Sacred Games ( TV series ) - wikipedia Sacred Games ( TV series ) Sacred Games Genre Crime Thriller Based on Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra Written by Varun Grover Smita Singh Vasant Nath Directed by Anurag Kashyap Vikramaditya Motwane Starring Saif Ali Khan Nawazuddin Siddiqui Radhika Apte Theme music composer Alokananda Dasgupta Composer ( s ) Background Score : Alokananda Dasgupta Songs : Phenom Divine Country of origin India Original language ( s ) Hindi No. of seasons No. of episodes 8 ( list of episodes ) Production Executive producer ( s ) Kelly Luegenbiehl Erik Barmack Vikramaditya Motwane Production location ( s ) India Cinematography Swapnil Sonawane Sylvester Fonseca Aseem Bajaj Editor ( s ) Aarti Bajaj Production company ( s ) Phantom Films Distributor Netflix Release Original network Netflix Original release 6 July 2018 ( 2018 - 07 - 06 ) External links Website Sacred Games is an Indian web television series based on Vikram Chandra 's 2006 thriller novel of the same name, it is also the first Netflix original from India. The series is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, who produced it under their banner Phantom Films. The novel was adapted by Varun Grover, Smita Singh and Vasant Nath. Kelly Luegenbiehl, Erik Barmack and Motwane served as the executive producers. Sartaj Singh ( Saif Ali Khan ) is a troubled police officer in Mumbai who receives a phone call from gangster Ganesh Gaitonde ( Nawazuddin Siddiqui ), who tells him to save the city within 25 days. The series chronicles the events that follow. The cast of the series also includes Radhika Apte, Girish Kulkarni, Neeraj Kabi, Jeetendra Joshi, Rajshri Deshpande, Jatin Sarna, Elnaaz Norouzi and Kubra Sait in different roles. The development of Sacred Games started after Erik Barmack, the Vice-president of Netflix contacted Motwane to create Indian content for the platform in 2014. They opted to adapt Chandra 's novel in the local Indian language, to which Motwane agreed. After the script was completed, Motwane asked Kashyap to co-direct ; Motwane directed the sequences involving Singh while Kashyap directed Gaitonde 's. Swapnil Sonawane was the director of photography for Motwane ; Sylvester Fonseca and Aseem Bajaj filmed the scenes directed by Kashyap. Aarti Bajaj was the editor and Alokananda Dasgupta composed the background score. The first four episodes of Sacred Games premiered on 29 June 2018, with the full season of eight episodes released on Netflix on 6 July across 191 countries ; it had subtitles in more than 20 languages. It received mostly positive reviews from critics, with particular praise for the performances and writing. Contents 1 Premise 2 Cast 2.1 Main 2.2 Recurring 3 Episodes 4 Production 4.1 Development 4.2 Casting and characters 4.3 Filming 5 Release 6 Soundtrack 7 Reception 8 References 9 External links Premise Sartaj Singh is a troubled police inspector in Mumbai police, living on sleeping pills and seeking validation from a police force he nevertheless loathes for its corruption. He receives an anonymous phone call from Ganesh Gaitonde, a notorious crime lord who has been missing for 16 years. He tells Singh to save the city in 25 days, which initiates a chain of events that burrows deep into India 's dark underworld. In the journey, Singh is helped by a Research and Analysis Wing officer, Anjali Mathur. Cast Main Saif Ali Khan as Inspector Sartaj Singh Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Ganesh Gaitonde Radhika Apte as Anjali Mathur Recurring Neeraj Kabi as DCP Parulkar Jatin Sarna as Deepak `` Bunty '' Shinde Kubra Sait as Kuku Jitendra Joshi as Constable Katekar Rajshri Deshpande as Subhadra Luke Kenny as Malcolm Mourad Elnaaz Norouzi as Zoya Mirza / Jamila Pankaj Tripathi as Khanna Guru Ji Aamir Bashir as Inspector Majid Ali Khan Geetanjali Thapa as Nayanika Sehgal Shalini Vatsa as Kanta Bai Surveen Chawla as Jojo Mascarenas Girish Kulkarni as Bipin Bhosale Anupriya Goenka as Megha Singh Danish Pandor as Bada Badariya Anil Charanjeet as Chota Badariya Vikram Kochar as Mathu Samir Kochhar as SPI Markand Chittaranjan Tripathy as Trivedi Rajendra Shisatkar as ASI Dhobale Sukhmani Sadana as Mikki Muni Jha as Paritosh Shah Karan Wahi as Karan Malhotra Nawab Shah as Salim Kaka Jaipreet Singh as Constable Dilbagh Singh Raj Kashyap as Junaid Sheikh Affan Khan as Young Sartaj Singh Sunny Pawar as Young Ganesh Gaitonde Saurabh Sachdeva as Suleiman Isa Sandesh Kulkarni as Gaitonde 's Father Vibhavari Deshpande as Gaitonde 's Mother Neha Shitole as Constable Katekar 's wife Episodes No. Title Directed by Written by Original air date `` Ashwathama '' Vikramaditya Motwane & Anurag Kashyap Varun Grover 6 July 2018 ( 2018 - 07 - 06 ) The episode is named after the Hindu legend Ashwathama, who was cursed to suffer human life till eternity, in a way making him invincible. Old time gangster Ganesh Gaitonde ( Nawazuddin Siddiqui ) kills an unnamed woman who taunts him about the secret she kept for 20 years. A gunman enters a restaurant, killing almost everyone. Sartaj Singh ( Saif Ali Khan ), an honest policeman, faces departmental enquiry related to a