstuffed prison in post-partition, post-independence India of the 1980s.
Review:
Much like Vikramaditya Motwane’s brilliant Amazon Prime series Jubilee (2023), Black Warrant boasts of an excellent cast and exceptional performances. You’re sucked instantly into the world of Tihar jail as you begin to follow Sunil’s experiences as a newly appointed jailer, along with his colleagues – Vipin Dahiya (Anurag Thakur) and Shivraj Singh Mangat (Paramvir Singh Cheema). The three of them report to their senior Rajesh Tomar (Rahul Bhat) and try to learn the ropes. While Dahiya and Mangat instantly take to the established norms like brutally beating up the inmates, hurling abuses at them without batting an eyelid, and enjoying non-vegetarian meals with their senior, Sunil finds it increasingly difficult to fall in line.
Motwane and Satyanshu Singh, along with writer Arkesh Ajay (who also co-directed the series), and co-directors Ambiecka Pandit and Rohin Raveendran have effectively created an intriguing world within the prison walls. They succeed in skillfully crafting an intense narrative that sets Sunil’s humanity, righteous intent, and docile demeanour against the sharp contrast of a flawed system that thrives on corruption, cruelty, conspiracies, confusion, and chaos.
As the seven episodes unfold, Motwane and his team ably juxtapose Sunil’s silent battles that he must win everyday, with some of the most notorious and talked about criminal cases of the 1970s and 1980s, as if peeling the layers of an onion one by one. This narrative device, although a slow burner, works wonders for the series. The episode on the execution of the death penalty of Ranga and Billa (convicts in the rape and murder case of two teenagers in Delhi), and the concluding episode particularly stand out owing to a brilliantly written and executed screenplay.
The writers also do an outstanding job in effectively integrating some crucial socio-political events into the narrative quite seamlessly. A gang war of sorts takes place in the prison while those in-charge are busy listening to the radio commentary on Kapil Dev’s winning boundary during the 1983 world cup final. 130 student activists from JNU are labelled “anti-nationals” and held captive. A jailer proclaims, “India is Indira and Indira is India” in a scene. Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the following Sikh riots – everything is adeptly blended into the narrative, never once feeling either imposing or out of place.
Motwane’s attention to detail in crafting this world is pretty evident. From the setting, to the props, every shot screams of the meticulous time and research invested in recreating the era of the 1980s. The cinematography by Saumyananda Sahi deserves applauds for masterfully juxtaposing the horrific living conditions of C and B class prisoners with the immaculate prison suite of a celebrity prisoner like Charles Sobhraj aka the ‘Bikini Killer’ or ‘The Serpent’. There are moments when the cinematography makes you feel pathetic and sympathetic within seconds, as the frame pans from one end to the other.
Anvita Dutt’s lyrics and Ajay Jayanthi’s music ties in well with the narrative. The concluding shot of the series coupled with a haunting background score may remind some of the final moments in Jubilee with the achingly beautiful melody of the song Saare Ke Saare Akele. However, the pace of the series wavers at times, especially from the third episode onwards and a couple of sub-plots seem to have been hushed in order to focus on the goings-on of the prison. The editing by Tanya Chhabria could have been tighter. It may have helped in avoiding the sub-plots to appear abrupt at times.
The masterstroke of the series is getting the casting right. Mukesh Chhabra has once again hit it out of the park by assembling an immensely talented set of performers as the cast of Black Warrant. Zahan Kapoor ably shoulders the series with a lot of conviction. His slightly droopy eyes and silences speak volumes, especially in conveying Sunil’s internal strife. The genius acting brilliance of the Kapoor khaandaan is evidently at display (for the unversed, Zahan is Shashi Kapoor grandson, and Raj Kapoor’s great grandson). He aces his mannerisms and accent, especially in the scenes where he tries to speak some broken sentences in English, with an equally faltering diction. Zahan’s performance makes it a thing of pure joy to witness the coming of age of a shy, unlikely new ASP who ends up transforming into a jailer that takes matters into his hands and runs the show in Tihar.
Anurag Thakur is outstanding as Dahiya who relies on his brute strength and cusses more frequently than he blinks. Initially, his character seemed to be quite one-note but by the time the series comes to an end, his character arc touches upon several shades, including a scandalous one and Thakur pulls it off quite well. Paramvir Cheema is subtle and effective as the Sikh jailer Mangat. Rahul Bhat, however, stands out in his portrayal of DSP Rajesh Tomar – the morally corrupt in-charge of the jail who doesn’t think twice before cracking deals with the gang leaders in prison to protect his “staff” by the day, and yearns to be with his family by the night.
Sidhant Gupta is pretty impressive, yet again, in a special appearance as the notorious ‘Bikini Killer’ Charles Sobhraj. Despite an oddly placed wig, Sidhant somehow works his charm in making his portrayal quite memorable. Rajshri Deshpande as a firebrand journalist Pratibha Sen is simply superb in a small but impressive character. Veteran actor Rajendra Gupta brings empathy to his tragic character of a well-intentioned accountant and Tota Roy Chowdhury shines in a brief but significant role.
Verdict:
Black Warrant is not an easy-breezy, bingeworthy watch. With each episode clocking in over 40-minutes, the series is a slow burner that will definitely test your patience, especially after the first two episodes. However, it all comes together in the glorious, comparatively fast-paced, finale episode that makes it worthwhile. Brilliantly written, executed and performed to (near) perfection by an immensely talented cast, the series makes for a lengthy, intense, and unsettling, but unputdownable watch.
Black Warrant
Watch on: Netflix
Directors: Vikramaditya Motwane, Satyanshu Singh, Ambiecka Pandit, Rohin Raveendran, Arkesh Ajay
Writers: Vikramaditya Motwane, Satyanshu Singh, Arkesh Ajay
Cast: Zahan Kapoor, Rahul Bhatt, Anurag Thakur, Paramvir Cheema, Tota Roy Chowdhury, Sidhant Gupta, Rajshri Deshpande
Rating: 3.5 stars
