# Bicchoo Ka Khel
**Bicchoo Ka Khel** (बिच्छू का खेल) is a Hindi-language Indian crime thriller web series that premiered on ZEE5 and [ALTBalaji](https://www.edgepedia.org/altbalaji) on 18 November 2020[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/bicchoo-ka-khel/0-6-3064). Directed by Ashish Shukla and written by Gibran Noorani, it stars Divyendu Sharma as Akhil Shrivastav, a law student in Banaras (Varanasi) who shoots a prominent lawyer in public and then works to prove his innocence while pursuing revenge for his father's death[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/bicchoo-ka-khel/0-6-3064) • [2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/reviews/something/2020/Nov/20/bicchoo-ka-khel-review-a-witless-unwatchable-crime-comedy-21388.html). The series ran for one season of nine episodes and is based on Amit Khan's bestselling novel of the same name[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/52085/bicchoo-ka-khel) • [4](https://www.thelallantop.com/amp/lallankhas/post/bicchoo-ka-khel-crime-romantic-drama-special-web-series-on-alt-balaji-and-zee5).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Original release | 18 November 2020, on ZEE5 and ALTBalaji[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/bicchoo-ka-khel/0-6-3064) |
| Format | 1 season, 9 episodes of roughly 20 to 23 minutes each[3](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/52085/bicchoo-ka-khel) |
| Genre | Crime, thriller, mystery; Hindi language[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/bicchoo-ka-khel/0-6-3064) |
| Lead cast | Divyendu Sharma (Akhil Shrivastav), Anshul Chauhan (Rashmi Chaubey), Mukul Chadda (Babu Shrivastav), Satyajit Sharma (Anil Chaubey)[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12987728/) |
| Key crew | Director Ashish Shukla; writer Gibran Noorani; dialogue Kshitij Roy; producer Ekta Kapoor[6](https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt12987728/) |
| Source | Based on Amit Khan's bestselling novel *Bicchoo Ka Khel*[4](https://www.thelallantop.com/amp/lallankhas/post/bicchoo-ka-khel-crime-romantic-drama-special-web-series-on-alt-balaji-and-zee5) |
| Reception | IMDb 7.0/10 from about 20,000 votes; Times of India critic rating 3.0/5[7](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/bicchoo-ka-khel) • [8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/bicchoo-ka-khel/season-1/seasonreview/79303343.cms) |
## Spoilers
### Premise and plot
The story is set in Banaras and follows Akhil Shrivastav, a budding writer and law student whose father Babu is framed for a murder he did not commit and sent to jail, where he commits suicide[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/reviews/something/2020/Nov/20/bicchoo-ka-khel-review-a-witless-unwatchable-crime-comedy-21388.html) • [9](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/bicchoo-ka-khel/seriesreview/79302879.cms). The series opens with Akhil shooting the well-known lawyer Anil Chaubey (Satyajit Sharma) on stage during his college's annual fest, then narrating in custody how his father's death connects to a murky redevelopment project in the city in which the lawyer and his cronies were involved[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/reviews/something/2020/Nov/20/bicchoo-ka-khel-review-a-witless-unwatchable-crime-comedy-21388.html) • [4](https://www.thelallantop.com/amp/lallankhas/post/bicchoo-ka-khel-crime-romantic-drama-special-web-series-on-alt-balaji-and-zee5).
Akhil's stated goal is to avenge his father in front of the world and walk out of court "not guilty"[10](https://www.ratingraph.com/tv-shows/bicchoo-ka-khel-ratings-83878/). Across the season he engages in a series of manipulative and dramatic incidents to prove his innocence, while a web of intrigue tightens around him after two killings in quick succession[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/bicchoo-ka-khel/0-6-3064) • [11](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/bicchoo-ka-khel-review-looks-like-mirzapur-redux-7057650/). His love interest is Rashmi Chaubey (Anshul Chauhan), the daughter of the lawyer he kills[11](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/bicchoo-ka-khel-review-looks-like-mirzapur-redux-7057650/).
