Crime dramas set against the backdrop of India’s political and social history have always held a special appeal for audiences, and Sultan of Delhi is one of the more ambitious entries in this genre. Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, the show attempts to chart the rise of a powerful figure in Delhi’s underworld against the turbulent decades following India’s independence. With a strong ensemble cast, a gripping premise rooted in a popular novel, and high production value, the series generated significant buzz upon its release.
This article takes a detailed look at everything you need to know about Sultan of Delhi, including its story, cast, episode breakdown, and an honest assessment of how the show holds up as a piece of entertainment.
About Sultan of Delhi
Sultan of Delhi is an Indian action-thriller series created by Milan Luthria, based on Arnab Ray’s novel Sultan of Delhi: Ascension. The series stars Tahir Raj Bhasin, Mouni Roy, Anjumm Sharma, Vinay Pathak, and Anupriya Goenka, and it premiered on Disney+ Hotstar on October 13, 2023. The show was directed by both Milan Luthria and Suparn Verma, with Suparn Verma also credited for the screenplay and story.
The series consists of one season with nine episodes, each running between 30 and 45 minutes. It was produced by Reliance Entertainment along with Dreamers & Doers, giving the show a polished, cinematic look that mirrors the visual style associated with director Milan Luthria’s earlier film work.
Set in the 1960s, the narrative follows the ascent of a gangster figure within Delhi’s underworld, weaving together themes of power, political intrigue, and betrayal. The story specifically begins in 1962 and centers on Arjun Bhatia, a young immigrant navigating a turbulent new chapter of his life in Delhi.
Story and Plot
At its core, Sultan of Delhi is the story of Arjun Bhatia, a survivor of the Partition of India who arrives in Delhi as a refugee with little more than his will to survive. What begins as a tale of displacement and hardship gradually transforms into an ambitious chronicle of how one man claws his way up through the city’s criminal hierarchy, driven by circumstance, ambition, and an unrelenting hunger for power.
The series traces Arjun’s journey from a vulnerable young migrant to a formidable player in Delhi’s underworld, showing how the traumas of Partition shaped a generation that had to rebuild their lives from nothing. Along the way, he crosses paths with a colorful cast of allies and rivals, each pulling him deeper into a world defined by loyalty, betrayal, and violence.
The narrative also weaves in political undercurrents of the era, portraying how criminal enterprises in Delhi during this period often intersected with local politics and business interests. This blending of gangster drama with a period backdrop gives the show a distinct flavor, setting it apart from more contemporary crime dramas.
As the story progresses across the season, alliances shift, old rivalries resurface, and new threats emerge, culminating in a season finale meant to redefine the power structure of Delhi’s underworld. The show builds toward this climax with a mix of dramatic confrontations, political maneuvering, and personal betrayals among its central characters.
Cast of Sultan of Delhi
The series features a strong ensemble cast that brings its complex, morally layered characters to life.
Tahir Raj Bhasin as Arjun Bhatia – The central character of the series, Arjun is a Partition survivor whose journey from refugee to underworld figure forms the emotional and narrative backbone of the show. Bhasin’s performance anchors the series, portraying Arjun’s transformation with intensity and nuance across the season.
Anjumm Sharma as Nilendu Bangali – A key figure in the criminal landscape that Arjun navigates, Bangali serves as both a mentor figure and a complicating presence in the protagonist’s rise.
Nishant Dahiya as Rajendra Pratap Singh – Known by the moniker RP, this character adds another layer of ambition and rivalry to the unfolding power struggle within Delhi’s underworld.
Anupriya Goenka as Shankari Devi – One of the standout characters of the series, Shankari is portrayed as a bold and formidable presence, adding depth and unpredictability to the story’s power dynamics.
Vinay Pathak as Jagan Seth – A prominent figure whose business dealings intersect with the criminal underworld, Jagan Seth’s character brings the political and financial dimensions of the story into focus.
Mehreen Pirzada as Sanjana – Featured as an important supporting character connected to Arjun’s personal journey throughout the series.
