Black Warrant Review: Tihar Realities Come Alive In Gripping Netflix Series, Zahaan Kapoor Is To Look Out For

Black Warrant Review: Netflix has set the tone for 2025 with the prison-set drama Black Warrant. While a fresh attempt at storytelling, it checks all the right boxes and makes for a gripping, binge-worthy series for Hindi viewers, long starved for long-format content. Unraveling the politics and gang wars inside the infamous Tihar prison of New Delhi, it promises to bring some incidents inspired by real-life events, of incarceration and hope, of dismay and small victories, playing out in the backdrop of a jail.

Zahaan Kapoor (Sunil Gupta) essays the role of the newest recruit at the unrelenting Tihar Prison, home to some of the most hardened criminals, or you will think so. The show deftly plays with the viewers' emotions about what they think about a jail, and what it really is - a reform site, or in the show's character's words, a "gutter".

While Black Warrant primarily focuses on Sunil's journey of coming into his own as a jailer. It touches upon many socio-political aspects, the divide between the haves and the have-nots, the Indira Gandhi regime where the "India is Indira and Indira is India" slogan was on the tip of everyone's tongue and the prevailing corruption in India, festering and eating the system from within.

The show depicts many real-life incidents of the era to lend a touch of authenticity to the narrative. The enigmatic criminal Charles Sobhraj is also held up inside the prison. The Ranga-Billa case and the 180-strong student break out of prison have been shown, blending fictional and factual for effect. Amid everything, Black Warrant, at its core, is about how jailers balance their strenuous professional commitments and their personal lives.

Black Warrant relies on both story and emotions, which can't be said for most of the Hindi films and series that have been released of late. It doesn't lose focus of character development for momentary screen thrills, which is where it districts itself from Prime Video's Paatal Lok and Mirzapur. The viewer attaches himself to the characters and enters the Tihar Prison through their eyes, a neutral view. In some instances, it would remind one of The Shawshank Redemption and has the potential to be that. But Black Warrant is its own story and that's its big win.

That prison is a reform site and not a rotting ground for criminals is also brought forth in the show. Zahaan wears Sunil's vulnerability without missing a beat. His performance stands out as he anchors the show and becomes its moral compass. The supporting cast is also impressive, each lending their best to the narrative.

Rahul Bhat as jailer Rajesh Tomar finds a solid footing as a mentor and a senior prison employee. He effortlessly shifts between a cynic, inside the prison, and a family man, outside the barracks. Paramveer Cheema as Shivraj Singh Mangat and Anurag Thakur as Vipin Dahiya tie up the narrative in supporting roles.

Black Warrant remains committed to what it plans to bring to the screens and delivers it with finesse. The direction, cinematography and the score complement the director's vision well. It hits the bull's eye, commands attention and delivers. Certainly, one of the best Hindi series of all time, Black Warrant merits a watch.

Rating: 4/5