Filmmaker and showrunner Vikramaditya Motwani turns his attention to the true crime genre by adapting former prison warden Sunil Kumar Gupta’s memoir “Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer” for the small screen. Motwani’s filmography brims with a variety of genres. From From homegrown superhero flicks like “Bhavesh Joshi Superhero” to period pieces like “Lootera” and “Jubilee.”
The pilot episode of “Black Warrant” opens with an unemployed and desperate Sunil (Zahan Kapoor) quite literally being sized up at his job interview before he finally lands a government job, as a jail warden at the (in)famous Tihar jail. While his new job is thinly veiled as any regular 9-5 (if it weren’t for his cubicle located in a literal prison!), the rookie warden soon realises that he is very out of depth as well as out of touch and has just walked into the lion’s den itself.
Honesty in an Deceptive Prison
Unlike his peers—constables Dahiya and Mangat, who are armed with nerves of steel and also far more physically suited for the job—Sunil’s strengths lie in his honesty, intellectual nature and curiosity. But unfortunately, even his law degree can’t prepare him for the anarchy he’s about to face at an understaffed prison where role reversals among the senior wardens and inmates are as common as police brutality. His well-intentioned attempts to make sense of a flawed legal/judicial system are not only stifled but also attract more trouble (on his first day he almost instigates a gang war in an effort to offer practical solutions over a petty matter). Furthermore, his investigation into discrepancies reveals that the “call is coming from inside the jailors quarters.”
The absorbing narrative and world-building of the series reels viewers in, featuring Tihar as a central character itself. Having been the scene of many firsts—one of which was India’s first execution (that of Ranga and Billa, two men accused of kidnapping and double murder in broad daylight). The crime marked the city of Delhi as a crime capital, with its once tidy and safe streets transformed into unsafe hunting grounds overnight.
Apart from a burial ground for inmates on death row, Sunil soon uncovers his new workspace is also a burial ground for metaphorical skeletons, many of which come tumbling out. It’s a place where morality, accountability, and sensitivity training are seemingly unheard of. He witnesses hangmen desensitized to capital punishment going about their routine of preparing the gallows for inmates—who are also forced to sweep the gallows themselves prior to a hanging—and using an effigy to recreate the hanging, thus callously treating it as a game of dress-up.
Loyalty Put to the Test
In addition to nerves of steel, wardens must also be prepared to steel themselves against critique and to ‘handle’ controversy, scandal, and secrets from spilling out. Sunil’s bravado and loyalty is put to the test when he is forced to carry out damage control upon the impromptu visit of a journalist who wishes to investigate the ethics at the prison, putting the unethical wardens in a tight spot. Due to this incident, Sunil worries that he might end up parroting his superiors; and since prison rules dictate that ‘snitches are prone to stitches’ (at Tihar this saying is applicable to wardens and inmates alike), he is often tongue-tied in such situations.
It’s also difficult to determine who’s a saint and sinner, as a few inmates are even afforded luxuries such as strolling around on the premises in mufti. While the aforementioned scenarios might sound like one has stepped into topsy-turvy land, it also reflects the reality of many prisons, and not just Tihar (it’s just that Tihar was the first to do it. Or as Gen. Z would put it— “before it was cool”)
Connecting to ‘The Serpent’ TV Series
“Black Warrant” however, isn’t a sensationalised portrait of true crime, nor glorifies the actions of either the wardens or the inmates. Instead, it examines the motives of the accused from various angles and the polarised reactions towards heinous crimes and capital punishment. Simultaneously, it evokes thought on power dynamics and prison hierarchy, all of which play a role in determining an individual’s guilt or innocence too. The series is nuanced in its portrayal of the wardens, expected to maintain law and order at any cost despite budgetary restrictions, who suffer due to the arrogance of self-righteous politicians who preach reform yet provide limited resources. Burdened by numbing night shifts, the wardens have been indoctrinated into accepting a rather twisted system. Inmates who are mute spectators also tragically end up as collateral damage, answerable to the abrupt violent acts committed by fellow inmates who shed blood even over a blanket
“Black Warrant” also benefits from numerous parallels, such as a comparison drawn between the team of wardens and a prison gang. As Sunil’s cryptic superior DSP Rajesh Tomar puts it: “If you’re not in one, you’re alone and as good as dead.” Earlier in the series, Charles Sobhraj (Sidhant Gupta), aka the notorious Bikini Killer and one of the more ‘popular’ inmates at Tihar also offers Sunil sound advice on how friends within the confines make prison life a breeze—both for inmates and the wardens for whom this job is nothing short of an endless life sentence.
