Based on the best selling novel of the same name, Sacred Games, a Netflix original, has been garnering praise for its stellar cast, direction and dialogue delivery. The show is set in Mumbai (then Bombay) and follows policeman Sartaj Singh’s (played by our July 2018 cover star Saif Ali Khan) interactions with criminal Ganesh Gaitonde (played by the always brilliant Nawazuddin Siddiqui).

While Siddiqui and Khan do a remarkable job of holding our interests, the supporting cast of the show are absolutely splendid and do complete justice to their characters.

A huge chunk of the buzz around the show has been directed towards Kubbra Sait for her outstanding portrayal of a transgender character, Cuckoo. Cuckoo happens to be Gaitonde’s lover and the unofficial Queen of Bombay. Halfway through the series, Sait and Siddiqui act out an emotionally charged scene to perfection – a scene which is sure to garner praise and backlash in equal measure for its depiction of nudity.

Jitendra Joshi as Sartaj Singh’s aide brings much-needed humour to the series and has been the recipient of the Filmfare (Marathi) award for Best Actor for his role in Ventilator.

Shalini Vatsa as the fierce and formidable Kanta Bai is an absolute delight to watch as is Elnaaz Norouzi as Zoya Mirza. Geetanjali Thapa’s heartbreaking portrayal of Nayanika tugs at the heartstrings and she shines in the few scenes that she is in. Danish Pandor, Luke Kenny and Rajshri Deshpande are splendid additions and aid in expanding the narrative.

All eight episodes of the show are available on Netflix.