Hansal Mehta Reviews Black Warrant: ‘Captivating’

‘While
we’ve
seen
some
standout
series
over
the
past
year,
few
have
been
as
captivating
and
binge-worthy
as

Black
Warrant.’

Netflix’s
new
Web
series

Black
Warrant,
starring
Zahan
Kapoor
and
Rahul
Bhatt,
is
already
making
waves.

Inspired
by
true
events,
it
is
based
on
the
book

Black
Warrant:
Confessions
of
a
Tihar
Jailer
by
Sunil
Gupta,
a
former
Tihar
Jail
superintendent,
and
journalist
Sunetra
Choudhury.

It
is
directed
by
Vikramaditya
Motwane
and
Satyanshu
Singh,
along
with
co-directors
Ambiecka
Pandit,
Arkesh
Ajay
and
Rohin
Raveendran
Nair.

Hansal
Mehta
and
Anurag
Kashyap
review
the
series:

Hansal
Mehta:
This
is
more
than
a
mere
show;
it’s
a
triumph
of
talent

#BlackWarrant
on
@netflix_in
revives
the
thrill
of
bingeing
on
a
masterfully
crafted
long-format
show.
While
we’ve
seen
some
standout
series
over
the
past
year,
few
have
been
as
captivating
and
binge-worthy
as
this.
This
one
is
nothing
short
of
a
@motwayne
masterclass
—
and
I
don’t
say
that
lightly.

Showrunning
without
directing
every
episode
is
a
monumental
task,
yet
the
tone,
performances,
storytelling,
and
engagement
remain
impeccably
consistent
and
utterly
riveting.

Equal
applause
goes
to
his
co-creator
and
writer
@cinema_is_forever
for
this
stellar
achievement.
And
let’s
not
forget
@sameern
and
his
team
for
recognizing
the
gem
this
show
is.
Backing
a
non-template
narrative
when
it
could’ve
easily
been
overlooked
requires
creative
sensitivity
that
transcends
mere
executive
decision-making.

Collaborating
with
@applausesocial
truly
highlights
the
importance
of
a
creatively
evolved
and
trusting
studio
—
something
rare
in
today’s
often
creatively
insecure
ecosystem.

Here’s
hoping
this
show
does
the
numbers
it
deserves
and
reminds
us
all
why
OTT
platforms
and
long-format
storytelling
became
such
a
dynamic
medium
in
the
first
place.
More
power
to
@monika__shergill,
@tanyabami,
and
the
Netflix
team!

Alright,
this
is
turning
into
an
essay
—
but
@zahankapoor,
I’m
so
damn
proud
of
you.
What
a
star
turn!

Also,
@itsrahulbhat
delivers
an
outstanding
performance,
as
do
@paramvircheema07
and
@anurag.thakurrr.
And
the
real
MVP?
The
casting
by
@castingchhabra
is
in
pristine
form.
Even
the
tiniest
roles
make
you
sit
up
and
take
notice,
each
character
thoughtfully
brought
to
life.

Hats
off
to
the
stellar
cinematography
by
@somosahi,
terrific
editing
by
@tanyachhabria,
costumes
by
#ShrutiKapoor,
exquisite
production
design
by
@mukundgupta,
and
the
funky,
infectious
music
by
@ajayjayanthi.
All
deserve
their
own
appreciation
posts
for
creating
work
that’s
seamless,
top-tier,
and
never
distractingly
showy.

Finally,
massive
kudos
to
the
co-directors
@rohinraveendrannair,
@ambiecka,
and
@arkeshajay
—
rockstars,
every
one
of
you.
This
is
more
than
a
mere
show;
it’s
a
triumph
of
talent.
Actually,
no
—
this
is
simply
a
TRIUMPH.
And
@motwayne
I’m
no
longer
envious
—
I’m
in
awe.

Anurag
Kashyap:
It’s
fresh,
it’s
binge
worthy

The
forever
re-inventive
and
relentless
@motwayne
along
with
@cinema_is_forever
and
a
talented
team
of
directors
@ambiecka
@rohinraveendrannair
@arkeshajay
has
created
his
best
work
till
date.

It’s
fresh,
it’s
binge
worthy,
it
redefines
the
prison
genre
and
hits
you
hard.

Superb
cinematography
by
@somosahi,
on
the
point
BGM
by
@ajayjayanthi
and
aided
by
all-round
top
notch
performances
by
@itsrahulbhat
@zahankapoor
@paramvircheema07
@anurag.thakurrr
@sidhant
#totaroychowdhury
and
the
rest
pf
the
superb
cast.

2025
has
begun
on
a
high
note
with
BLACK
WARRANT.
Also
an
example
of
how
the
best
shows
and
films
are
acquired
by
the
streaming
platform
and
not
created
by
them.
An
honest
and
hard
peak
into
life
in
Indian
prisons
set
in
1980-90.

Congratulations
team
and
congratulations
@applausesocial
@sameern
#deepaksaigal