Parallels to Modern Events
Soon enough, the suave Sobhraj who casually reads a novel detailing his own exploits while listening to records in his comfy cell, is brisk at passing backhanded compliments and stroking egos. Having lured unsuspecting tourists to their deaths with his charismatic personality, he strikes up a symbiotic relationship with the unassuming Sunil who has been ostracised and deemed a tattletale for his outspoken attitude. When Sobhraj catches scent of Sunil’s commitment to bringing about change, he immediately wins his favour, adding that Tihar needs ‘more officers like him. This is of course a backhanded compliment the determined young ‘jailor Saheb’—who has been starved of validation—misconstrues as genuine praise.
“Black Warrant” also utilises real-life parallels of a nation and a prison both in a state of disorder. It intricately navigates grey areas such as hanging an inmate as punishment for their crimes and an inmate choosing to sacrifice themselves for their beliefs in their fight against an unlawful system itself. Instances include a surge in the number of inmates serving time on death row for their separatist or radical beliefs, as well as a surge in the ongoing communal violence and discriminatory attitudes towards minority communities occurring outside Tihar. Thes latter eventually slip past the prison’s gated walls, resulting in constant bloody clashes among the two gangs in the prison led by the Sardars and Haddis, respectively.
A Well-Rounded Ensemble Cast
Sunil’s peer Shivraj Singh Mangat (Paramvir Cheema)—a Sikh who escaped the Partition with his family—also feels stifled by his duty as a warden when compelled to punish inmates from his own community to maintain civility at the prison. This results in him receiving the label of a traitor from members of the Sardar gang, which mainly comprises of Sikhs. The imprisonment of a young and bright prisoner for a murder he committed out of sheer helplessness is also one that mirrors the recent assassination of insurance executive Brian Thompson by Luigi Mangione. Then act has generated polarised reactions from the more sympathetic public and officials.
Other clever comparisons include cricket balls which are viewed as a symbol of pride after the Indian cricket team ushers in their first World Cup win, but which serve an altogether nefarious purpose at Tihar as a vehicle for the gangs to smuggle narcotics.
The series’ ensemble cast does justice to their well-developed roles. Rahul Bhat as DSP Tomar is particularly impressive at conveying the rigid and firm demeanour of this character while also portraying a more vulnerable side. Zahan Kapoor turns in a sincere performance as the bright-eyed and disruptive pacifist Sunil Kumar, while co-star Anurag Thakur exudes confidence as the unhinged Vipin Dahiya, who is a polar opposite to the former, treading a thin line between loyalty to his seniors and sadism. Paramvir Singh Cheema’s eyes speak volumes as Mangat, the soft-spoken Sikh with a lot on his mind.
Truth is Stranger than Fiction
Sidhant Gupta chews up the scenery despite limited screen time as the all-knowing, serpent-esque serial killer Charles Sobhraj who more often than not makes a lot more sense than the wardens in charge of ‘guarding’ him. The actor is spot-on in his portrayal of this metrosexual menace… from impeccably mimicking his posh and vaguely European accent, to capturing the duality of Sobhraj, who oozed sleek charm and smarm in equal amounts. Rajendra Gupta is yet another stand-out in a brief but memorable role as the prison accountant Saini Saab. He’s an older gentleman who reminisces over the good old days at Tihar before greed consumed the higher-ups. Much like Sunil, he also questions the rot within, attempting to offer peaceful solutions in an otherwise turbulent environment.
Lastly, the production design, wardrobe, etc. are effective at replicating the 1980s time period that the show is set in, and the rousing background score that brings the curtains down on its final act further reflects the tone of the series. As a new era is ushered in at Tihar, but the incompetencies of a chaotic system still resurface, the inmates have the last laugh.
Overall “Black Warrant” proves that truth is indeed stranger than fiction and that one can’t teach an old dog new tricks—regardless of whether they’re a convict or a high-ranking official with a reputation to uphold. You can watch the series on Netflix India and abroad.