teenager wrongly shot dead in an encounter by his senior, Parulkar. In the same evening, he gets a call from Ganesh Gaitonde, who starts narrating his journey from being the son of a pious and simpleton Brahmin to becoming a feared gangster of Mumbai in the 80s. Unaware of his true identity, Sartaj ignores him until he drops the name of Sartaj 's father, constable Dilbag Singh, in the conversation. RAW listens the whole conversation. Sartaj tracks Ganesh Gaitonde to a small but heavily secured warehouse in a mall, and forces his way through a bulldozer. He confronts Ganesh Gaitonde, who reveals that Mumbai would be destroyed in 25 days and only Trivedi would be saved, and fatally shoots himself. `` Halahala '' Vikramaditya Motwane & Anurag Kashyap Smita Singh 6 July 2018 ( 2018 - 07 - 06 ) The episode is named after ' Halahala ', an extremely toxic poison that comes out as a by - product of an attempt by Devas and Asuras to extract Amrit, the nectar for eternal life. The forensics team starts crime scene investigation ; RAW agent Anjali Mathur visits the crime scene. Parulekar and RAW agents take the statement of Sartaj. Later, Parulekar suspends Sartaj for not co-operating in the inquiry of teenager 's encounter. Anjali is impressed by Sartaj 's analytical skills and asks him to find more about the lady found murdered at the crime scene. Meanwhile, Home Minister Bipin Bhosale is shaken by the news of Gaitonde 's death and calls Parulekar for details, and commands him to disclose every minute details of the case as - it - happens. An actress named Zoya Mirza is also shaken by the news. Sartaj visits the crime scene and steals the car key earlier seen in the hand of dead lady. He locates the car and her home from the license plate. The name of the dead lady is Jojo Mascarenas, a casting agent who doubles up as pimp for struggling actresses. On inspecting her home, he locates a large stash of counterfeit currency and notifies Anjali. In parallel, the narration of Ganesh 's life continues. Viewers are introduced to Bunty, a vicious small time criminal who displays deep communal hatred but is very loyal to Gaitonde and idolises him. The title ' Halahala ' represent the poison of communal hatred. Bunty is always at loggerheads with Chota Badariya because he is a Muslim and is in a relationship with his sister. `` Atapi Vatapi '' Vikramaditya Motwane & Anurag Kashyap Smita Singh 6 July 2018 ( 2018 - 07 - 06 ) The episode is named after two demon brothers, Atapi and Vatapi, who trap and kill travelers in a unique way. Jojo Mascarenas ( Surveen Chawla ), a famous casting agent 's dead body found in the bunker leads Sartaj to one of Gaitonde 's Partner, Bunty ( Jatin Sarna ). Tracking a mobile location, Anjali reaches the restaurant where mass shooting happened in Episode 1 and saves an aged Mathu, Gaitonde 's ally from the 80s. An unnamed assassin successfully kills Mathu in the hospital with a poisonous injection. Meanwhile, Sartaj comes across a TV starlet, Nayanika. In recurring flashback, Gaitonde recalls stealing a lucky charm, Kuckoo ( Kubra Sait ) from his enemy Suleiman Isa, and his journey to becoming a feared gangster of Mumbai. `` Brahmahatya '' Vikramaditya Motwane & Anurag Kashyap Vasant Nath 6 July 2018 ( 2018 - 07 - 06 ) The episode is based on the concept of Brahmahatya ( Brahmanahatya ), which is the act of killing a Brahman or Brahma who resides in every one, implying the act of killing people, not just Hindus. With the help of RAW, TV starlet Nayanika ( Geetanjali Thapa ) visits Bunty with a hidden camera to envoke his relationship with Gaitonde. She is caught, alerting Sartaj and Anjali. Sartaj is captured by Bunty and let off with a warning. In the mid - ' 80s, Gaitonde discovers a racket even more powerful than drugs and guns : Politics. He takes 50 lakh from upcoming politician Bipin Bhosale to influence the elections in Bhosale 's favour. Meanwhile, his relationship with Kuckoo intensifies and he tries to convert his black money into white through various corporate plans. 5 `` Sarama '' Vikramaditya Motwane & Anurag Kashyap Vasant Nath 6 July 2018 ( 2018 - 07 - 06 ) Disappointed by Anjali 's view towards Nainika, Sartaj himself tries to save the TV starlet but dramatically ends interrupting the RAW 's plans to catch Bunty. In 1992, as political unrest increases, Gaitonde and Isa 's enimity drastically increases. 6 `` Pretakalpa '' Vikramaditya Motwane & Anurag Kashyap Smita Singh 6 July 2018 ( 2018 - 07 - 06 ) When Sartaj 's constable, Katekar ( Jitendra Joshi ), is pressured to investigate the case of a young man from a Muslim slum who was found missing for many days, finds a relation between the boy and a theft in nearby shop. 7 `` Rudra '' Vikramaditya Motwane & Anurag Kashyap Vasant Nath 6 July 2018 ( 2018 - 07 - 06 ) Hoping to join the missing dots of their case, Sartaj and Anjali reunite to figure out how the enigmatic Trivedi, whom Gaitonde quoted to be the lone survivor after 25 days. In the process an Egypto - Indian kills Anjali in Trivedi 's house. 