Netflix takes Indian true crime drama

Delhi Crime

SVoD giant Netflix has acquired an Indian police procedural drama based on a real-life investigation by Delhi Police into an horrific sex attack.

Delhi Crime (7×60’) was inspired by the devastating rape of a young woman in 2012 which caused outrage worldwide. The series portrays the complexities of the investigation and the emotional toll it takes on the police team.

The series involved six years of research after Canadian filmmaker Richie Mehta (Amal, Siddharth) came up with the idea for the drama during a conversation with Neeraj Kumar, a former commissioner of Delhi Police. Kumar introduced him to the investigating team and offered access to hundreds of pages of legal documents.

Delhi Crime is produced by Indian OTT-focused outfit Golden Karavan and US- and Asia-based Ivanhoe Pictures. It was picked up by Netflix ahead of its screening at the Sundance Film Festival.

Mehta exec produces alongside Golden Karavan’s 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. Robert Friedland, Sidney Kimmel and Brian Kornreich produce for Ivanhoe Pictures.

The deal was brokered by Robert Jesuele and Kornreich on behalf of Golden Karavan and Ivanhoe respectively.

“Delhi Crime is an important story told with sensitivity and responsibility. Shows like this bring a much-needed lens to the lived reality of women around the world,” said Simran Sethi, director, international originals at Netflix. “Watching this series is an affecting experience, and we are sure it will be as meaningful an experience for Netflix audiences as it was for us.”