Delhi Crime

Synopsis

Season 1 of Delhi Crime is based on the 2012 Delhi gang rape case that occurred in the neighbourhood of Munirka, South Delhi. The season depicts the events following the incident, in which Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vartika Chaturvedi leads the investigation to identify and apprehend those responsible for the assault and the victim's subsequent death. The second season focuses on crimes committed by the Chaddi Baniyan Gang. The third season follows Vartika Chaturvedi and her team as they investigate multiple interconnected cases involving international sex trafficking and organised crime.

Production

Mehta decided to write a script based on the events during the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder incident. He conceived the idea of Delhi Crime during a conversation with Neeraj Kumar, the former Commissioner of the Delhi Police, who introduced him to the investigating team and provided access to several legal documents. Mehta was 'amazed at the precision with which this case was solved, and so quickly.' He also met the officers involved and was 'blown away by them.' Mehta sought permission from the victim's family. Films like The French Connection (1971) and Zodiac (2007) influenced his approach.

He modelled several portrayals of the cops based on his own observations and called the making of the series a 'personally transformative journey.' It took Mehta six years to finish his research; the writing began in 2014 and took more than four years. He initially wanted to make it as a feature film but realised he could not fit the content in that length. Casting director Mukesh Chhabra worked with Mehta, who focused on actors from theatre background without being influenced by the need to have recognised faces from Hindi film industry. Shefali Shah, Rajesh Tailang, Adil Hussain and Rasika Dugal had previously worked with Mehta in his first feature film Amal (2007).

The character of Vartika Chaturvedi was based on Chhaya Sharma, the former deputy commissioner of police in Delhi. The series spans six days, covering the period between 16 December and 21 December 2012. Filming began in Delhi in January 2018 after taking permission from the Delhi police and the victim's family, and was shot over 62 days. Mehta decided not to show the rape on screen.

Filming

They used handheld cameras on purpose to make the audience feel like they were part of the narrative. The shooting was done mostly on the roads and no sets were used. Neeraj Kumar advised the producers not to involve his successors, so the entire shoot was done almost without formal permissions. Before the shoot, Kumar called the entire cast to brief them about police hierarchy, rank structure, and body language.

Release

The first two episodes of the series premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival in the Indie Episodic Category, held from 23 January to 3 February 2019. Netflix acquired the streaming rights, and on 14 February, with the official announcement of their new original contents, the makers confirmed a release date of 22 March 2019. The official trailer was unveiled on 11 March 2019.

The series was released on Netflix on 22 March. Delhi Crime season 2's official trailer was released on 8 August 2022. Delhi Crime Season 2 premiered on 26 August 2022.

Reception

The series received critical acclaim, with praise for its performances, writing, and depiction of the real-life case that inspired it. At the International Emmy Awards held in November 2020, Delhi Crime became the first Indian series to receive the award for Best Drama Series. The second season earned Shah a nomination for the International Emmy Award for Best Actress.

Did You Know?

• The first season covers only six days, from 16 December to 21 December 2012, from the incident to the final arrest of the suspects.
• Filming for the first season was completed in just 62 days, entirely on the roads of Delhi with no sets used.