Alumnus wins International Emmy for Netflix India series

Delhi Crime, written and directed by alumnus Richie Mehta (Advanced TV and Film ’02), has won Best Drama Series at the 48^th International Emmy Awards.

Mehta accepted the award for the seven-part Netflix India series during a virtual ceremony on Nov. 23.

Delhi Crime delves into the details of the 2012 police investigation of the brutal gang rape of 23-year-old Jyoti Singh on a private bus. It debuted in March 2019 to critical acclaim, including six awards at the most recent Asian Academy Awards.

In his acceptance speech, Mehta acknowledged the women who financed, put together, and released the series, as well as the women who helped solve the crime. “This is for the courage of those women, and all the women who not only must endure the violence that so many men inflict upon them, but are then tasked with solving the problem,” he said.

Mehta began working on Delhi Crime over six years ago, when he was first approached by a family friend to revisit the news story. He immersed himself in Delhi for the series, spending years researching and interviewing the individuals involved in the crime. The project was produced through Poor Man’s Productions – a production company Mehta and former Sheridan classmate Steven Bray (Media Arts ’02) founded shortly after graduation. Bray served as associate producer on the project.

Poor Man’s is the company behind Mehta’s award-winning films Amal (2003) and Siddharth (2007).

Mehta and Bray visited campus late last year to screen the first episode of Delhi Crime to students. At the time, Mehta noted that he didn’t make the show looking for accolades. “It’s a passion project that I made, not because it was a story I wanted to tell, but because it was a story I felt compelled to tell,” he said.

“At Sheridan, we aim to give our students the tools they need to tell great stories. Richie’s ability to use these tools to shed a light on important, sometimes devastating, issues is a testament to the power of his talent,” says Maureen McKeon, Advanced Television and Film coordinator with Sheridan’s Faculty of Arts, Animation and Design. “We’re incredibly proud of Richie’s International Emmy win, and everything he’s achieved during his career.”