‘Scam 2003 – The Telgi Story Volume 2’ review: A satisfying end to an incredible corruption saga

The tendency to release a show’s season in two parts rather than at a single shot can work both ways. We might stick round to see how the story unfolds but if the first batch isn’t engaging, may just give up.

Scam 2003 – The Telgi Story: Vol 2 ensures that patience is rewarded. If the five episodes that were premiered on Sony LIV in September suggested that the stamp paper scam mastermind was still buffering, he comes fully into view in the concluding instalments.

The final five-episode run explores the fallout of a rare misstep by Telgi (Gagan Dev Riar): blowing up lakhs of rupees at a dance bar. The escapade sends ripples through the circle of politicians, government officials and police officers who have been fattening themselves on Telgi’s largesse. Gimme more, they say, promoting a weary smile from the seasoned finagler.

Telgi is so rich and so powerful that he can underwrite several banks, he reminds an associate. His services are required when a Kannada movie star (modelled on Rajkumar) is kidnapped by a Veerapan-like sandalwood smuggler. But Telgi, who never lends money without fixing a usurious rate, finds that the good times aren’t meant to last. An investigative team, led by Suryapratap (Mukesh Tiwari),...

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