# Crime Beat
**Crime Beat** is a 2025 Hindi-language crime thriller web series directed by [Sudhir Mishra](https://www.edgepedia.org/sudhir-mishra) and Sanjeev Kaul for the streaming platform ZEE5, based on the 2013 novel *The Price You Pay* by Somnath Batabyal[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734) • [2](https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/news/major-new-tv-series-launches-inspired-soas-scholars-novel). It premiered on 21 February 2025 and follows a rookie crime journalist in Delhi whose investigation of a fugitive gangster's return draws him into a web of corruption, policing, and politics[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734). It shares its title with an unrelated Canadian true crime documentary series that has run since 2020[3](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/crime-beat).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Platform and date | ZEE5, 21 February 2025, Hindi audio with English subtitles[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734) |
| Format | Eight episodes, each roughly 27 to 36 minutes[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734) |
| Directors | Sudhir Mishra and Sanjeev Kaul[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734) |
| Source | Somnath Batabyal's novel *The Price You Pay* (HarperCollins, 2013); Batabyal co-wrote dialogue[2](https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/news/major-new-tv-series-launches-inspired-soas-scholars-novel) |
| Lead cast | Saqib Saleem, Rahul Bhat, Saba Azad, Sai Tamhankar, Danish Husain, Adinath Kothare[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734) |
| Setting | New Delhi in 2011, amid corruption scandals[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1079284/crime-beat-review-a-compulsively-conspiratorial-show) |
| Audience rating | 6.0/10 on IMDb from 247 user ratings[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35683314/ratings/) |
## Spoilers
### Premise
The story opens with Binny Chaudhary, a notorious Delhi mafia don described by one reviewer as a gangster turned modern-day [Robin Hood](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-hood), returning to the city and being killed in front of a large crowd[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734) • [6](https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/crime-beat-review-saba-azad-saqib-saleems-show-has-strong-performances-but-lacks-emotional-depth). Rookie crime reporter Abhishek Sinha investigates the don's life for his next big story, and the series is narrated in a non-linear fashion, bookended by Binny's assassination[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734) • [6](https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/crime-beat-review-saba-azad-saqib-saleems-show-has-strong-performances-but-lacks-emotional-depth).
As the season progresses, Abhishek is drawn into the crime-police-politics nexus: Binny escapes CBI-Interpol custody with the help of an Iranian tribe, a mysterious associate known as "Heroine" becomes a key thread, and a subplot involves the 2010 [Commonwealth Games](https://www.edgepedia.org/commonwealth-games) scam, in which contractors inflated prices and looted the government exchequer[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734) • [7](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/crime-beat-review-sudhir-mishra-s-crime-drama-falters-with-underwhelming-performances-from-saqib-saleem-and-saba-azad-article-12946426.html/amp). The Times of India reviewer described the pace as slow during setup but accelerating once Binny re-enters India, turning into a cat-and-mouse chase[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/crime-beat/crime-beat-season-1/seasonreview/118266670.cms).
### Cast and characters
- **Saqib Saleem** as Abhishek Sinha, an ambitious rookie crime journalist from a small town[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734) • [9](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/entertainment/ott/story/crime-beat-review-saqib-saleem-rahul-bhat-sai-tamhankar-fail-to-impress-2683407-2025-02-21)
- **Rahul Bhat** as Binny Chaudhary, the fugitive gangster[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734)
- **Saba Azad** as Maya Mathur, Abhishek's colleague and love interest[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/crime-beat/crime-beat-season-1/seasonreview/118266670.cms)
- **Sai Tamhankar** as Archana Pandey, also known as "Heroine"[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734)
- **Danish Husain** as Amir Akhtar, Abhishek's editor[1](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734)
- **Adinath Kothare** as ACP Mayank Sharma, a police officer[10](https://www.ottplay.com/news/crime-beat-ott-release-date-when-where-stream-saqib-saleem-crime-thriller-series/5f39d475e4934)
The supporting cast includes Rajesh Tailang, Ranvir Shorey, Vipin Sharma as politician SK Rawat, and Kishor Kadam[4](https://scroll.in/reel/1079284/crime-beat-review-a-compulsively-conspiratorial-show) • [8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/crime-beat/crime-beat-season-1/seasonreview/118266670.cms).