8 `` Yayati '' Vikramaditya Motwane & Anurag Kashyap Varun Grover 6 July 2018 ( 2018 - 07 - 06 ) To save Mumbai from the threat that Gaitonde stated, Sartaj falls behind to find out who Gaitonde 's third father is and what 's planned to happen on the 25th day. His Discovery led him to a large room full of dangerous weapons wrapped inside wooden boxes. Production Development Erik Barmack, the vice president of Netflix, came across Vikram Chandra 's 2006 crime novel, Sacred Games, while they were searching for content for Indian and the global audience. He called it `` an interesting property '' and decided to adapt it in Indian language. They decided to approach Phantom Films while looking for director and producer for the series. In 2014, writer - director Vikramaditya Motwane met the team of Netflix during his visit to Los Angeles. Motwane had read Chandra 's earlier novel Love and Longing in Bombay where the character of Sartaj Singh was introduced. After the meeting, he read Sacred Games and thought it was `` great ''. He said the best thing for him was that they wanted to make it in Hindi and not in English, as according to him `` speaking in English can seem so fake at times. '' He started working on the adaptation of the novel with writer Varun Grover and described the writing as the `` biggest challenge ''. Motwane said that the digital series medium was `` liberating '' as he was able to tell stories that `` do n't have to be told in two - and - a-half hours with an interval and three songs inserted into it. '' Initially, Motwane considered bringing different directors on board for each episode : `` As we got closer to production, we realised that dates were clashing and that it was an overall nightmare (... ). '' He suggested that Anurag Kashyap co-direct the series with him, as Motwane felt that the two `` distinct voices '' were essential for the `` parallel tracks '' of story. Kashyap said he `` gobbled '' on the opportunity as he was fascinated with the novel. Kashyap had read the novel in 2006 when it came out. In 2014, he had been approached by AMC from Scott Free Productions to direct a series in English. Kashyap had declined the offer, as he did not want to do `` anything based in India in English ''. Motwane and his writers gave the scripts to Chandra for feedback. `` Chandra is so research - intensive that we did n't have to approach another researcher, we just had to ask him questions. '' The series was written by Grover, Smita Singh, and Vasant Nath. One of the writers, Smita Singh, said that in 2016, they were told by Phantom Films to adapt the novel and `` it had to be a gripping, slow - burner ''. The research was headed by Smita Nair and Mantra Watsa, who summarised every chapter and made the `` complex plot easily accessible '' to the writers. The entire script was completed in a year. Nath said that in the beginning of the writing process, they were `` chucking away some important characters from the original, and bringing in new ones ''. It is the first Indian original series for Netflix. The episode titles are inspired by Hindu mythology. The first episode titled `` Aswatthama '', was based on the namesake character from the Sanskrit epic Mahabharata. He was cursed with immortality by Krishna after the Kurukshetra war. In the series, Gaitonde calls himself immortal like Ashwatthama, but later commits suicide. `` Halahala '', another episode, was named after a poison of the same name, which was retrieved from Samudra manthan. Aatapi and Vatapi were two demons who used to trick travellers with hospitality and kill them. Brahmahatya means killing of a Brahmin, which is a crime in Hinduism. In the episode, the Hindu Gaitonde agrees to try to to attract Muslim votes for Hindu politician Bhosale. Sarama is referred to as a dog. Pretakalpa learns the rites of a Hindu to perform the cremations. In this episode, Katekar is killed and Sartaj cremates him. Rudra is the angered version of Shiva. Gaitonde 's wife Subhadra is killed in this episode ; he takes revenge by murdering her killers. Yayati was king cursed with premature old age. The title sequence, logo, and title designs were designed by graphic designer Aniruddh Mehta and Mumbai - based motion lab Plexus, who drew inspiration from the hindu mythology for the designs. Mehta said that each emblem was a contemporary take on `` stories from ancient Hindu scriptures, mandala 's, mixing modern design elements with characters from the Indus Valley Civilization '' that were derived from the episode titles. Several changes were made while the team adapted the novel as a series. The character of Kuckoo, a transgender woman, is mentioned in passing, as a dancer whom a police officer fell in love with. A constable narrates this to Sartaj, describing Kuckoo as `` beautiful as a Kashmiri apple ''. In the series, Kuckoo is an extended character and is shown as the love interest of Gaitonde. Similarly, the character of Malcolm Murad, who is mentioned once in the novel, has an extended role as an assassin. Few other changes were made. In the novel, the riots were a part of the story, whereas in the series, they are narrated by Gaitonde in glimpses. Casting and characters The series marked actor Saif Ali Khan 's first venture into television