Excited about 'Scoop'? Check out these 7 similar mind-blowing crime dramas

Stories about investigative journalism have a penchant to keep audiences hooked to their screens from start to finish. The captivating adventures of brave journalists in their efforts to uphold the values and responsibilities of the fourth estate often make for compelling storytelling. The upcoming Hansal Mehta-TV series, Scoop, is based on the real-life story of Mumbai-based journalist, Jigna Vora, who is accused of orchestrating the murder of another journalist using her contacts in the underworld. The story focuses on her ordeal as she struggles to clear her name while press and law enforcement officials are firmly convinced that she has orchestrated the said assassination. So for today’s List hai toh hit hai, we have curated a list of films and TV shows that deep-dive into the treacherous and often fragile lives of investigative journalists.

1. Spotlight

The first title on this list is Spotlight, an Academy Award-winner for Best Picture. The biographical drama film follows the investigation of the renowned team of investigative reporters from the Boston Globe called Spotlight, as they uncover allegations of systematic child sex abuse by Catholic priests in Boston. Set in the early 2000s, the team’s investigation reveals startling information about abuse cases dating back decades. The film features an ensemble cast of Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Stanley Tucci, Liev Schreiber, and Billy Crudup among others, and is directed by Tom McCarthy.

2. The Broken News

The Zee5 original series, The Broken News, depicts the cut-throat rivalry between two fictional national news broadcasters, Awaaz Bharati and Josh 24/7. The series focuses on the personal and professional lives of the journalists involved in both these media outfits. While the cash-strapped Awaaz Bharati believes in journalistic ethics and integrity, their rivals focus all of their efforts on sensationalism and unverified news for better TRPs. Helmed by Vinay Waikul, the series is a remake of the British TV series titled Press. Jaideep Ahlawat, Sonali Bendre, Shriya Pilgaonkar, and Indraneil Sengupta play prominent characters in the Hindi thriller series.

3. Paatal Lok

Created by Sudip Sharma, and directed by Avinash Arun and Prosit Roy, the thriller series stars Jaideep Ahlawat, Gul Panag, Neeraj Kabi, Abhishek Banerjee and Swastika Mukherjee among others in pivotal roles. The acclaimed Hindi series is loosely based on the novel The Story of My Assassins by Tarun Tejpal. The narrative follows a gripping investigation as four suspects are apprehended for the brutal murder of a journalist. The investigation takes several twists and turns as shocking details emerge. This one’s a slow burn but stick around and the final reveal will be worth pulling through.

4. Tokyo Vice

Baby Driver star Ansel Elgort essays the lead in the acclaimed crime drama series Tokyo Vice. He slips into the role of a young journalist named Jake Adelstein who takes on the powerful mob bosses in Tokyo. Fargo and Legion star Rachel Keller plays a prominent role in this one along with Inception actor Ken Watanabe. The underrated series was praised for its neo-noir setting and for embarking on an exploration of Japan's infamous underbelly.

5. Dil Se

Widely regarded as one of the most iconic Bollywood films of all time, Dil Se, was Bollywood star Preity Zinta’s debut film. The film stars Shah Rukh Khan in the lead as a young journalist who is caught between a love triangle of a woman who once rejected him and his new fiancée. Directed by Mani Ratnam, the film is set against the backdrop of separatist movement in Assam, and how the lead character becomes embroiled in it. The film also stars Manisha Koirala in the lead and features some of the most iconic songs composed by A R Rahman.

6. The Post

The critically-acclaimed Steven Spielberg film, The Post, features riveting performances by Hollywood legends Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep. The multiple award-winning drama revolves around The Washington Post’s story about the infamous Pentagon Papers, accusing then US President Richard Nixon of abusing his powers and America’s involvement in the Vietnam War – basically the events that preceded the Watergate scandal. Bob Odenkirk, Sarah Paulson, Bruce Greenwood, Matthew Rhys, Jesse Plemons, and Allison Brie essay prominent roles in this one.

7. Scam 1992

Based on the book The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away, written by Sucheta Dalal and Debashish Basu, Scam 1992, is a biographical drama series. The series narrates the story of the infamous 1992 Indian stock market scam and stockbroker Harshad Mehta. Pratik Gandhi essays the lead role along with Shreya Dhanwanthary, and the plot follows the rise and fall of Harshad Mehta. The series is helmed by Scoop co-creator Hansal Mehta, and is widely regarded as one of the greatest Hindi web series of all time.

Well that's all we got for today's episode, until the next one it's your host Nikhil signing out.

Aaj kya dekhoge OTTplay se poocho

Written by Ryan Gomez