Black (Indian TV series)

The series is set in the fictional town of Ranipur, where a series of brutal murders of young women stuns the community. The narrative centers on two police officers—Sub-inspector Kiran Deshmukh (Ritwik Bhowmik) and Inspector Rudra Sen (Chandrachoor Rai)—who are forced to partner despite their conflicting methods. As they dig deeper, they uncover a web of secrets involving local politics, a powerful family, and a dark past that connects the victims.¹

• Ritwik Bhowmik as Sub-inspector Kiran Deshmukh: a young, idealistic officer from Mumbai.
• Chandrachoor Rai as Inspector Rudra Sen: a seasoned, cynical cop with a troubled history.
• Anindita Bose as Dr. Meera Iyer: a forensic psychologist who assists the investigation.
• Kshitij Chauhan as the antagonist, a local businessman with political connections.

The cast also includes Anurag Arora, Shrikant Verma, and Pooja Sood in supporting roles.²

Black was produced by Bengal Creative and Dice Media, with Poulomi Das serving as showrunner and lead writer. The series was shot in and around Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, over a period of 70 days. It premiered on JioCinema on 1 March 2024, with all eight episodes released simultaneously.³

The series received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances, particularly Bhowmik's, and the atmospheric direction. Film Companion called it "a gripping procedural with a human heart," while The Indian Express noted its "slow-burn tension" and "strong character work." On IMDb, it holds a rating of 8.1/10 based on over 10,000 user votes.⁴

Despite its title, the series is not related to the 2005 Bollywood film Black; the title refers to the dark themes and the moral ambiguity of the characters. The show was originally developed under the working title Kala (Hindi for black) but was changed to avoid confusion with a 2023 film of the same name. The series is notable for being one of the first Indian streaming shows to feature a non-binary character in a significant role, played by actor Ritika Shrotri. Additionally, the show's soundtrack, composed by Ishaan Chhabra, incorporates traditional folk music from the Malwa region, adding a layer of local authenticity.

JioCinema

An Indian over-the-top streaming service owned by Viacom18, offering films and series in multiple languages.

Procedural

A genre of television drama that focuses on the step-by-step process of solving a crime, often featuring police or legal investigations.

Non-binary

A gender identity that does not fit strictly into the categories of male or female.