Delhi Crime is an Indian anthology crime drama television series created and directed by Richie Mehta. The series, produced by Golden Karavan and SK Global Entertainment, premiered on Netflix in March 2019. Each season presents a fictionalised dramatisation of investigations conducted by the Delhi Police, anchored by the character of Deputy Commissioner of Police Vartika Chaturvedi, portrayed by Shefali Shah.
| Type | Anthology crime drama |
|---|---|
| Created by | Richie Mehta |
| Lead cast | Shefali Shah, Rasika Dugal, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang |
| Original network | Netflix |
| First release | 22 March 2019 |
| Language | Hindi (with English) |
| Setting | Delhi, India |
| Production companies | Golden Karavan, SK Global Entertainment, Film Karavan, Ivanhoe Pictures |
Richie Mehta, an Indo-Canadian filmmaker, developed the first season after gaining access through Neeraj Kumar, the former Commissioner of Police of Delhi, to officers who had worked on the December 2012 Delhi gang rape investigation. Mehta researched the case for several years before scripting the series, drawing from police records, interviews with investigators, and court documents to construct a procedural account of the manhunt that followed the crime.
The seven-episode first season dramatises the police investigation that followed the gang rape and fatal assault of a young woman in a moving bus in South Delhi on the night of 16 December 2012. The narrative tracks the Delhi Police across roughly five days as officers identify and apprehend the six accused. The season focuses on procedural detail, institutional pressure, and the emotional toll on investigators rather than on graphic depiction of the crime.
The second season, released on Netflix on 26 August 2022, shifts to a fictional case in which the same investigative team pursues a series of brutal home invasions and murders targeting elderly residents in Delhi. The storyline references concerns historically associated with the so-called Kachcha-Banyan gang and explores the policing of denotified tribes and migrant communities, alongside questions of class and prejudice.
Tanuj Chopra directed the second season, with Mehta continuing as creator and showrunner. Cinematography for season one was handled by Johan Heurlin Aidt.
The first season received the International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series at the 48th International Emmy Awards in 2020, becoming the first Indian programme to win in that category. Critics highlighted Shefali Shah's performance and the restrained tone of the procedural. The series prompted public discussion about the depiction of real-life crime in fiction, the working conditions of police officers, and the ethics of dramatising trauma involving identifiable victims.
Season two drew commentary on its portrayal of caste, denotified communities, and policing biases, though responses were mixed compared with the acclaim received by the first instalment.