FILMMAKER Vikramaditya Motwane, whose new Netflix series tells the story of a former superintendent of one of India’s most prominent jails, said it was a chance for him to explore a “tough and complicated” world.

Black Warrant has been adapted from the book Black Warrant: Confessions Of A Tihar Jailer by Sunil Gupta, a former superintendent of Tihar, and journalist Sunetra Choudhury

Based on true events, the prison drama revolves around Gupta who, with his two trusted fellow jailers, confront notorious inmates in Delhi’s Tihar jail and the deep-rooted politics in the 1980s.

The series will debut on Netflix on Friday (10).

“I’m a student and lover of contemporary history and I like to shine a light on it in an interesting, entertaining and engaging way. That’s my approach to everything. I love filmmaking and I’m up for a challenge every time to try something (new),” said Motwane.

Zahan Kapoor, the grandson of late cinema legend Shashi Kapoor, makes his series debut with the show.

Motwane said Black Warrant offered him an opportunity to explore a hidden world that is “tough, complicated, and full of contradictions”.

He previously helmed Sacred Games on Netflix and Jubilee on Prime Video.For the new show, Motwane visited Tihar jail and also talked to Gupta to understand the day-to-day operations in prison, including how inmates pay for water and gangs operate inside the premises.

“I told my crew constantly, ‘you are a fly on the wall’, or you are peeping into somebody’s room and feel like you are taking vicarious pleasure out of what is happening on screen. That’s been the operative mantra throughout,” he said in an interview.

“There is something voyeuristic about looking at a jail. There’s an intrigue about what happens inside – what are the people like? Are they all criminals? Are there any silver linings Read More….