Dangals of Crime traces the highs and lows of wrestling and its dark underbelly

A must-watch for fans of sports and crime, Dangals of Crime takes viewers on the thrilling highs of the Olympic sport in India and plunges the depths of crime associated with the once revered sport. Among India’s most successful individual sports, wrestling has won India seven medals at the Olympics, reaching its peak when Sushil Kumar and Yogeshwar Dutt won three medals across two successive Olympic Games (Beijing 2008 and London 2012). Kumar is currently being investigated in connection with a murder case.

Dangals of Crime brings into the spotlight the traditional ‘akhada’ culture and sheer discipline that goes behind making a champion pehelwan or wrestler, along with turning the magnifying lens on its potent nexus with crime and politics.

Viewers are sure to be hooked as they watch the story of India’s greatest homegrown champions even as they fall prey to political clout and criminal activity. The show unpacks multiple perspectives and revelations as it digs beneath the surface of the much loved sport and its deep links to subterfuge, violence and crime.

Can the sport repair its tarnished reputation and restore the ideals of fairness and honour that it once stood for? The docuseries attempts to answer this question, with the first episode setting the context, as it explores the North Indian wrestling landscape, the revered Guru-Shishya model followed by the murky tales of subterfuge, violence and crime that punctured the sanctity of the sport.

The second episode delves deep into the wrestling-crime nexus, what pushes wrestlers to crime and who scouts them. It also explores what the future holds and the steps being taken to keep the next generation away from crime, and what systemic changes are the need of the hour.

The series is peppered with authentic anecdotes with locals who provide much needed context on various themes. Viewers also get a ringside view of what the training at akharas looks like, the landscape, the demand for muscle and the ecosystem of illegal businesses that are waiting to trap wrestlers. Archival footage and photographs that capture pivotal moments in the sport make it a richer viewing experience, along with TV reports, newspaper headlines and graphics that make sure every aspect is covered.

For fans of true crime and wrestling, this is not to be missed as the docuseries answers all the questions about how the rot set into the once non-violent sport as it descended into the murky world of crime. It’s a moment of reckoning for the sport, as deftly portrayed by Dangals of Crime.