Several characters in the series speak different Indian languages like Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi and Gujarati. Kashyap mentioned that it gives a `` real sense of what India is ''. Saif Ali Khan called the series an experiment and said he agreed to do it because `` people are willing to watch programmes from other countries with sub-titles because good stories transcend boundaries. '' Khan found an `` interesting arc '' in the character of Sartaj Singh and called it `` troubled and honest ''. He said that he read bits of the novel but later dropped after he found it was not helping him find what needed as an actor. Radhika Apte played the role of Research and Analysis Wing ( RAW ) officer Anjali Mathur. Apte called her character a `` completely no - nonsense, focused woman who 's highly respected in her field and by her peers. '' She mentioned that her character is not glamourised unlike the Hindi film 's depict a RAW agent and did not read the novel. Kashyap said that the novel is about `` how Bombay became Mumbai '' and the series gives `` a sense of the city, where it came from and where it is today. '' Nawazuddin Siddiqui said that he treated the role of a gangster as a human being. He also felt that a series gives more time for the character to be explored, unlike a film ; he said he agreed to do the series as he wanted to explore the format. He called it the most complex character he has played so far. Khan read the short story Kama, written by Chandra, to `` delve into his character 's angst. '' The character of Sartaj Singh was changed from the novel who is described as a thin and tall police officer to a muscled heavyweight. Khan said that changes were made to make the character look `` visually engaging '' who is a `` slightly more charged - up version of the passive officer in the books ''. Kashyap called Gaitonde the `` sum of all we like in movie characters. '' Motwane said that Siddiqui was his first choice to portray Gaitonde because he `` plays gangster so well '' and `` has that aura and almost everything that 's required to play a gangster. '' He expressed that casting popular actors like Khan and Siddiqui was a conscious decision as it also `` drives a larger audience to watch. He said that it was easier to convince Apte and Neeraj Kabi for the roles after Khan and Siddiqui were cast. Kabi was cast in the role of DCP Parulkar, for which he researched from the novel. He also worked on his body language as it was mentioned in the novel for the character. Jitendra Joshi played the role of constable Katekar, who is Sartaj 's colleague. Joshi took inspiration from real life police officers for the character. Actress Kubbra Sait played the role of Kuckoo, a transgender woman. She was asked to audition by Kashyap at the screening of Mukkabaaz at MAMI Film Festival ; Sait auditioned and was eventually selected. She said the lack of references for the role made it `` the most challenging experience '' of her career. She wore a penis made of prosthetic makeup between her thighs. Jatin Sarna played the role of gangster Deepak `` Bunty '' Shinde, which he got after auditioning. Rajshri Deshpande played the role of Siddiqui 's wife, Subhadra. Girish Kulkarni was originally offered the role of constable Katekar, which he declined as he wanted a character `` that would figure in both Sartaj and Ganesh Gaitonde 's world ''. He then got the role of minister Bipin Bhosale. Iranian actress Elnaaz Norouzi was cast in the role of film star Zoya Mirza. The series ' production design was handled by Shazia Iqbal and Vintee Bansal ; Aarti Bajaj served as the editor of the series. Swapnil Sonawane shot the portions directed by Motwane. Sylvester Fonseca and Aseem Bajaj shot the scenes of Kashyap. Anish John served as the sound designer. Filming Motwane started filming in September 2017. Kashyap started filming the series after the completion of Mukkabaaz and finished shooting in January 2018. Both Motwane and Kashyap shot the series separately ; Motwane directed the present - day scenes with Khan and Kashyap filmed the Bombay of the 1980s with Siddiqui. Motwane called the exercise of shooting individually an `` experiment ''. Kashyap said it was `` painfully difficult '' to find the `` pockets of Bombay which has kept itself like it is ''. Chandra was working on the novel at the same time Kashyap was working on his film Black Friday ( 2007 ), so he `` knew the real - life parallels '' in the novel. Kashyap said that he shot and treated the series like a film. Motwane said that apart from leaving out small details, they have `` stuck to the spirit of the book ''. Motwane said that he tried to balance the series between `` making it for a worldwide audience ( and not alienating ) everybody over here. '' Motwane said that he felt liberated to tell the story without being confined to a three - act structure. Sacred Games was shot on different real locations in Mumbai including Byculla, as it was set in a period, which Motwane expressed was a `` huge logistical challenge ''. The time period of Gaitonde 's story remained unchanged, while the present - day narrative was