Jamtara: Story of Jharkhand’s Phishing Industry
‘Jamtara – Sabka Number Ayega’ is a fictionalized true-crime series directed by National Award-winning director Soumendra Padhi. Its plot revolves around a group of small-town young men run a lucrative phishing operation, until a corrupt politician wants in on their scheme — and a cop wants to fight it. As per Netflix, Jamtara, “captures the dark side of the internet, the cocktail of opportunity and motivation that lead ordinary people into the world of crime.” The 8 episodes-26 minutes thriller series is set to air on January 10, 2020, on Netflix.
The trailer reveals masterminds and cousins, Sunny and Rocky, along with their friends, quietly run a wildly successful phishing scam from the Jamtara a small village in the Jharkhand state of India. A news report about the scam catapults the village into the limelight, throwing them under the bus, when suddenly, everyone including local politicians and goons, wants in on the game. With police and banks high on their tails to arrest the boys, the series seems to unfold as an intriguing thriller.
A cursory glance through Google will tell you that Jamtara has become the phishing capital of the country, with more than 80% of online frauds originating here. Jamtara – Sabka Number Ayega is the real story of those many incidents where people have no option but to be aware of such activities. Certainly, the series will help many think twice before they answer an unknown phone number where they have been asked to share personal details.
“The issue of phishing is so common and yet so underrepresented in the media,” Jamtara’s director Padhi said in a prepared statement. “I’ve been to Jamtara and spoken to multiple people about how these scams are pulled off — the stories are so real and yet so unbelievable that I knew I had to share them with the world. Based on true-crime incidents, the series required a great deal of research and detailing to bring to life various characters and motives.”
The series that presents a very nuanced look at human relationships brings together an ensemble cast that includes Amit Sial (Inside Edge), Dibyendu Bhattacharya (Dev.D), Aksha Pardasany (Devdas), Sparsh Shrivastav (Shake It Up), Monika Panwar (Super 30), and Anshuman Pushkar (Kapow). Rounding out the cast are Kartavya Kabra (Adithya Varma), Rohit Kp (Batti Gul Meter Chalu), Harshid Gupta (San’ 75), and newcomers Sarfaraz Ali Mirza and Aatm Prakash Mishra.
Netflix has published a trailer on December 22 along with a detailed description, “A story based on true events around the phishing scams that take place in the city of Jamtara, Jharkhand. A group of young men scams people across the country over simple phone calls. You may not know them but they most definitely have your number already. You’re just one phone call away from losing your life savings. Jamtara, premieres on January 10th, only on Netflix.” Check out the trailer above.