From digital arrest to deepfakes: five Indian shows and films that unpack online fraud

Digital fraud is becoming a serious concern in India. Influencer Ankush Bahuguna had to go through 40 hours of "digital arrest". A deepfake video of Janhvi Kapoor made with AI also surfaced recently. These cases point to the threat of cyber fraud and financial loot on the one hand, and show on the other how artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to distort images and cross a person's private boundaries.

From phishing networks to financial scams and AI manipulation, digital fraud has many faces. Here are some Indian shows and films that bring these out.

The first is "Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story". The show is based on the 1992 securities scam and tells the story of the rise and fall of stock broker Harshad Mehta. Having made a name in Mumbai's stock market, Mehta was later caught up in one of the country's most infamous financial scams. The series, directed by Hansal Mehta and starring Pratik Gandhi in the lead, shows the loopholes in banking, the movement of money and the media scrutiny that brought the scam to the public. It is based on the book "The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away" by journalists Sucheta Dalal and Debashis Basu. Where to watch: SonyLIV.

Second is "CTRL", starring Ananya Panday and Vihaan Samat. It is the story of an influencer who turns to an AI app to erase her ex-boyfriend from her digital life, but later finds that the purpose behind the technology is deeply disturbing. Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, the Netflix thriller shows how people can be misled by misusing personal data, AI tools and a growing dependence on technology. Its themes of data misuse and online manipulation match the growing concern over cyber crime and deepfakes. Where to watch: Netflix.

Third is "Scam 2003: The Telgi Story". Moving away from the stock market, it turns to forged documents and follows the modus operandi of Abdul Karim Telgi's stamp paper scam. The series, starring Gagan Dev Riar in the lead, shows how the weakness of the stamp paper system was exploited until the operation grew into a vast network. It is based on journalist Sanjay Singh's book "Telgi Scam: Reporter's Diary". Where to watch: SonyLIV.

Fourth is "Jamtara: Sabka Number Aayega". The show moves away from big financial institutions to people who use phones every day. It probes the phishing scams of Jamtara, a town in Jharkhand linked to online fraud. The crime drama is about young men who extract people's confidential banking information over phone calls. In this age of fake calls and digital arrest scams, the show shows that even an ordinary phone call can become a weapon of fraud. Where to watch: Netflix.

Fifth is "Bad Boy Billionaires: India". The documentary series examines the controversies and allegations surrounding several big Indian businessmen, including Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Subrata Roy. Using archival footage, interviews and an investigative style of storytelling, it looks into the rise of these powerful business empires and the legal and financial disputes that followed. Rather than focusing on a single scam, the series explores the larger world of corporate ambition, alleged financial irregularities and accountability. Where to watch: Netflix.