shifted to present from early 2000s. Motwane explained that it was because of a `` similar sort of government ( today ) and the vibes are the same, so the threat felt a lot more present ''. Chandra served as a script consultant in the series. According to Sonawane, `` a lot of changes happened on the shoot ''. Several shots were also mentioned in the script, like the introduction of Gaitonde as a kid, which was a top - angle shot, as in the script. He chose to shoot Sartaj Singh 's sequences with `` worn - out but very warm lenses that reflect how nothing is working out in Sartaj 's life. '' Yellow colour palette 's were used in scenes involving Gaitone because of the `` guru that he has begun to follow. '' Bajaj shot for 27 days, but left after he was involved in another project. After which Fonseca shot the rest of the scenes. He used spherical lenses to shot in order to `` demarcate '' the world. The shootout sequence at Gaitonde 's house, was shot at three different locations with long takes on Steadicam and hand - held shots. One of the scene with Sait involving frontal nudity, was shot in seven takes. Release Apte at the screening of the show in Mumbai. Sacred Games is the first Netflix original series from India. In February, 2018, Netflix announced three new series, along with four others, making a total of seven series coming out of India. The first look of the main three characters : Singh, Gaitonde and Mathur were released by Netflix on 23 February 2018. It had individual stills of a blood spattered Singh, a perplexed looking Mathur and kurta pyjama clad Gaitonde. On 4 May 2018, the 55 second long teaser video was released. It was followed by the release of the official trailer on 5 June 2018. The series premiered in Mumbai on 28 June 2018 at the MAMI film festival, where only first four episodes were shown. The series was released on 6 July 2018 across 191 countries on Netflix with subtitles in more than 20 languages. Post the release, several mashup videos, art works and memes related to Sacred Games were released and circulated on social media. On 10 July 2018, the Indian National Congress party member Rajeev Kumar Sinha, lodged a First information report against Netflix, the showrunners and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, for allegedly insulting former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in one of the scenes. Another complaint was lodged on 11 July 2018 by the President of Youth Indian National Trade Union Congress and All Indian Cine Worker 's Association, Suresh Shyamal Gupta for allegedly insulting Gandhi. On 14 July 2018, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter to respond to the controversy by stating that freedom `` is a fundamental democratic right '' and said : `` My father lived and died in the service of India. The views of a character on a fictional web series can never change that. '' On 15 July 2018, Sinha decided to withdraw the complaint following Gandhi 's tweet. Netflix informed the Delhi High Court on 19 July 2018 that a change had been incorporated in the English subtitle to remedy the alleged insult to Gandhi. Sacred Games was also subjected to piracy. Soundtrack Main article : Sacred Games ( soundtrack ) Reception Upon release, the series garnered positive reviews from critics, with praise to the performances. The show held an 89 % approval rating on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 6.62 out of 10. The critical consensus reads : `` Gorgeous, grim, and unexpected, Sacred Games is saved from its procedural premise by its dense plotting and superb cast. '' Raja Sen gave a positive response and wrote : `` It is not an immediately explosive concept, unfolding more like a thriller by numbers, helped along by strong performances and some nimble direction. '' Jai Arjun Singh felt that the series replicated the novel 's profanity very intricately and said that the `` series uses its own methods to stress the idea of religion as something that can be both nurturing and cannibalistic ''. Ektaa Malik of The Indian Express called the series `` edgier and more layered '', but said : `` For those who have read the original source material -- the novel Sacred Games -- they might find the series a bit jarring with regards to certain plot developments. '' Manjusha Radhakrishnan of Gulf News cited the series as an `` edgy, thrilling winner '' and said that Khan and Siddiqui are in their `` top form ''. Saibal Chatterjee of NDTV gave a positive response and wrote : `` The series has the potential to wean back viewers who have been driven away from television by drab soap operas and trite entertainment formats. '' Dipti Kharude of The Quint commended the writing of the series and said, `` What 's commendable is that Sacred Games chooses compassion over glorification. '' Swetha Ramakrishnan of Firstpost called it a `` high benchmark for India 's first Netflix original. '' She further said that the show gives `` due diligence with high production value and an investment into the right parameters -- writing, acting and direction. '' Shristi Negi of CNN - News18 reviewed and mentioned that the show `` totally grips you from start to finish ''. Ankur Pathak of HuffPost gave a positive response and wrote : `` At the surface, Sacred Games appears to be a standard cat - and - mouse chase but the show 's probing, introspective nature turns a clichéd crime - saga to a biting commentary on the zeitgeist. Its relevance to our current moment can not be overstated. '' Siddhant Adlakha of IGN felt the series depicted women as the `` collateral damage to the stories of men. '' He went on to say that the series is `` alluring, but frustrating. '' Aditya Shrikrishna of The New Indian Express praised the performances of Kubbra Sait as Kukoo and Jitendra Joshi as Katekar, He called Katekar `` probably the best translated character and storyline from the novel to the screen. '' Urvi Parikh called the series `` gripping, `` intriguing '' and `` absolutely thrilling '' and `` exactly the Web series we have been waiting for ''. Shweta keshri of India Today praised Siddiqui 's acting and said that he `` makes you believe that no one could have played Gaitonde better. '' Tanul Thakur of The Wire felt the series was a `` much leaner, condensed version of its source, trying to locate the novel 's moral and philosophical centre ''. He called it a `` commendable, much - needed approach '' that seems to be in a `` needless hurry ''. Prashant Rao of The Hindu expressed that series captures the spirit of the book. He also praised Khan 's performance, stating that he `` brings alive his character 's midlife crises and the many compromises Singh makes to inhabit a ' good cop ' zone with skill and dexterity. '' Tim Goodman of The Hollywood Reporter stated that `` there are clear flaws '' while also mentioning that `` there 's something riveting about India 's bleaker, darker heart being exposed as opposed to some upbeat, colorful explosion of dance scenes ''. Mike Hale of The New York Times said that, `` despite its verve and visual inventiveness, the series feels muddled and a little wearying at times '' Adam Starkey of Metro wrote that the dual narratives, while occasionally jarring, are equally compelling. Taylor Antrim called the series `` mesmerizing '' and `` addictive '', he further said that it is `` bollywood maximalism meets downbeat Euro noir meets Hollywood gangster epic ''. Steve Greene of IndieWire felt the series was a `` surface - level telling of a story that wants to have so much more in its grasp. '' He also noted the amount of violence depicted. John Doyle of The Globe and Mail noted that the series `` sprawls from thriller to dense character study to brooding meditation on the roots of India 's political corruption. '' He, however pointed out that some elements in the story `` will puzzle viewers not familiar with India 's tangled religious tensions and caste system. '' Kaitlin Reily of Refinery29 called it a `` juicy crime thriller that combines a hardboiled detective story with magical realism. '' Lincoln Michel of GQ called it the `` best Netflix original in years. '' References Jump up ^ `` Sacred Games : can Netflix 's Mumbai mob drama turn India on to TV ? ''. The Guardian. 2018 - 07 - 04. Archived from the original on 2018 - 07 - 04. Retrieved 2018 - 07 - 04. Jump up ^ Dedhia, Sonil ( 31 October 2017 ). `` Saif Ali Khan 's Web Series ' Sacred Games ' To Have Four Seasons ? ''. Mid-Day. Archived from the original on 24 June 2018. Retrieved 24 June 2018. Jump up ^ Debnath, Neela ( 18 June 2018 ). `` Sacred Games Netflix release date, cast, trailer, plot : When is it be out ? ''. Sunday Express. Retrieved 24 June 2018. ^ Jump up to : Choudhary, Vidhi. `` Sacred Games : How India 's first Netflix original came together ''. Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 15 July 2018. 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Hindustan Times. 12 July 2018. Archived from the original on 1 August 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018. Jump up ^ `` Sacred Games on Netflix : Decoding the intricate title credits and logo design ''. Architectural Digest. 10 July 2018. Archived from the original on 4 August 2018. Retrieved 4 August 2018. ^ Jump up to : Rao, Soumya ( 10 July 2018 ). `` How ' Sacred Games ' stays true to the source novel but also turns it on its head ''. Scroll.in. Retrieved 13 August 2018. ^ Jump up to : Panicker, Anahita ( 5 July 2018 ). `` What went down on a day - long shoot of ' Sacred Games ' in Mumbai ''. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. Jump up ^ Waheed, Alia ( 4 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games : can Netflix 's Mumbai mob drama turn India on to TV ? ''. The Guardian. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018. ^ Jump up to : Rosario, Kennith ( 4 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games : The story of how Bombay became Mumbai ''. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` Nawazuddin Siddiqui : I 've never treated my characters as gangsters, I look at them as humans ''. The Indian Express. 2 July 2018. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ Deodhar, Neerja ( 5 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games : Anurag Kashyap on working with Netflix and his ' street cred ' as a director of dark, intense films ''. Firstpost. