Gagan Riar Plays Abdul Telgi, Joins Hansal Mehta’s ‘Scam-verse’ In Scam 2003: The Telgi Story; Watch Trailer

Hansal Mehta’s Scam 2003: The Telgi Story is scheduled to release on September 2 this year. The makers released the trailer of the series on Friday with the tagline, “Khel bada tha, aur khiladi…!” The web series is adapted from the Hindi book Reporter Ki Diary, written by journalist Sanjay Singh. Sanjay broke the story of the Stamp Paper Scam by Abdul Karim Telgi in 2003.

The trailer was released with the statement, “Scam 2003: The Telgi Story, is produced by Applause Entertainment in association with StudioNEXT. The series is helmed by the National award-winning director Hansal Mehta and directed by Tushar Hiranandani.”

“The story of one of India’s biggest scams by Abdul Karim Telgi, which shocked the nation with its unimaginable scale. Streaming on 2nd September, only on Sony LIV,” the statement added.

Born in Khanapur, Karnataka, Abdul Karim Telgi was a fruit seller who would create counterfeit stamp papers. The series will depict Abdul Karim Telgi’s journey to becoming the mastermind of one of India’s biggest scams. With a network spread across 18 states, Abdul scammed the country of nearly Rs. 30,000 crores.

Last year, makers announced that theatre artist Gagan Dev Riar has been shortlisted to play Abdul’s role. Marathi writer Kiran Yadnyopavit will also co-write the project along with Sanjay Singh.

Hansal Mehta’s last re-telling of a journalist’s account, Scoop, featuring Karishma Tanna as the lead saw great success post its release on Netflix. The story followed journalist Jigna Vora’s time in jail when she was falsely accused of reporter Jyotirmoy Dey’s murder in 2011.

Hansal had also helmed Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story. The web series released in 2020 and followed the story of the “Big Bull of Dalal Street”. The thriller series starred Pratik Gandhi as the lead, who was lauded for his acting prowess by audiences and critics alike. The series will form an essential part of Hansal Mehta’s scam-verse.