Television series
Rana Naidu
A slick Indian crime thriller about a high-end celebrity fixer and his ex-convict father who solve scandals, cover tracks, and navigate Mumbai's underworld. Sharp dialogue, morally grey characters, and the kind of propulsive plotting that makes you lose track of time. For anyone who loved the mechanics of *Breaking Bad* or *Better Call Saul* but wants something with different energy.
Should you watch it?
Watch it if you like morally grubby crime drama where the fixers are the protagonists and the family rot is the real story, with the cynicism sharp enough to cut yourself on.
Skip it if you want a tidy, self-contained plot; this one sprawls across eighteen episodes of loud, tangled dealings, and its tone swings hard between brutal and bluntly comic.
What it asks of you: Settle in for a long haul of around forty-seven-minute episodes, and expect to keep track of many people, many favours and a father-son relationship that never sits still.
Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.
If you liked this
Better Call Saul2015
A morally compromised protagonist navigates impossible situations with charm and calculation. Meticulous plotting, excellent writing, and a slow descent into worse choices that feels inevitable.
But Deliberately paced. The appeal is in watching someone scheme, not in action or spectacle. Requires patience.
The Lincoln Lawyer2022
A defense attorney operates from a car, taking morally flexible cases that expose LA's power structures. Fast, clever, and genuinely fun—legal maneuvering as entertainment without pretension.
But Plot sometimes outpaces character depth. If you need complexity over momentum, this skates past it.
Godfather of Harlem2019
Viola Davis and Forest Whitaker in a period crime saga about power, family, and survival in 1960s Harlem. Gorgeously shot, morally intricate, excellent supporting cast, and genuinely gripping.
But Can feel scattered across multiple storylines. Some plot threads resolve more tidily than others.
Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Rana Naidu
The wildcard
Something you would not have found on your own.
Andor2022
Both examine how ordinary people rationalize and navigate systems of corruption. The engine is the same: small choices adding up to something you can't undo.
A *Star Wars* prequel series about a man drawn into rebellion through economic desperation and systemic injustice. Impeccably crafted spy thriller that happens to exist in a universe with aliens.
But Slow-building and serious. If you want *Star Wars* action and myth, this is bureaucracy and moral compromise instead.
More like this (7)
Dahaad2023
A Hindi crime thriller following a cop hunting a serial killer across rural India. Gritty, uncompromising, and anchored by a magnetic central performance. Feels lived-in and dangerous.
But Bleak and occasionally grueling. The procedural pacing won't appeal if you want something lighter.
Ozark2017
A financial advisor launders drug money in the Ozarks with his wife and gets deeper into criminality. Darkly funny, tremendously tense, and full of characters you can't look away from.
But Third and fourth seasons lose some momentum. The premise is stronger than all the ways it stretches it.
Peaky Blinders2013
Post-WWI Birmingham gangsters navigate family, loyalty, and ambition with style and violence. Impeccable cast, addictive plotting, and a visual language all its own.
But Later seasons rely on reputation more than substance. Can feel like it's coasting on what made it great.
Gangs of Wasseypur - Part 12012
A sprawling, stylish Indian crime saga about rival gangs, feuds, and ambition. Darkly comic, wildly entertaining, and shot with real flair and personality.
But Nearly three hours across two parts. Deliberately chaotic editing—clarity takes a back seat to energy.
Sacred Games2018
A Mumbai cop pursues a gangster and possible terrorist across a richly detailed city. Indian crime drama at its most confident, with stellar performances and intricate plotting.
But Second season stumbles narratively. The first season is phenomenal; after that, commitment becomes harder to justify.
Bodyguard2018
A British political thriller about a war veteran assigned to protect a controversial MP. Taut, propulsive, and genuinely suspenseful with strong performances and smart twists.
But Six episodes is barely enough for the ambitions. Some revelations feel rushed, and the ending divides viewers.
A Prophet2009
Like *Rana Naidu*, it's about learning the rules of a criminal world and rising within it. But where the show has momentum and style, this has the weight of actual consequence and no escape route visible.
A French-language crime drama about a young man's education inside prison. Brutally real, brilliantly acted, and structured like a masterclass in how environments remake people.
But Subtitles. Prison violence is depicted frankly, not glamorized. It's a serious film about serious things, with no lightness to soften it.
People
Writing
- Karan AnshumanCreator