Black Warrant production designer gives the lowdown on constructing Tihar Jail

Record room

In November 2023, we visited the set of Vikram Motwane's Black Warrant. The set was a replica of Tihar Jail, modified to depict the harsh realities of prison and create an immersive experience. Production designer Mukund Gupta, of Jubilee (2023) and Jigra (2024) fame scouted several prison facilities with the filmmaker, associate production designer Vahi Shaikh, art director Yogesh Bansode, and a team of set designers before getting down to work. "We officially started designing and building the sets in mid-2023. Given the intense, crime-driven narrative, we knew the environment had to reflect a gritty, high-stakes atmosphere. From there, we worked on creating detailed sets, scouting locations, and building custom elements to bring that vision to life on screen. The entire journey, from concept to construction, took several months to perfect," said Gupta. He oversaw every design aspect, ensuring the sets aligned with Motwane's vision while coordinating with the construction, costume, and lighting teams.

Main lobby

Although challenging, Gupta ensured the space appeared lived-in, stayed within budget, and remained authentic to real prisons for the Netflix series. "One of the biggest challenges was making the set feel claustrophobic and true to a real-life facility while keeping it functional for filming. We had limited space, so we had to be creative in building the sets to allow for camera movement and actor blocking without compromising the location's intensity. Another challenge was balancing realism with practicality. There were safety and operational concerns, such as ensuring everything was structurally sound and easy to rig for cameras and lighting. We also had to leave clearance for dolly tracks and ensure they worked within the confined space," he explained. Gupta revealed that the Dyodhi - the prison's administrative areas - and the central cell block were the most difficult to build.

Document room. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The designer visited three Indian prisons before finalising the jail set's foundation. "Each facility offered unique insights into the design and atmosphere we wanted. One was a modern, high-security facility, which helped us understand contemporary layouts and space usage. Another was older and more decayed, which showed how environments deteriorate over time. The third was an abandoned facility, which gave us a raw view of a prison without operational upkeep," he shared. From cell layouts to guard tower architecture, and historical research on how jails evolved and how prisoners lived in oppressive conditions, Gupta took care of the minute details. When asked if the sets were preserved for Black Warrant's sequel, Gupta said the team had dismantled them as the second season had not been confirmed. "If the series gets picked up for another season, we may rebuild or modify some elements to match the next chapter of the story," he said.

Mukund Gupta