Episode titles include "Asteen Ka Saanp", "Kisi Ki Chinta, Kisi Ka Chutkula", "Paapi Devta", "Saanp Seedhi Ka Khel", and "Banaras to Beijing"; the finale is titled "Jo Bharose Wale Hote Hai Wahi Bh**sdiwale Hote Hai"[1](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/bicchoo-ka-khel/0-6-3064) • [3](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/52085/bicchoo-ka-khel).
## Cast and production
Divyendu Sharma, known for playing Munna Tripathi in *Mirzapur* and Liquid in *Pyaar Ka Punchnama*, leads the cast as Akhil[12](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/bicchoo-ka-khel-is-a-tribute-to-the-films-of-80s-and-90s-divyenndu-7054458/). The supporting cast includes Anshul Chauhan as Rashmi Chaubey, Mukul Chadda as Babu Shrivastav, Satyajit Sharma as Anil Chaubey, Rajesh Sharma as a mithai-shop owner, Trishna Mukherjee as Protima, Zeeshan Quadri as Inspector Nikunj Tiwari, Gagan Anand as Rajveer, Abhinav Anand as Vikas, Akanksha Thakur as Renu Singh, and Abhishek Chauhan as Goldie Singh[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12987728/) • [11](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/bicchoo-ka-khel-review-looks-like-mirzapur-redux-7057650/).
Behind the camera, Ashish Shukla directed, with Saurabh Arora and Baljit Singh Chaddha as creative directors; Gibran Noorani wrote the series, Amit Khan and Noorani share story credit, Kshitij Roy wrote the dialogue, and Sunil Pillai was the cinematographer[6](https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt12987728/) • [8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/bicchoo-ka-khel/season-1/seasonreview/79303343.cms). [Ekta Kapoor](https://www.edgepedia.org/ekta-kapoor) produced for ALTBalaji, and the show was distributed jointly with ZEE5 behind a paywall[6](https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt12987728/).
## Style and intent
Divyenndu described the series as deliberately retro. He said the title itself attracted him because it "has got a cult feel to it", and that the setting, the life of a character who wants to become a writer, unfolds like a pulp fiction novel with twists and turns on every page[12](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/bicchoo-ka-khel-is-a-tribute-to-the-films-of-80s-and-90s-divyenndu-7054458/). He called the show "a tribute to the films of 80s and 90s", citing its dialoguebaazi, background score, revenge plot, and the exposure of the killer[12](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/bicchoo-ka-khel-is-a-tribute-to-the-films-of-80s-and-90s-divyenndu-7054458/). The Times of India review echoed this framing, noting the series keeps "the vibe of the 80's golden era of Indian cinema" with hero-heroine romance, villains, action, and elaborate songs, and it singled out the use of classic 1980s songs such as "Aao Na Gaale Laga Lo Na" and "Dhanno Ki Aankhon Mein"[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/bicchoo-ka-khel/season-1/seasonreview/79303343.cms).
The Banaras setting is central to the show's identity: the Lallantop feature highlighted the city's lanes, BHU, sweet shops, the Ganga, and a changing Banaras rather than the familiar postcard version[4](https://www.thelallantop.com/amp/lallankhas/post/bicchoo-ka-khel-crime-romantic-drama-special-web-series-on-alt-balaji-and-zee5).
## Reception
Critical response was divided. The Times of India gave the season 3.0 out of 5, calling it "a binge-worthy crime thriller with a retro feel" and praising Divyenndu's comic timing and his chemistry with Anshul Chauhan, while faulting a pace that sometimes makes it hard to connect the dots and a climax whose big reveal "isn't all that explosive"[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/bicchoo-ka-khel/season-1/seasonreview/79303343.cms). Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express titled her review "Looks like Mirzapur redux", writing that the show was one more entry in a line of web series set in the badlands of eastern [Uttar Pradesh](https://www.edgepedia.org/uttar-pradesh) "now so similar as to be interchangeable", though she credited Divyenndu with a smart mouth and making the most of the material[11](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/bicchoo-ka-khel-review-looks-like-mirzapur-redux-7057650/). Shilajit Mitra of Cinema Express was harshest, calling it "a witless, unwatchable crime comedy" in which the director switches genres recklessly and only Zeeshan Quadri's wry cop is watchable[2](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/reviews/something/2020/Nov/20/bicchoo-ka-khel-review-a-witless-unwatchable-crime-comedy-21388.html).
