Ever since the pastime was brought to India in the late 1700s by the British, cricket has unquestionably become the most popular sport in the country, with numerous clubs and many tournaments all sprouting up in the name of the game. Becoming such a strong Indian tradition, cricket has actually become infused with the nation’s culture as well. But just like all the televised physical competitions that have gone through their own moments of corruption right here in the United States, cricket in India has been through its trial by fire as well, and Netflix wants to shine a light on this tumultuous time.
Releasing as atrue-crime documentaryjust within the past week calledCaught Out: Crime, Corruption and Cricket, MOW Productions, along with Passion Pictures and director Supriya Sobti Gupta tell the real-life tale of a coveted network of bookies and gamblers swarming into the surging sport known as cricket in the early 2000s. Taking advantage of each new generation of players, the young, up-and-coming stars would be groomed from the very beginning with excess handouts of cash and being cordially invited to the most fashionable of restaurants without having to pay for anything. However, when a strong relationship has been formed, and the bond is made between player and bookmaker, that’s when the first request is made, and after that is when the ball starts rolling in terms of trade-offs.
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Capturing the Corruptness in India’s Cricket
The producers and director ofCaught Outmade sure to capture the authenticity behind the heartbreaking scandal by interviewing the investigators and journalists who were there in the fray when these events unfolded. Talking with names like Aniruddha Bahal, a reporter forOutlook Magazine, Ravi Sawani, who was the former CBI joint director for special crimes, and Minty Telpaj, who was one of the founders ofTehelka, an Indian news magazine and website, they all ended up doing their part in breaking this story that instantly rocked the foundation of the Indian sports world.
With an actual former player and coach by the name of Manoj Prabhakar now on the side of the truth because his love for the game was more heavily impacted than any of the friendly camaraderie with other players who were out there on the field with him, he started working with Minty Telpaj to bring down this heinous ring that was corrupting all corners of cricket. The entire scandal was suddenly pushed into the mainstream spotlight when Prabhakar released surveillance footage through a documentary in which he was bribed by another cricket player and legend in his own right, Kapil Dev. Given that this man was named Indian Cricketer of the Century in 2002, you may imagine the fiery pushback that both Tehelka and Minty Telpaj received.
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CBI Working Through the Shadows
Since this was exploding among the public and officials in the sport, the Central Bureau of Investigation was called in to investigate the matter. Figuring out details of every single bookie involved, they found out that there was someone at the very top of this pyramid, a man who did his best to keep in the shadows and was successful at doing so. With the many allegations seemingly being thrown back and forth and fingers being pointed all around, this criminal investigation certainly makes many detours and quick exits before even letting the viewer have a chance to breathe. A unique part ofCaught Outcomes from the fact that the producers and director were allowed access to historical and archival footage between the interviews and recreated scenes. Using these clips, the audience can be transported back in time and witness the true ferocity of fans swindled by their scripted sport.
If you haven’t watchedCaught Out: Crime, Corruption and Cricketyet, you can rest easy knowing that the names who put together this presentation already have great experience in the documentary genre.Director Supriya Sobti Gupahas worked with Netflix in the past, crafting other international forays for the small screen likeBad Boy Billionaires: India,which looks at the country’s ultra-rich and powerful as well asStreet Food: Asia,which is afood documentarywhich sends international tastes through the television screen.
Bringing Realism to International Filmmaking
As for the producers, they both have worked on instantly recognizable titles. Since MOW Productions’s base of operations is in India, they specialize in the country’s history, molding works like 2023’sMumbai Mafia: Police vs Underworldwhich is available onNetflix, and 2022’s religious expose,Mother Teresa: For The Love of God?which can be watched on Apple TV. On the other hand, Passion Pictures is a film-making company with offices in five different countries which helpedCaught Outfind leverage in a packed streaming world. Passion has also worked on varied projects like a look into tv actor’s John Belushi’s life calledBelushiwhich was released in 2020, and creating an animated series adapted from the video gameApex: Legends. Having experience in this entertainment medium and dipping their toes into competitive sports fandom, they understood the level of detail needed for a documentary that involved people from so many different levels of interest.
WithCaught Out: Crime Corruption and Cricketofficially released on Netflix starting on Mar. 17, there is no better time to get enthralled in the world of scandals and sports.
