‘Black Warrant’: Netflix Brings India’s Tihar Jail To Life

Netflix India’s latest series, “Black Warrant,” brings the dark realities of Delhi’s infamous Tihar Prison to life. Through the eyes of an idealistic jailer navigating a web of corruption, violence, and ethical dilemmas, the show delves into the complex world behind the prison walls.

Based on the bestselling book, Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer, written by Sunil Kumar Gupta and journalist Sunetra Choudhury, the series is a gripping chronicle of Gupta’s 35-year tenure in one of India’s most notorious correctional facilities.

What Is a Black Warrant?

A black warrant is a document that authorizes the execution of a convicted criminal. The series draws heavily on Gupta’s insider perspective, offering a rare glimpse into the lives of both prisoners and prison officers. During his service, Gupta encountered some of India’s most infamous criminals, including Charles Sobhraj (known as the “Bikini Killer” and “The Serpent”) and kidnappers Kuljeet Singh (Ranga Khus) and Jasbir Singh (Billa).

Bringing the Story to Life

The series is spearheaded by celebrated filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane (Sacred Games) and writer-director Satyanshu Singh (Chintu Ka Birthday).

Motwane explained the dramatic pull of the story:
“From a dramatic perspective, the book has hook after hook. 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, the project was an opportunity to explore the sociology and philosophy of prison life.
“It is sociology because it is jail, the society of jail, but also how it mirrors the society outside. It is political science because it is about resources, it is about liberty, it is about justice. It has ethics, moral philosophy,” he said.

Black Warrant’s Stellar Cast and Authentic Portrayals

The series features an ensemble cast, including Zahan Kapoor, Rahul Bhat, Anurag Thakur, Paramvir Singh Cheema, and Sidhant Gupta as Charles Sobhraj. Kapoor secured his role through a blind audition, while Bhat impressed the creators with his performance in the Cannes title Kennedy (2023).

One of the show’s most striking features is its attention to detail in portraying both prison officers and inmates. Singh praised the background cast, who played warders and prisoners, for their commitment to authenticity.
“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 explained.

Singh also emphasized the need to showcase the thankless job of prison officers.
“Very few stories really tell the stories of prison officers and what they go through. 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 messing with our head, and there’s no one to take care of us.’”

Black Warrant’s Unique Visual Storytelling

The series’ visual style, crafted by cinematographer Saumyananda Sahi, is tailored to reflect the protagonist’s emotional journey. Each episode has a distinct tone and visual treatment, according to Motwane:

• Episode One introduces the world of Tihar with a mix of intrigue and levity.
• Episode Two explores the brutal realities of prison life.
• Episodes Three to Six transition through hope, emotion, and, ultimately, gut-wrenching moments.

Black Warrant: Produced by Acclaimed Teams

“Black Warrant” is produced by Applause Entertainment in collaboration with Andolan Production and Confluence Media. The project is helmed by a team of directors, including Motwane, Singh, Arkesh Ajay, Rohin Raveendran Nair, and Ambiecka Pandit.

The creators aim for the series to spark conversations about prison reform while remaining a compelling and accessible drama. Motwane highlighted the balance between depth and entertainment:
“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 was not to make it grim, dark, and over-serious, and not intellectualize it too much.”

Black Warrant

Season 1 of “Black Warrant” covers jailer Gupta’s experiences up to 1984. For Motwane, this marks his return to Netflix after successful ventures like Sacred Games and AK vs AK. He revealed plans for “lots of series and movies” in the coming years.

Meanwhile, Singh is working on a horror feature film while staying committed to future seasons of Black Warrant.