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. Jump up ^ Negi, Shrishti ( 25 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games Director Vikramaditya Motwane : Nawaz Was Always My First Choice for Ganesh Gaitonde ''. CNN - News18. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. Jump up ^ Singh, Deepali ( 21 June 2018 ). `` ' Comedy is one of my strong points ' : Neeraj Kabi ''. Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 13 August 2018. Jump up ^ `` Sacred Games cast compares Vikram Motwane, Anurag Kashyap, teases season 2 ''. Hindustan Times. 8 August 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018. Jump up ^ Purkayastha, Debasree ( 21 July 2018 ). `` I have seen many Katekars in life, says Jitendra Joshi of ' Sacred Games ' fame ''. The Hindu. Retrieved 13 August 2018. Jump up ^ `` Here 's how Kubbra Sait got the chance to audition for ' Sacred Games ' ''. Daily News and Analysis. 14 July 2018. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. Jump up ^ Basu, Mohar ( 5 July 2018 ). `` Kubbra Sait On Playing Transgender In Sacred Games : Even Had A Prosthetic Penis ''. Mid Day. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ Mathur, Yashika ( 17 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games ' Bunty kept messaging and asking Anurag Kashyap for work, and it paid off ''. Hindustan Times. Retrieved 14 August 2018. Jump up ^ Gupta, Surbhi ( 31 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games actor Rajshri Deshpande : I am not a fantasy character ''. The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. Jump up ^ Suri, Rishabh ( 24 July 2018 ). `` Girish Kulkarni was originally offered Katekar 's part, and not Bipin Bhosale, in Sacred Games ''. Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. Jump up ^ Kukreja, Monika Rawal ( 25 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games actor Elnaaz Norouzi : I used to watch Saif in Kal Ho Na Ho, never thought I 'd act with him one day ''. Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. ^ Jump up to : Ramnath, Nandini ( 20 July 2018 ). `` Shooting ' Sacred Games ' : The show 's three cinematographers reveal how they created a united vision ''. Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. Jump up ^ Ghosh, Devarsi ( 15 July 2018 ). `` ' Dark, criminal, funny, with truth underneath ' : Alokananda Dasgupta on the music of ' Sacred Games ' ''. Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018. Jump up ^ Saif Ali Khan spotted shooting for ' Sacred Games '. YouTube. India : E 24. 7 September 2017. Jump up ^ `` Anurag Kashyap wraps Sacred Games, starts shooting of Manmarziyaan ''. India TV. 29 January 2018. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. Jump up ^ Basu, Mohar ( 1 April 2018 ). `` An intoxicating tale in the making ''. Press Reader. Archived from the original on 31 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. Jump up ^ Nair, Supriya ( 2 July 2018 ). `` Vikram Chandra on ' Sacred Games ' : ' I cried though I know what 's going to happen to the characters ' ''. Scroll.in. Archived from the original on 18 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ Tulsiani, Kriti ( 9 July 2018 ). `` Exclusive : Kubbra Sait reveals why she had to shoot for Sacred Games ' frontal nudity scene 7 times ''. Times Now. Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 31 July 2018. Jump up ^ Arora, Akhil ( 23 February 2018 ). `` Netflix Adds Three New Originals to India Slate ''. NDTV. Archived from the original on 23 February 2018. Retrieved 23 February 2018. Jump up ^ `` Sacred Games : Netflix launches its first Indian drama series ''. BBC. 6 July 2018. Archived from the original on 6 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018. Jump up ^ `` Sacred Games first look : A bloodied Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte in new Netflix drama ''. Hindustan Times. 23 February 2018. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018. Jump up ^ Singh, Anvita ( 4 May 2018 ). `` Sacred Games teaser : Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays a don with a God - complex ''. The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018. Jump up ^ Basu, Nilanjana ( 6 June 2018 ). `` Sacred Games Trailer : Saif Ali Khan Desperately Trying To Save Mumbai From Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Who Plays ' God ' ''. NDTV. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018. Jump up ^ `` Netflix 's Sacred Games featuring Saif Ali Khan - Nawazuddin Siddiqui, gets star - heavy premiere in Mumbai ''. Firstpost. 29 June 2018. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ Bhattacharya, Ananya ( 4 July 2018 ). `` Netflix wants its made - in - India content to go global like Narcos ''. Quartz India. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 1 August 2018. Jump up ^ `` ' Sacred Games ' inspires mashup videos, funky artwork, and hundreds of memes ''. Scroll.in. 20 July 2018. