Directed by: Hansal Mehta (10 Episodes)
IMDb link: Scam 1992 (2020)
“Yeh Bombay hai Bombay, yahan sab badal jayega par dariya wahi rahega… toh bhayi main Dalaal Street ka dariya hoon.”
Warning: Spoilers Ahead…
The Rise and Fall of the Big Bull
Based on the book The Scam by Sucheta Dalal and Debashis Basu, the story follows Harshad Mehta. He is a common man from a middle-class Gujarati family who rises to become the “Bachchan of BSE.”
The first episode starts with Sucheta Dalal (Shreya Dhanwanthary) learning about a massive fraud at SBI in April 1992. Then, we jump into a flashback. I was happy the show followed a linear story. It helps us feel the ups and downs of Harshad’s journey.
The Human Side of Finance
I have almost no clue about share market terms. To be honest, I find it boring. Even today, I don’t know what “market has crashed” actually means.
This series didn’t make me love finance, but I was still hooked on every episode. Why? Because director Hansal Mehta focuses on the human side. He wants you to see every step Harshad takes. I did learn a few terms though—like Bear, Bull, and Money Market.
Why the Show Works
This show could have failed in two ways.
- Glorifying the Criminal: Some might say they did this, but I disagree. There are enough moments where you feel Harshad deserves his punishment.
- Forced Dialogues: The “dialogue-baazi” never feels fake. It adds to Harshad’s character—a man who lives life on his own terms and takes risks even in bad situations.
Pratik Gandhi: A Career-Defining Performance
Pratik Gandhi delivers one of the best performances I have ever seen. He might not look exactly like the real Harshad, but he gets the feel right. Whether he is a struggling jobber or a rich tycoon, his tone changes perfectly.
In some scenes, he sits like Amitabh Bachchan in Agneepath. I am not sure if that was planned or if the actor was just so deep in character. Ironically, Harshad’s last moment at home is watching KBC with his family.
What Makes It Special
You find yourself rooting for him. In your mind, you are screaming, “Don’t do that Harshad! Listen to your brother!”
Being a Gujarati, Pratik delivers Hindi dialogues with a perfect Gujarati flavor. He portrays the never-ending greed beautifully. Note how he enters the Money Market just because a rival (Ajay Kedia) insults him at a party. Or how he learns Golf just to prove a point.
He also makes you feel sorry for Harshad after the scam. You can see the mental torture has taken a toll on him.
Shreya Dhanwanthary: Breaking Stereotypes
Shreya Dhanwanthary plays Sucheta Dalal, the only female lead in a male-dominated show. She wants to break stereotypes and become a famous financial journalist.
Her body language is just like Harshad’s—she is devoted to her work. But unlike him, she won’t do wrong things for success. At times, her hatred for Harshad felt a bit strong, but that is because they have no light moments together. She is definitely an actor to watch in the future.
The Supporting Cast: The Real MVP
If Pratik and Shreya weren’t enough, the supporting cast makes this series a masterpiece. Even actors with one or two scenes are brilliant.
The Inner Circle:
- Hemant Kher (Harshad’s Brother): Delightful to watch. He knows the family is in a mess and keeps warning Harshad, but no one listens.
- Anjali Barot (Harshad’s Wife): She brings the lighthearted and romantic moments. Her scene accusing Sucheta of caring only about the story is powerful.
- Chirag Bohra (Bhushan Bhatt): You can feel his pain and anger against Harshad in the final episode.
- Jay Upadhyay (Pranav Sheth): A fun character. His “Darling” dialogue and his dance moves are unforgettable.
The Rivals:
- Kavin Dave (Rakesh): The enthusiastic member of the Bear gang.
- Anant Mahadevan (RBI Governor): Very effective as the morally conflicted man who uses his power to get the truth out.
- KK Raina (MJ Pherwani): The original Big Bull. Like Harshad, he falls due to greed.
- Faisal Rashid (Debashis): Provides great comic relief, especially his “chai making class.”
- Nikhil Dwivedi (Tyagi): He plays a calm believer in the system. As one character says, “Harshad is desi and classless,” but Tyagi plays the game with “class.”
Other Memorable Roles:
- Satish Kaushik (Manu Mundra): The “Cobra.” He hardly has a scene without using abusive language. I felt he was sidelined a bit in the final episodes.
- Shadaab Khan (Ajay Kedia): He plays the character with perfect attitude. You understand why Harshad hated him.
- Mamik Singh (Citi Bank Chairman): He saves Tyagi from jail. Is it just me, or does his accent sound a bit like Matthew McConaughey?
- Rajat Kapoor (CBI Officer): Terrific performance. I loved his final scene calling out the CBI director for being a puppet.
Pacing and Structure
There are no dull moments. However, I recommend taking a break after Episode 8. The final two episodes have a major shift in pace. It goes from a thriller to a tragedy. It is hard to watch a character who always found a way out suddenly have no answers.
Memorable Moments
- The Dining Scene: Harshad’s father is unhappy that Harshad threw a party for quitting his job.
- The “Trust” Dialogue: Pherwani tells Harshad that “Trust” is the most valuable thing. Ironically, Pherwani dies because he went against that theory.
- The Press Conference: I loved how they mixed the real footage of Ram Jethmalani with the reel scene.
Dialogues That Hit Different
The writing is unforgettable.
- “Risk hai toh ishq hai.” (Harshad’s favorite).
- “Old school or new school, everyone has one common subject: Profit.”
- The comparison of Dalal Street to an ocean (“Dariya”).
Music: The Addictive Soundtrack
The title theme is addictive—it will stay in your head for months. The background songs are perfect:
- “Toofan”: Plays when Harshad’s family sees the article exposing the fraud.
- “I am coming, you are going”: A hilarious song used to introduce the CBI officer Madhavan.
Minor Flaws
The only flaw is that we know almost nothing about the personal lives of the supporting characters. Every time they appear, they only talk about the stock market or Harshad. But since the show is titled Scam 1992, maybe that diversion wasn’t needed anyway.
Final Verdict
Scam 1992 has become my favorite Hindi web series (beating Mirzapur). It works in every department. To get the best out of every single actor is a dream come true.
My Rating: 9.5/10
