Bruce Dias 
The next time you feel down and want to watch a crime story, why not turn to the internet? There are tons of web series based on real-life incidents in India. While most draw on true stories, some are completely fictional and still believable because of how they’re portrayed. See if you have enough grit to watch them all.
“Delhi Crime”
The first Indian web series released in 2019 is Delhi Crime, which takes place after the brutal murder of a 23-year-old woman named Namrata Shirodkar. After watching this show, you will feel like you’ve been transported into an alternate dimension where Indian crime fiction has become a reality.
Delhi Crime stars Rajkummar Rao as Mukesh Singh and Patralekhaa as Namrata Shirodkar, two police officers who find themselves investigating this case together with their superior officer (played by Anurag Kashyap). The plot follows these three characters as they try to solve one mystery after another—but only when one fails does anyone get closer to finding out exactly what happened at that time!
“Bard of Blood”
The show is based on the life of a true-life police officer and how he fought against crime in India. The story follows him as he tries to find out who committed the murder.
The cinematography in this series is stunning, making it one of the most beautiful web series to date. This gives us goosebumps every time we watch it!
You can watch this nail-biting series on Hulu, but to access Hulu in India, you’ll need a VPN due to geo-restrictions.
“The Family Man”
“The Family Man” is a crime drama that explores the investigation into the murder of a businessman. The show focuses on the family of the victim, as well as those who are accused and/or involved in his death.
The series stars Chetan Bhagat, who plays Rakesh Pandey, one of India’s most successful entrepreneurs and a member of India’s upper class. His son Rahul (Arjun Gupta) is accused along with his wife (Parineeti Chopra) of murdering their father to steal his fortune; Parineeti plays Aarti Kapoor—the sister-in-law of Rakesh Pandey, who has been left out by her brother because she isn’t married yet but wants nothing more than to find love herself someday soon enough!
“Pataal Lok”
Pataal Lok is a crime thriller that follows the story of a young girl kidnapped and sold into prostitution. The main character, played by Preeti Simma, has to track down her kidnapper while investigating why so many women are being trafficked.
The show explores the issue of human trafficking in India through its realistic portrayal of how trafficking works—and what it’s like for victims caught up in it. It also sheds light on how more people need to understand this issue so they can help stop it before enough people become victims!
“Sacred Games”
The movie Sacred Games is based on the same-named novel by Vikram Chandra. It is about a police officer named Sartaj Singh (played by Saif Ali Khan) who looks into the death of a gangster named Ganesh Gaitonde. The series is set in Mumbai and stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Ganesh Gaitonde and Kalki Koechlin as Anjali Mathur.
The show came out in June 2019 and has been praised by both fans of Indian movies and fans of Indian TV. It also won Best Screenplay at this year’s Filmfare Awards for its innovative writing style—the first time an Indian web series has done so!
“Mirzapur”
Mirzapur is a crime drama created by Ajay Bhuwania and Vikramaditya Motwane. The show is based on the life of gangster Munna Bajrangi, who spent his time riding in cars with a gun and making money from outside jobs. This web series follows him as he deals with good and bad friends while trying to survive with his family at home.
The first season of Mirzapur has ten episodes, each running about 45 minutes long. If you’re looking for something gritty and dark but not too heavy on violence (and if you like Netflix’s Narcos), this might be what your heart desires!
“Ashram”
The ashram is a crime thriller show that revolves around politics and crime. It is based on the life of Arun Gawli, a Mumbai politician also known as the God the “er of Mumbai.” The show stars Rajkummar Rao as Arun Gawli and Omi Vaidya as Chhota Rajan (who played a crucial role in getting him elected).
Ashram revolves around two main characters: Arun Gawli, aka “Godfather,” who roams around Mumbai intending to protect his people from corrupt politicians; while another character named Praveen Salvi is an ambitious police officer who wants to make his mark in this world by becoming Inspector General (IG) of Police or Director General (DG)
“Code M”
“Code M” is based on a true story filmed in India. The show revolves around a real-life incident in India, where two men were found dead after being tortured and strangled to death by their neighbors. The story is told through the eyes of an Indian-American woman named Priya, who goes back home for the first time in years to investigate what happened with her family members.
The show has received criticism for portraying Indians as violent people who like to torture each other for fun; however, it also has an amazing cast, including Bollywood actress Ayesha Takia and actor Sammir Fadanvis (who played Vikram Bhadarwala).
“Rangbaaz Phirse”
If you love true crime, this Indian web series is for you. Based on the life of gangster Munna Bajrangi, who was killed in prison in 2017, the show tells his story from childhood to becoming one of India’s most powerful criminals. He rose through the ranks by using violence and intimidation to gain control over other gangs in the state. The first season tells how he became involved with notorious gangster Chhota Rajan, his brother Uday (who also died), and their rivalry with another group known as the NSG (National Security Guard).
It’s only 30 minutes long, but it’s jam-packed with action scenes that will keep you glued to your screen until the end!
“Special Ops”
“Special Ops” is based on the life of a real-life officer who was part of an elite unit of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) called the “Leone, Is Singh” character, played by Leone. The show revolves around the lives of a special operations group of officers trained to deal with high-risk situations like terrorist attacks and kidnappings.
The main character, Sunny Leone plays Armaan Singh, daughter and wife to Vikram Singh, played by Manish Paul – both are part of ANF along with their colleagues such as Arjun Thakur (Manjot Singh), Ravi Verma (Rajesh Tailor) and others. The story begins at a time when there were numerous drug-related cases throughout India, particularly in Delhi, where Armaan works as an inspector general in the Intelligence Bureau (IB). She gets into trouble while attempting to expose some corrupt cops who have been stealing narcotics from those arrested under them without following proper procedure, which leads her into another case involving terrorism plots being hatched against India’s capital city, where terrorists want revenge against people living there for their actions during Operation Blue Star, when they burned down Sikh community properties after killing many Sikhs, including Amritsar’s Chi.
“Lust Stories”
Lust Stories is a Netflix anthology film released on June 15th, 2018. It has four short films made by Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee, Karan Johar, and other directors. If you haven’t already heard of Lust Stories, it may be worth checking out if you’re looking for something different from your usual crime drama or thriller.
“‘Bad Boy Billionaires’ India”
“Bad Boy Billionaires” is a web series that takes you inside the lives of some of India’s most powerful and influential people. The show follows several characters as they try to find their way through life, making it clear how money makes people do crazy things.
The show was created by director Anand Tiwari and producer Samir Kaul, who both have backgrounds in journalism and film production. They wanted to create something that would entertain audiences and educate them about what goes on behind closed doors regarding wealth in India.
Conclusion
If you’re looking for an India fix, check out these web series. They might not have all the bells and whistles of Hollywood movies, but they sure do make up for it with their gritty realism and incredible storytelling. And if you’re feeling adventurous (and want to stay away from the horror genre), why not try one that takes place in another country?
