From Scam 1992 The Harshad Mehta Story to Rocket Boys: 5 gripping OTT web series on SonyLIV based on India’s most fascinating and true events

If you are looking for something rooted in reality, here are some shows on SonyLIV that are worth adding to your watchlist.

If you have had enough of predictable plots and the same fictional stories being told in different ways, true stories can be a refreshing change. Some of the biggest scams, historical events and criminal cases from India are stranger and more complicated than anything a writer could come up with. SonyLIV has built a strong library of shows inspired by real people and events, covering everything from financial scams and scientific breakthroughs to military operations and crime investigations. If you are looking for something rooted in reality, here are some shows on the platform worth adding to your watchlist.

1. Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story

5 must-watch SonyLIV shows based on true stories, from Harshad Mehta and Telgi to Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai.

The Hindi-language web series tells the story of stockbroker Harshad Mehta and his dramatic rise in the Indian stock market before everything came crashing down. Directed by Hansal Mehta, the series is based on The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away by journalists Sucheta Dalal and Debashis Basu. The 10-episode series stars Pratik Gandhi, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Hemant Kher and Anjali Barot.

The series follows Harshad from his middle-class beginnings to his emergence as one of the biggest names on the Bombay Stock Exchange. He finds ways to exploit gaps in the banking system and uses them to build a huge financial empire. The show also looks at his ambition, his family and the people who became part of his world as his success grew.

2. Rocket Boys

Rocket Boys tells the story of Dr Homi J. Bhabha and Dr Vikram Sarabhai and their contribution to the development of India's scientific programmes. Set in the years after independence, the series follows the two scientists as they work towards building institutions that would eventually shape India's nuclear and space programmes. The show had two seasons and were led by Jim Sarbh, Ishwak Singh, Regina Cassandra and Saba Azad.

Bhabha and Sarabhai share a common belief in India's scientific potential, but they do not always agree on how that potential should be used. Their differing views on nuclear technology, space research and the wider role of science become an important part of the story.

The series also introduces viewers to other notable scientists, including a young A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Alongside the larger historical events, Rocket Boys spends time on the friendship, disagreements and personal lives of its central characters.

3. Scam 2003: The Telgi Story

Scam 2003 moves away from the stock market and into the story of Abdul Karim Telgi, whose counterfeit stamp paper operation became one of India's biggest financial scandals. The series is based on journalist Sanjay Singh's book Telgi Scam: Reporter's Diary and stars Gagan Dev Riar, Mukesh Tiwari and Sana Amin Sheikh..

Telgi starts out selling fruit on trains before discovering an opportunity in the counterfeit stamp paper business. What begins as a money-making scheme gradually grows into a massive operation involving a network of people across different parts of the system.

The series follows Telgi as he builds his influence and expands his business while staying largely away from the public eye. Gagan Dev Riar plays the central character and undergoes a significant physical transformation for the role.

4. Avrodh: The Siege Within

Avrodh: The Siege Within looks at the 2016 Uri surgical strikes, with a greater focus on what happened behind the operation. While the events have also been portrayed in films, this series spends considerable time on the planning, coordination and decisions that took place before the mission. The series is led by Amit Sadh, Neeraj Kabi, Darshan Kumar and Vikram Gokhale.

The first season is based on the chapter "We Don't Really Know Fear" from Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh's book India’s Most Fearless. The story moves between the Special Forces preparing for the mission and officials in New Delhi dealing with the decisions surrounding the operation.

Instead of making the story only about combat, Avrodh shows the discussions, planning and coordination involved in carrying out a covert military operation. Amit Sadh plays Major Tango, the Special Forces commander leading the mission.

5. Kathmandu Connection

Kathmandu Connection is set in the aftermath of the 1993 Bombay blasts and follows a police investigation that gradually uncovers a much bigger network. The series is loosely inspired by real law enforcement files and intelligence operations from the period. Both seasons were led by Amit Sial, Gopal Datt, Aksha Pardasany and Anuraag Arora.

The story begins with three separate incidents: the murder of an investigating officer, the kidnapping of a hotelier and the harassment of a television news anchor. At first, there seems to be no connection between them. As the investigation progresses, however, the police find a link leading to Kathmandu in Nepal.

The series combines crime investigation with espionage and looks at how organised crime networks operated across borders in the 1990s. The lack of the digital surveillance and technology available today also plays a role in how the investigation unfolds.