Why You Should Watch This Underrated Indian Crime Drama
Journalism can be a thrilling profession, with the potential to see your name on the front page and uncover the next big story. However, it is also a risky field that requires interviewing witnesses and bystanders who may have been present during a crime. In some cases, journalists may even find themselves mingling with criminals and mafia members in pursuit of their next scoop.
The new Netflix series, Scoop, based on the biographical memoir Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison by Jigna Vora, depicts the dangers of a journalist going too far in pursuit of a story. The show centers around Jagruti Pathak, a single mother and newspaper reporter struggling to balance her career, family, and personal life. Despite accusations of taking unethical measures to obtain exclusive stories, Pathak remains steadfast in her pursuit of the truth.
Scoop starts off as a workplace drama filled with office politics and cutthroat competition for the front page. However, the tone quickly shifts with the cataclysmic event that occurs at the end of the first episode. Similar to Vora’s real-life experience of being accused of a colleague’s murder, Pathak finds herself in the same predicament but on a public stage. The show then takes a unique turn, depicting life inside a women’s prison and the impact on Pathak’s family on the outside.
The cast of Scoop is exceptional, with Karishma Tanna portraying Pathak and Deven Bhojani, Sanat Vyas, and Vishal Thakkar playing her family members. The addition of Gopi Desai as Pathak’s grandmother and Prosenjit Chatterjee as the man at the center of the scandal adds depth to the series.
Scoop is a must-watch for its eclectic cast of characters and the show’s mantra of never giving up in the face of adversity. It is a gripping crime drama that showcases the dangers of investigative journalism and the impact it can have on one’s personal life.
As much as working in the field of journalism can bring about feelings of euphoria and excitement when your name comes to be featured under the front page byline, the occupation can also become a very risky endeavor. Not only do you take quotes from innocent witnesses and bystanders who were potentially at the scene of a crime, but you might end up finding yourself in the same social circles that encompass criminals and mafia members if you dive too deep chasing that next big story.
Adapted from a biographical memoir titled Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days In Prison by Ms. Jigna Vora (who was Deputy Chief of Bureau at a very popular English language Indian newspaper called The Asian Age), a new show on Netflix that was released just last week shows what happens when someone’s passion for reporting inadvertently takes them too far.
Produced by Matchbox Shots LLP and filmed in India, Scoop revolves around a female main character named Jagruti Pathak. Trying to juggle a career within the realm of newspaper reporting that has you always on the clock, being a loving and supportive single mother for your young child, and keeping your lower-class family’s spirit afloat is enough to make any person feel like they are on autopilot.
On top of all those things, Ms. Pathak is also accused early on of taking unsavory measures towards her occupational feats, including sleeping with her boss and paying her sources for exclusive stories. Nevertheless, Scoop quickly sends viewers into a whirlwind as the first episode’s ending coincides with the cataclysmic event in Ms. Vora’s life.
Just as she was accused of being a conspirator in a fellow reporter’s cold-blooded murder in 2011 (which she served nine months for before actually receiving bail), actress Karishma Tanna’s character goes through the same struggle but in front of the entire world to see.
Once a Reporter, Now a Supposed Conspirator
Besides the drastic change of tone set by the killing that was done at the very end of the first entry, everything up to that point played out like a realistic workplace drama. Workers vying for the front page, rumors flying about those in top positions, and stories dramatically being cut down because they won’t attract sales all innocently decorate the beginning.
Scoop then does an excellent job of quickly dropping the initial and stretched-out tone for a more favorable and unique narrative of a woman who not only desperately clings to a blurry vision of hope but also daringly steps through every bit of suffering that is consistently brought on by her jail mates.
Through the series, viewers are met with not only what happens on the inside of female prisons when an unsuspecting woman is suddenly thrown into the mix but also what life is like on the outside regarding the trials and tribulations surrounding her colleagues and the emotional turmoil that is seen through her family members. Throughout the six-episode saga, we see her father have panicked outbursts, her son fighting off taunts from malicious classmates, and her other relatives coming close to giving up the family shop and selling his car.
Family Is a Big Part of Netflix’s Scoop
Talking about the characters, the cast members of Scoop make this crime drama a show to remember. As mentioned earlier, besides being in various reality shows that test endurance, like India’s version of Fear Factor and Big BrotherMs. Tanna is also featured in other dramas from that country called Guilty Minds and Hush Hush, both available on Prime Video.
Filling out the roles of her family are actors Deven Bhojani, Sanat Vyas, and Vishal Thakkar, who play her uncle, grandfather, and son, respectively. Obtaining official acting credits since 2021, Mr. Thakkar tugs at the heartstrings of mothers all around the world when he defends his own mother’s reputation with an unnerved mindset. Not only acting, but Mr. Bhojani has also obtained three awards for his directing, which shows he is accustomed to being on both sides of the camera.
Being in the field of acting for over forty-five years, Mr. Vyas shows the most shock with Jagruti Pathak suddenly taken. Playing Ms. Pathak’s mother is Morli Patel. Ms. Patel has recently been in numerous thrillers, including 2023’s Hello and Karma. Last but not least, Gopi Desai plays Jagruti’s grandmother and has been in the Indian acting field for over 25 years.
Playing the man who was killed and caused this entire scandal, Prosenjit Chatterjee stars as Jaideb Sen. Playing a wise but quite mysterious mentor, Mr. Chatterjee’s acting credits go all the way back to 1968. Known as one of the most prominent actors in Bengali cinema, he has won over 27 awards that showcase his excellence in the field.
Just released on June 2nd, many other personalities and faces come to be mixed in with the names prominently featured in this new international Netflix crime drama. Combining the eclectic cast of characters and the story’s mantra of never giving up, Scoop is a series that nobody should miss out on.
