Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story

[MP2011]

Anyone seen this web series?

Just finished it and found it simply mind boggling! The way complex stock market jargon has been explained is great!

Actors are brilliant, led by Pratik Gandhi, protagonist or antagonist howsoever one may call him.

Best part is that there are no pretensions to hide the names of actual people involved in this scam. No beating around the bush, just to the point, with exactly same names being used. They didn't even spare our then PM, PVN Rao!

Kudos Hansal Mehta!

Here is the review,

https://www.thehindu.com/entertainm...ipping-saga-shot-artfully/article32899568.ece

 

[MP2011]

Also, the uncanny resemblance of that 'godman' Chandraswami with the one played by the actor in this web series. Too identical to be true!

Anyone growing up in India in '90s and aware of what was happening during those times, will like this series as will people who have no knowledge of stock market.

It also shows how deeply involved then Congress government in the scam and how much Chandraswami called shots in Rao government!

In the end, one'd like to empathize with Harshad Mehta, one of biggest financial crooks ever that he was solely made the scapegoat for a scam worth approx 5K crores and which obviously couldn't have taken place without the blessings of then political bigwigs & big banks like SBI but his misdeeds were of such himalayan proportions that you still curse him!

 

[gani999]

In the end, one'd like to empathize with Harshad Mehta, one of biggest financial crooks ever that he was solely made the scapegoat for a scam worth approx 5K crores and which obviously couldn't have taken place without the blessings of then political bigwigs & big banks like SBI but his misdeeds were of such himalayan proportions that you still curse him!

Harshad was almost in poverty when he died. Apparently, his wife had to pawn her jewelry to pay his medical bills.

Sad that he should have come to this. He should have known that political bigwgs cannot be trusted and will think nothing of pushing anyone under the bus to save themselves.

I still remember the incident where he claimed that he walked to Prime Minister Rao's official residence with two suitcases containing Rupees 60 Crores in cash. He had become that desperate for publicity.

 

[Mesozoic]

Hearing a lot of buzz about it on social media.

Will give it a try.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

It also shows how deeply involved then Congress government in the scam and how much Chandraswami called shots in Rao government!

Chandraswami was also linked to underground figures like Dawood and Babloo Srivastava. It’s one of the reasons, IMO, why no one in power in India actually wants someone like Dawood back as he would embarrass so many political, police and business figures.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

When Chandraswami met Thatcher.

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[MP2011]

Chandraswami was also linked to underground figures like Dawood and Babloo Srivastava. It’s one of the reasons, IMO, why no one in power in India actually wants someone like Dawood back as he would embarrass so many political, police and business figures.

Will never understand why someone as learned and educated man as Rao was, why would he be a devotee of someone as unscrupulous and shady as Chandraswami was?

 

[MP2011]

I still remember the incident where he claimed that he walked to Prime Minister Rao's official residence with two suitcases containing Rupees 60 Crores in cash. He had become that desperate for publicity.

Wasn't the amount in question 1 crore?

 

[MP2011]

Harshad was almost in poverty when he died. Apparently, his wife had to pawn her jewelry to pay his medical bills.

Even though he wasn't the only crook in the market at that time but he was by far the biggest of 'em all, someone who wasn't averse to take biggest risks. When they paid off, they brought in great wealth for him and when they didn't, he fell flat on his face. That's the beauty and perils of taking risks.

 

[MP2011]

Also even though SEBI was a statutory body but essentially a toothless body at that time. It has got sweeping powers since then but is still unable to prevent the scams happening time to time. Ketan Parekh was under the tutelage of Harshad Mehta and perhaps duped investors of even greater wealth than Harshad Mehta did in his pomp but he didn't face half as much ignominy as Harshad did.

Same is true for RBI. PMC bank, Yes bank and Nirav Modi defrauding PNB, list is endless...And this after so many checks and balances being introduced in our banking system. Frauds will keep on happening as fraudsters will find ways to cheat even the most robust systems.

 

[MP2011]

When Chandraswami met Thatcher.

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Natwar Singh is such an erudite man!

 

[gani999]

Natwar Singh is such an erudite man!

Yes he is. That's why he is no longer in the Congress. Erudition and the propensity to tell the truth don't sit well with certain circles in Indian polity.

A certain Sashi Tharoor will do well to watch his step.

 

[MP2011]

Yes he is. That's why he is no longer in the Congress. Erudition and the propensity to tell the truth don't sit well with certain circles in Indian polity.

