as Rajesh Tomar, a cynical and corrupt senior jailer who serves as a mentor and foil to Gupta.

The narrative weaves through several major historical events that occurred during Gupta's tenure, including:

: Portrayed by Sidhant Gupta, the infamous "Serpent" is shown navigating the prison with relative luxury and charisma.

: The series depicts the legal and psychological weight of "Black Warrants" (death warrants) for criminals like Ranga and Billa and Kashmiri militant Maqbool Bhat.

The series is set in the late 1970s and early 1980s within the walls of Tihar Jail , Asia’s largest prison complex. It follows the journey of (played by Zahan Kapoor), a rookie assistant superintendent who enters a system rife with corruption, violence, and strict hierarchies.

The Netflix original series (Season 1) premiered on January 10, 2025 , marking a high-profile start to the year for Indian streaming content. Created by acclaimed filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane and Satyanshu Singh, the seven-episode crime drama is an adaptation of the non-fiction book Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer by Sunil Gupta and Sunetra Choudhury. Plot and Historical Context

The series features a blend of rising stars and veteran actors: