Cinematographer Pratham Mehta utilizes a warm, sepia-toned, and golden color palette to evoke nostalgia for pre-globalization Mumbai. The chaotic, sweaty floor of the BSE—filled with shouting traders and flying slips of paper—is recreated with documentary-style authenticity.
In 2020, the Indian web series landscape witnessed a seismic shift with the release of "Scam 1992 - The Harshad Mehta Story". This Sony Liv original series, directed by Hansal Mehta, took the country by storm, captivating audiences with its gripping narrative, outstanding performances, and eerie similarities to real-life events. The show's first season, which premiered on October 9, 2020, has already garnered widespread acclaim, leaving viewers eagerly awaiting the next installment.
: Mehta acted as a middleman for short-term loans between banks, using a loophole where funds were temporarily diverted into his personal account to buy stocks Fake Bank Receipts (BRs) Scam 1992 - The Harshad Mehta Story -2020- S01 ...
Scam 1992 has left a lasting impact on both the entertainment industry and the nation's financial consciousness.
The series owes much of its critical success to its impeccable casting choices: Pratik Gandhi as Harshad Mehta This Sony Liv original series, directed by Hansal
Hansal Mehta treats the stock market like a war zone. The ticking clock of the trading hours, the roaring trading floor, the silence of a banker’s cabin—every frame is charged with tension. He uses clever visual motifs: the recurring image of Harshad standing beneath a giant chandelier that looks like a falling guillotine, or the way the lighting shifts from warm, ambitious gold to cold, prison-bright blue as the story progresses.
, a common man who started as a small-time jobber in the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and rose to become the "Big Bull." Set against the vibrant, chaotic backdrop of the 1980s and 90s Indian economy, it explores how Mehta exploited loopholes in the banking system The series owes much of its critical success
: The show is a visual treat for those nostalgic for 80s and 90s Bombay, featuring authentic set designs, costumes (like thick round glasses and retro hairstyles), and "sweeping aerial shots" of the city.
In a breakout performance, Pratik Gandhi humanizes an otherwise polarizing historical figure. He avoids turning Mehta into a caricature of villainy, instead portraying him as a charming, deeply driven, and overconfident visionary. Gandhi masterfully captures the subtle shifts in Mehta's psyche, transitioning from a hungry hustler to an arrogant tycoon, and finally to a broken, betrayed individual. Shreya Dhanwanthary as Sucheta Dalal
by journalists Sucheta Dalal and Debashis Basu, the story captures a pivotal moment in India's financial history.