Black Warrant review: Zahan Kapoor shines in Vikramaditya Motwane's Netflix jail drama

Black Warrant 
Cast: Zahan Kapoor, Rahul Bhat, Sidhant Gupta
Creators: Vikramaditya Motwane, Satyanshu Singh
Rating: 4/5

This review is based on the initial three episodes of the new Netflix show titled Black Warrant, based on a book of the same name by journalist Sunetra Choudhary and former Tihar Jail superintendent Sunil Gupta. However, going by the detailing shown in these episodes, there are chances of the rating going even higher eventually.

Confession in the beginning: I haven’t read the book, which has given me a fresh perspective that is mostly driven by the entertainment quotient of the show. If you’re not looking for the mismatch between the book and the show, then you’re mostly looking for the right tempo and pace.

Seconds into the show and you meet the lead of the biographical drama, jailer Sunil Gupta, a docile-looking but gritty middleclass boy with empathy in eyes and a hesitant body language. Wait a minute, have I not seen this full of potential actor somewhere before? 

I remember watching another terrific drama confined to certain spaces on filmmaker Hansal Mehta’s invitation in Delhi’s CP. He was the lead of the complex hostage drama set in Bangladesh. It was nuanced, appealing and something special. The honesty of the actor was evident. Needless to say, I liked the film!

So, a boyish Zahaan Kapoor, despite moustached look, appears quite intense and conflicted, a hallmark of his character which holds the narrative together. Of course, it’s based on a book by Sunil Gupta, but you needed somebody with the willingness to play a complicated role with minimalist approach. Zahaan uses little of his surrounding and more of his eyes and shoulders to convey anger, evolution and coming to terms with the reality. 

Some cases such as the Ranga-Billa one or JNU students arrests have been animated to bring forth the loopholes in jail manual and the travesty of justice. Rahul Bhat (Rajesh Tomar) becomes an important tool to further the narrative. It’s difficult to classify him but his presence is perceptible inside those walls. Sidhant Gupta as Charles Sobhraj is another good arc. It’s not as dramatic as over the top dramatic as Jubilee, but it has a clearly carved path of its own. Nice occasional relief from heinous criminal cases.

Creators—Vikramaditya Motwane and Satyanshu Singh—know their limits but their constant efforts to push the envelope is what makes Black Warrant a solid watch. Here is a Hindi crime-based show after a long time, which delves into blood and gore with a lot of caution. The idea is to create a space of discussion and not titillation. Full marks for restrained approach. 

Black Warrant has perspectives to offer if you’re willing to look beyond the obvious.