Overview
Beyhadh is an Indian Hindi-language television drama series that premiered on Sony Entertainment Television on 11 October 2016 and concluded on 4 August 2017. Produced by Cinevistaas Limited, the show was promoted as a psychological thriller and romantic drama, a relatively unusual combination for prime-time Hindi general entertainment television at the time of its release. It is best known for its portrayal of obsessive love and the central character of Maya Mehrotra, played by Jennifer Winget.
Key facts
| Title | Beyhadh |
|---|---|
| Genre | Psychological thriller, romantic drama |
| Original language | Hindi |
| Original network | Sony Entertainment Television |
| Production house | Cinevistaas Limited |
| Original run | 11 October 2016 – 4 August 2017 |
| Country of origin | India |
| Lead cast | Jennifer Winget, Kushal Tandon, Aneri Vajani, Piyush Sahdev |
| Followed by | Beyhadh 2 (2019–2020) |
Premise
The show centres on Maya Mehrotra, a successful and accomplished fashion designer whose composed exterior masks a deeply possessive and unstable psychology shaped by childhood trauma. Maya falls intensely in love with Arjun Sharma, a photographer, and her need to control every aspect of his life forms the dramatic core of the narrative. The story examines themes such as obsessive love, narcissistic personality traits, parental favouritism, and emotional manipulation, alongside the more conventional family-drama elements typical of Indian prime-time television.
Cast
- Jennifer Winget as Maya Mehrotra, the lead protagonist-antagonist
- Kushal Tandon as Arjun Sharma, a photographer and Maya's love interest
- Aneri Vajani as Saanjh Mathur, Arjun's friend
- Piyush Sahdev as Ayaan Thakur
Production
Beyhadh was produced by Cinevistaas Limited, one of the older production banners in Indian television. The show was conceptualised as a finite series with a defined narrative arc, distinguishing it from the open-ended saas-bahu format that dominated Hindi general entertainment channels. It was telecast on weekday nights on Sony Entertainment Television.
Reception and significance
The series received attention for its dark tone, stylised visual treatment, and Jennifer Winget's performance as Maya, which is widely regarded as a defining role in her television career. Critics and viewers noted the show's willingness to depict a female lead with overtly negative and pathological characteristics, deviating from the more idealised heroines common in the genre. The character of Maya became a recurring reference point in popular discussion of complex female characters on Indian television.
The show is considered part of a broader shift in the late 2010s towards thriller and crime-tinged storytelling on Hindi general entertainment channels, alongside titles produced for streaming platforms.
Sequel
A sequel, Beyhadh 2, premiered on Sony Entertainment Television on 2 December 2019, again featuring Jennifer Winget in the lead role, this time as Maya Jaisingh. The second season was produced by LSD Films and ran until 2020, with its broadcast affected by the production shutdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It later concluded its run on a digital platform.
Awards
Jennifer Winget's portrayal of Maya earned her several nominations and wins at Indian television award ceremonies, including recognition in negative-role and popular-performance categories.