Mouni Roy and Harleen Sethi also feature in significant roles, rounding out a cast that blends established stars with strong character actors, all contributing to the show’s dense, multi-threaded narrative.
Episode Breakdown
Sultan of Delhi consists of one season with a total of nine episodes. While the show unfolds as a continuous narrative rather than a collection of standalone stories, each episode builds on the escalating power struggles introduced in the earlier chapters.
The season opens by establishing Arjun Bhatia’s backstory as a Partition refugee, setting the stage for his eventual rise. Early episodes focus on his initial struggles and first steps into the criminal world, gradually introducing the key players who will shape his journey, including rival factions and potential allies.
As the season progresses, one episode centers on a party hosted by Jagan Seth, where rising tensions and a violent incident set off a chain reaction that intensifies conflicts across Delhi’s underworld. Subsequent episodes escalate the rivalry between competing power centers, with alliances shifting and betrayals coming to light as different characters attempt to solidify their positions.
The later episodes of the season ramp up the tension considerably, leading into a climactic finale designed to resolve the central power struggle. Without giving away specific spoilers, the finale attempts a significant narrative twist intended to redefine the trajectory of the entire series heading into any potential future seasons.
Review: Does Sultan of Delhi Deliver?
Sultan of Delhi arrives with considerable ambition, and for the most part, it succeeds in creating an engaging, well-produced crime drama. The series benefits enormously from strong central performances, particularly Tahir Raj Bhasin’s portrayal of Arjun Bhatia, which many viewers and critics have highlighted as the standout element of the show. His performance captures both the vulnerability of a displaced refugee and the hardened resolve of a man determined to seize power, giving the character genuine emotional weight.
The supporting cast also delivers strong performances across the board. Anupriya Goenka’s portrayal of Shankari Devi stands out for its boldness, while Anjumm Sharma brings a memorable unpredictability to his role. Even younger actors featured in the earlier episodes, depicting Arjun’s childhood, manage to convey the right balance of innocence and intensity required for the story’s emotional foundation.
From a storytelling perspective, the series does a commendable job for much of its runtime, building tension steadily and maintaining viewer engagement through its exploration of power, loyalty, and survival against a richly detailed period backdrop. The production values, including costume design and set pieces evoking 1960s Delhi, add authenticity to the overall viewing experience.
However, the show is not without its criticisms. A recurring point raised by viewers involves the season finale, where a significant narrative twist has been described as feeling abrupt and insufficiently set up, leaving some viewers feeling disappointed after an otherwise engaging build-up. Some also noted that the title itself, “Sultan of Delhi,” feels somewhat disconnected from the show’s actual narrative, since the central character’s dominance over the city is not as visibly established as the title might suggest.
Despite these shortcomings, the series has generally been appreciated for its ambitious scope, strong lead performance, and effective blending of period drama with underworld crime elements. It sits comfortably within the genre of gangster dramas inspired by real historical eras, drawing comparisons to other acclaimed Indian crime sagas that explore similar themes of power and betrayal.
Where to Watch Sultan of Delhi
All episodes of Sultan of Delhi are available exclusively on the Disney+ Hotstar streaming platform. Viewers with an active subscription can stream the entire season, making it accessible for binge-watching in a single sitting or spread across multiple viewings.
Final Verdict
Sultan of Delhi offers a compelling watch for fans of crime dramas and period-based storytelling, anchored by a powerhouse performance from Tahir Raj Bhasin and a strong supporting cast that brings depth to its exploration of ambition, loyalty, and survival in post-Partition Delhi. While the finale’s narrative choices have divided opinion, the overall journey leading up to it remains gripping enough to make the series worth a watch for those interested in gritty, character-driven crime sagas set against a rich historical backdrop.
Whether it will return for a second season to further develop its unresolved threads remains to be seen, but as a standalone viewing experience, Sultan of Delhi succeeds in delivering an emotionally resonant and visually compelling take on the rise of power within Delhi’s underworld.