Scam 2010 first look: Siddharth Bodke plays Sahara's Subrata Roy

Sony LIV has released the first look of Scam 2010, the third series in director Hansal Mehta's Scam franchise, and confirmed that it will premiere on the streaming platform in January 2027. Actor Siddharth Bodke plays Subrata Roy, the late chief of the Sahara India Pariwar business group, in a series based on journalist Tamal Bandyopadhyay's book Sahara: The Untold Story. Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment are producing the show. "Scam 2010" is trending in India as the first look circulates on social media.

The Scam series tells the stories of real figures at the centre of financial scandals in India. Its approach has been to cast lesser-known actors in the lead roles. Scam 2010 continues that pattern with Bodke, a relatively lesser-known face, in the lead, as Pratik Gandhi and Gagan Dev Riar were before him.

The choice of Subrata Roy moves the franchise from individual frauds to the head of a large business group, the Sahara India Pariwar. Basing the series on a journalist's detailed book signals that the makers intend to stay close to the documented record.

Mehta has described the story as one about ambition, influence and the arrogance that can come with both. Bodke, in the announcement, called the role one of the most demanding and meaningful projects of his career. For viewers, the January premiere sets up one of the biggest Indian streaming releases of the new year, at a time when platforms are competing hard for subscribers with true-crime and real-life drama.

There is also a public-interest dimension. A dramatised series about a real business group will be watched closely by people who dealt with it, by the company's associates, and by legal experts. How the makers balance drama with the facts, and how the series portrays regulators and courts, is likely to be discussed widely once it streams.

Peepals timeline: the Scam franchise began with Scam 1992, on Harshad Mehta, with Pratik Gandhi in the lead; Scam 2003 followed with Gagan Dev Riar as Telgi; production of Scam 2010 was announced with Bodke in the lead; in the first days of November 2026, Sony LIV released the first look; the series premieres in January 2027, about two months later.

Short-term: The first look starts the promotional run-up to the January release, with trailers and episode details expected in the coming weeks. Interest in the Sahara story and in Bandyopadhyay's book is likely to rise.

Long-term: If Scam 2010 matches the reception of the earlier instalments, it will confirm the franchise as a lasting brand for Sony LIV and could open the way for more series on India's financial history.

Who is affected: Sony LIV subscribers and streaming audiences, the cast and makers, people who dealt with Sahara, and actors such as Bodke for whom a lead role in a major franchise can change a career.

What to watch next: the trailer and an exact premiere date within January 2027.

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