“Delhi Crime Story,” an epic, seven-part series from award-winning Indo-Canadian filmmaker Richie Mehta (Siddharth), will receive its world premiere at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival. Based on the real-life events and the investigation of Delhi’s most notorious rape case–which significantly led to important legal reforms–“Delhi Crime Story” is a crime drama offering a compassionate look at law and order in one of the world’s largest cities.
Produced by Golden Karavan and Ivanhoe Pictures, the series centers on the heroic actions of the Delhi Police, led by one passionate female officer who, with the eyes of the world upon the investigation, was driven by the crime’s brutality to find the perpetrators despite the difficulties she faced in the sprawling city. In what will be the most authentic global premium drama set and produced in India, the viewer will be taken directly inside the command center of the Delhi Police, one of the most understaffed and underfunded law enforcement agencies in the world.
Sundance will showcase several episodes of the series as part of its returning Indie Episodic category, which was officially launched last year. This year’s Festival takes place in Park City, Utah between January 24 and February 3.
“Delhi Crime Story” is the only TV production from India to be invited to this year’s Festival. Filmed entirely in Delhi, India, the production prides itself on providing a unique voice in terms of the contemporary treatment of women and how one crime changed the public discourse.
“There were numerous challenges and risks with this series. We wanted to illustrate and explore a crime that is so incomprehensible to most people that you don’t know where to start to think about it. And while you don’t want to think about it, it’s a topic that needs to be addressed,” Mehta explained. “This led us to the production of a multiple part television series, because there is so much to explore and it can be done in the auspices of a police thriller procedural that should keep audiences gripped.”
He added: “I’m trying to get through this, like all of us. And I feel like, through the story of these police officers who deal with gang rape every single day of their lives, our series can provide a catharsis and learning, as well as an exploration and understanding of law and order in a developing world.” Mehta wrote and directed all seven episodes of Season 1. The show’s ensemble cast is led by Shefali Shah (“Monsoon Wedding,” “Juice”) and includes Adil Hussain (“Life of Pi,” “Hotel Salvation”), Denzil Smith (“The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”), Rasika Duggal (“Qissa,” “Manto”), Rajesh Tailang (“Siddharth”, “Selection Day”) and Yashaswini Dayama (“Dear Zindagi,” “The Odds”).
Serving as Executive producers for Golden Karavan are Aaron Kaplan, Jeff Sagansky, Florence Sloan, Apoorva Bakshi, Pooja Kohli, and Sanjay Bachani. Executive producers from Ivanhoe Pictures are John Penotti, Kilian Kerwin, and Michael Hogan.
This is the first project from Golden Karavan, a television production company recently co-founded by investor Jeff Sagansky, veteran producer Aaron Kaplan and producer Florence Sloan in partnership with the Mumbai-based Film Karavan. Ivanhoe Pictures, a division of production and finance company SK Global, has also partnered to co-finance and co-produce the series.