A certain Sashi Tharoor will do well to watch his step.

Natwar Singh got disgraced due to his son, Jagat Singh.

 

[Gabbar Singh]

Natwar Singh got disgraced due to his son, Jagat Singh.

He was also thrown under the bus by the Congress hierarchy - a lot more people than his son and him were involved in the Oil for Food scandal. The Volcker Report which got him sacked also named the congress party as a beneficiary.

Speaking of diplomats turned politicians what do you think of S Jaishankar? Comes across as a well read and intelligent chap. And he’s a great communicator IMO.

 

[MP2011]

He was also thrown under the bus by the Congress hierarchy - a lot more people than his son and him were involved in the Oil for Food scandal. The Volcker Report which got him sacked also named the congress party as a beneficiary.

That's almost given with how Congress leadership has always worked. If something good happens to the party or the government, its due to Gandhis. If not, Gandhis have to be saved at any cost.

That has always been the case. Losing Natwar Singh was such a big loss for Congress, may not be in the electoral politics but in losing such a learned, experienced neta who could've been handy in neutralizing sanghi propaganda.

 

[MP2011]

Speaking of diplomats turned politicians what do you think of S Jaishankar? Comes across as a well read and intelligent chap. And he’s a great communicator IMO.

I'm in awe of Jaishankar, such a smooth operator!

Perhaps one of very few ministers in the current cabinet who knows what he is doing and is totally fit for the job he is entrusted with. Just that he needs to stay as far away from his boss as possible in getting dictated in foreign policy matters as he knows nothing about foreign policy or how to present yourself or communicate with world leaders.

 

[MP2011]

That's almost given with how Congress leadership has always worked. If something good happens to the party or the government, its due to Gandhis. If not, Gandhis have to be saved at any cost.

Exactly same thing is happening in sanghi ranks. Hope they suffer the same fate as Gandhis did.

 

[Varun]

I want to watch this. Heard it's very well made.

Time to get a SonyLiv subscription.

 

[cricketjoshila]

He was also thrown under the bus by the Congress hierarchy - a lot more people than his son and him were involved in the Oil for Food scandal. The Volcker Report which got him sacked also named the congress party as a beneficiary.

Speaking of diplomats turned politicians what do you think of S Jaishankar? Comes across as a well read and intelligent chap. And he’s a great communicator IMO.

Congress will throw anyone to save the family.

 

[MP2011]

I want to watch this. Heard it's very well made.

Time to get a SonyLiv subscription.

The protagonist is immense in it! I was reading an interview of him and got to know that he is a qualified mechanical engineer as well and was working with Reliance Infrastructure not so long ago!

As for SonyLiv, Sony has become greedy and has doubled its subscription amount from 499 to 999!

 

[Varun]

As for SonyLiv, Sony has become greedy and has doubled its subscription amount from 499 to 999!

Also to do with the upcoming India - Australia test series for sure.

 

[MP2011]

Also to do with the upcoming India - Australia test series for sure.

That seems more plausible reason.

 

[TNAmarkFromIndia]

It was good. Not as great as people are making it out to be. They made Harshad almost invincible in the first 7 or so episodes. He was unfazed by any seemingly difficult situation. He smirked while everyone around him was being paranoid and then came up with something like he always had the answer to everything. It got annoying after a point how he never seemed vulnerable through the course of those episodes, and then that suddenly changed with the entry of Madhavan. Then we're supposed to believe that the man who confidently welcomed the police at his door with tea when he was expecting them couldn't even get a single word out when he found Madhavan at the door? Too extreme. A guy that was as confident in the beginning wouldn't be struggling for words so suddenly.

 

[MP2011]

Speaking of diplomats turned politicians what do you think of S Jaishankar? Comes across as a well read and intelligent chap. And he’s a great communicator IMO.

Now this hardly comprises of any intelligence, does it?

Shades of the Emergency!

The arrest of Arnab Goswami is an attack on the freedom of press. Those who really believe in this freedom must speak up!

 

[MP2011]

Just saw the movie made on Harshad's life, The Big Bull.

 

[MP2011]

Of course, not as good as Scam 1992. Still a good watch as Abhishek did quite well as the main lead.

I think he is an underrated actor. He mostly suffers due to comparison with his dad which are of course will never be fair! But he is a good actor in his own right.

 

[Bhaijaan]

Big Bull was crap.

Scam 1992 was really good. Worth watching.