## Origin and source material
The series adapts *The Price You Pay*, published by [HarperCollins](https://www.edgepedia.org/harpercollins) in 2013, whose author Somnath Batabyal is a Lecturer in Media in Development and International Journalism at [SOAS University of London](https://www.edgepedia.org/soas-university-of-london) and worked as a journalist and crime beat reporter for over a decade across Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai[2](https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/news/major-new-tv-series-launches-inspired-soas-scholars-novel). Batabyal co-wrote dialogue for the screenplay, and the novel had been optioned for screen rights repeatedly before the adaptation was made[2](https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/news/major-new-tv-series-launches-inspired-soas-scholars-novel). NDTV's review placed the show in a small canon of Indian media-industry dramas, alongside *Scoop*, noting that its fictional elements largely flow from fact[11](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/crime-beat-review-saqib-saleems-series-is-not-a-crackling-thriller-but-worth-bingeing-on-3-stars-7761378).
## Reception
Indian-media reception was mixed. A summary of six source-linked reviews found the four scored reviews averaging 55 out of 100[12](https://tezflicks.com/titles/crime-beat/). The highest score came from Archika Khurana of the Times of India, who rated it 3.5 out of 5 and called it an engrossing, character-driven drama[8](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/crime-beat/crime-beat-season-1/seasonreview/118266670.cms). Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave 3 out of 5, writing that the series is not a crackling thriller in the conventional mold but is eminently binge-watchable[13](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/crime_beat/s01). Deepa Gahlot of Rediff called it engrossing enough to binge-watch, with a star turn by [Rahul Bhat](https://www.edgepedia.org/rahul-bhat)[14](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/crime-beat-review/20250221.htm).
More critical reviews cited exaggerated plotting and dated tropes. Vinamra Mathur of Firstpost rated it 2.5 out of 5, calling it a middling take on journalism and sensationalism[12](https://tezflicks.com/titles/crime-beat/), and Abhishek Srivastava of Moneycontrol, also at 2.5, argued the mentor-protégé dynamic between editor and rookie was exaggerated and that the CWG scam subplot only scratched the surface[7](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/crime-beat-review-sudhir-mishra-s-crime-drama-falters-with-underwhelming-performances-from-saqib-saleem-and-saba-azad-article-12946426.html/amp). Sumit Rajguru of Times Now gave 2 out of 5, citing predictable twists and average performances[12](https://tezflicks.com/titles/crime-beat/). On IMDb, the series held a 6.0/10 rating from 247 votes, with per-episode ratings between 6.4 and 7.1[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35683314/ratings/).
## References
1. [Crime Beat, ZEE5 official page](https://www.zee5.com/web-series/details/crime-beat/0-6-4z5375734)
2. [Major new TV series launches, inspired by SOAS scholar's novel, SOAS University of London](https://www.soas.ac.uk/about/news/major-new-tv-series-launches-inspired-soas-scholars-novel)
3. [Crime Beat (2020) streaming information, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/in/tv-show/crime-beat)
4. ['Crime Beat' review: A compulsively conspiratorial show, Scroll.in](https://scroll.in/reel/1079284/crime-beat-review-a-compulsively-conspiratorial-show)
5. [Crime Beat (2025) Ratings, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt35683314/ratings/)
6. [Crime Beat Review, Free Press Journal](https://www.freepressjournal.in/entertainment/crime-beat-review-saba-azad-saqib-saleems-show-has-strong-performances-but-lacks-emotional-depth)
7. [Crime Beat Review, Moneycontrol](https://www.moneycontrol.com/entertainment/crime-beat-review-sudhir-mishra-s-crime-drama-falters-with-underwhelming-performances-from-saqib-saleem-and-saba-azad-article-12946426.html/amp)
8. [Crime Beat Season 1 Review, Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/crime-beat/crime-beat-season-1/seasonreview/118266670.cms)
9. [Crime Beat review, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/amp/entertainment/ott/story/crime-beat-review-saqib-saleem-rahul-bhat-sai-tamhankar-fail-to-impress-2683407-2025-02-21)
10. [Crime Beat OTT release date, OTTplay](https://www.ottplay.com/news/crime-beat-ott-release-date-when-where-stream-saqib-saleem-crime-thriller-series/5f39d475e4934)
11. [Crime Beat Review, NDTV](https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/crime-beat-review-saqib-saleems-series-is-not-a-crackling-thriller-but-worth-bingeing-on-3-stars-7761378)
12. [Crime Beat review aggregation, TezFlicks](https://tezflicks.com/titles/crime-beat/)
13. [Crime Beat: Season 1, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/tv/crime_beat/s01)
14. [Crime Beat Review: Gripping Binge-Watch, Rediff.com](https://www.rediff.com/movies/review/crime-beat-review/20250221.htm)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › South and Southeast Asian serials › South Asian web serials › Premiered 2013 to 2024*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 3, 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