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018. Jump up ^ `` Second Congress Activist 's Complaint Against Nawazuddin Over Netflix Show ''. NDTV. 12 July 2018. Archived from the original on 12 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018. Jump up ^ Tikku, Aloke ( 14 July 2018 ). `` ' Freedom Of Expression ', Says Rahul Gandhi On Sacred Games Row ''. NDTV. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` ' Inspired ' by Rahul Gandhi, Congress Worker to Withdraw Complaint Against Sacred Games ''. CNN - News18. 15 July 2018. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 16 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` Sacred Games : Netflix alters controversial subtitles insulting Rajiv Gandhi after Congress backlash ''. Firstpost. 20 July 2018. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018. Jump up ^ Express Web Desk ( 1 August 2018 ). `` Netflix series Sacred Games leaked on Tamilrockers ''. The Indian Express. New Delhi. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Jump up ^ `` ' Sacred Games ' review : Saif Ali Khan 's Netflix series garners positive reviews worldwide ''. The Free Press Journal. 10 July 2018. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Jump up ^ Lynch, John ( 9 July 2018 ). `` Netflix 's first original series from India, ' Sacred Games, ' is an addictive crime thriller with a 100 % rating on Rotten Tomatoes ''. Business Insider. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2018. Jump up ^ `` Sacred Games : Season 1 ''. Rotten Tomatoes. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 7 July 2018. Jump up ^ Sen, Raja ( 4 July 2018 ). `` ' Sacred Games ' is worth playing ''. Mint. Archived from the original on 4 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ Singh, Jai Arjun ( 4 July 2018 ). `` Religion Is a Cannibalistic, Self - Replenishing Beast in Netflix 's ' Sacred Games ' ''. Vice. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ Radhakrishnan, Manjusha ( 2 July 2018 ). `` ' Sacred Games ' review : An edgy, thrilling winner ''. Gulf News. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ Chatterjee, Saibal ( 5 July 2018 ). `` Netflix 's Sacred Games Review : First Impressions - Toned - Down Saif Ali Khan Is Perfect ''. NDTV. Archived from the original on 5 July 2018. Retrieved 5 July 2018. Jump up ^ Kharude, Dipti ( 30 June 2018 ). `` Review : The Digital Game Just Got Bigger With Netflix 's ' Sacred Games ' ''. The Quint. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018. Jump up ^ Ramakrishnan, Swetha ( 6 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games review : Netflix sets an impossibly high benchmark with this gritty, quintessential Mumbai noir tale ''. Firstpost. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018. Jump up ^ Negi, Shrishti ( 6 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games Review : Nawazuddin Siddiqui - Saif Ali Khan 's Show Totally Grips You from Start to Finish ''. CNN - News18. Archived from the original on 6 July 2018. Retrieved 6 July 2018. Jump up ^ Pathak, Ankur ( 10 July 2018 ). `` ' Sacred Games ' Review : India Finally Has A Prestige TV Drama To Call Its Own ''. HuffPost. Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Jump up ^ Adlakha, Siddhant ( 11 July 2018 ). `` Netflix 's Sacred Games : Season 1 Review ''. IGN. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Jump up ^ Shrikrishna, Aditya ( 10 July 2018 ). `` ' Sacred Games ' review : A tasteful adaptation bolstered by great performances ''. The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 13 July 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Jump up ^ Parikh, Urvi ( 6 July 2018 ). `` Review : Sacred Games : Perfect weekend binge - watching ''. Rediff.com. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Jump up ^ Keshri, Shweta ( 7 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games review : Netflix crime thriller engages viewers with intrigue and mystery ''. India Today. Archived from the original on 8 July 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Jump up ^ Thakur, Tanul ( 7 July 2018 ). `` ' Sacred Games ' Probes the Mechanics of a Peculiar Indian Insanity ''. The Wire. Archived from the original on 27 July 2018. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Jump up ^ Rao, Prashant ( 10 July 2018 ). `` Sacred Games : same soul, different body ''. The Hindu. Retrieved 6 August 2018. Jump up ^ Goodman, Tim ( 6 July 2018 ). `` ' Sacred Games ' : TV Review ''. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 3 August 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018. Jump up ^ Hale, Mike ( 6 July 2018 ). `` Review : The Criminal Life in Mumbai in ' Sacred Games ' ''. The New York Times. Archived from the original on 28 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018. Jump up ^ Starkey, Adam ( 29 June 2018 ). `` Sacred Games review : Netflix strikes gold with stylish Indian thriller ''. Metro. Archived from the original on 30 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018. Jump up ^ Antrim, Taylor ( 20 July 2018 ). `` Netflix 's Sacred Games Is Your Next Binge Watch ''. Vogue. 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Question: how many ep are there in sacred games
Answer: 8