Audience measures settled in the middling range: the series holds 7.0/10 on IMDb from about 20,000 votes[7](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/bicchoo-ka-khel), and Rating Graph records an average rating of 6.9/10 across 613 votes[10](https://www.ratingraph.com/tv-shows/bicchoo-ka-khel-ratings-83878/). A [Balaji Telefilms](https://www.edgepedia.org/balaji-telefilms) investor presentation listed it among the top-rated ALTBalaji shows on IMDb, at 7.1 stars at the time of that document[13](https://bsmedia.business-standard.com/_media/bs/data/announcements/bse/20052022/3f019087-d754-4ea8-a2fd-f76726def243.pdf).
## Afterlife
The series boosted its source material: a November 2020 [Ahmedabad](https://www.edgepedia.org/ahmedabad) newspaper report noted that Amit Khan's novel *Bicchoo Ka Khel* was going into reprint on the strength of the show[14](https://api.parammount.com/parammount/file/newspaper-publication-28.11.2020-20230314124932.pdf). The series remains available on ZEE5, including free with ads, and as of the latest checks it streams on ZEE5 and VI movies and tv in India[7](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/bicchoo-ka-khel).
## References
1. [Bicchoo Ka Khel, ZEE5 official page](https://www.zee5.com/global/web-series/details/bicchoo-ka-khel/0-6-3064)
2. [Bicchoo Ka Khel review: A witless, unwatchable crime comedy, Cinema Express (20 November 2020)](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/amp/story/reviews/something/2020/Nov/20/bicchoo-ka-khel-review-a-witless-unwatchable-crime-comedy-21388.html)
3. [Bicchoo Ka Khel, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/shows/52085/bicchoo-ka-khel)
4. [IMPACT FEATURE: 'बिच्छू का खेल', The Lallantop (30 November 2020)](https://www.thelallantop.com/amp/lallankhas/post/bicchoo-ka-khel-crime-romantic-drama-special-web-series-on-alt-balaji-and-zee5)
5. [Bicchoo Ka Khel (TV Series 2020– ), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12987728/)
6. [Bicchoo Ka Khel, IMDbPro production information](https://pro.imdb.com/title/tt12987728/)
7. [Bicchoo Ka Khel streaming, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/bicchoo-ka-khel)
8. [Bicchoo Ka Khel Season 1 Review, The Times of India (19 November 2020)](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/bicchoo-ka-khel/season-1/seasonreview/79303343.cms)
9. [Bicchoo Ka Khel Web Series review, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/bicchoo-ka-khel/seriesreview/79302879.cms)
10. [Bicchoo Ka Khel ratings, Rating Graph](https://www.ratingraph.com/tv-shows/bicchoo-ka-khel-ratings-83878/)
11. [Bicchoo Ka Khel review: Looks like Mirzapur redux, The Indian Express (19 November 2020)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/bicchoo-ka-khel-review-looks-like-mirzapur-redux-7057650/)
12. [Divyenndu Sharmaa: Bicchoo Ka Khel is a tribute to the films of 80s and 90s, The Indian Express (17 November 2020)](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/bicchoo-ka-khel-is-a-tribute-to-the-films-of-80s-and-90s-divyenndu-7054458/)
13. [Balaji Telefilms investor presentation (May 2022)](https://bsmedia.business-standard.com/_media/bs/data/announcements/bse/20052022/3f019087-d754-4ea8-a2fd-f76726def243.pdf)
14. [Ahmedabad newspaper publication, 28 November 2020](https://api.parammount.com/parammount/file/newspaper-publication-28.11.2020-20230314124932.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › Unscripted, reality, and web-native series › Web-native and streaming-original series › Indian and South Asian web series › Premiered 2003 to 2020*
*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license