History of Sacred Games (TV series) in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: April 19, 2026

Sacred Games is an Indian neo-noir crime thriller series on Netflix, adapted from Vikram Chandra's novel. Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap, it was India's first Netflix original series. The plot revolves around Inspector Sartaj Singh who receives a cryptic phone call from gangster Ganesh Gaitonde, telling him to save the city within 25 days, which unveils a complex web of organized crime, corruption, and political intrigue, deeply rooted in Mumbai's underworld. The series explores themes of faith, destiny, and the dark underbelly of society.

2006: Vikram Chandra's Novel Introduction

In 2006, Vikram Chandra's crime novel, "Sacred Games" was discovered by Netflix while searching for Indian content for a global audience.

2006: Vikram Chandra's Novel

In 2006, Vikram Chandra's novel "Sacred Games" was published, which would later serve as the basis for the television series of the same name.

2007: Black Friday Film

In 2007, Anurag Kashyap was working on his film, Black Friday, while Chandra was writing Sacred Games, and he "knew the real-life parallels" in the novel.

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2014: Kashyap Approached for Adaptation

In 2014, Anurag Kashyap was approached by AMC and Scott Free Productions to direct an English-language adaptation of the novel "Sacred Games", but he declined the offer.

2014: Netflix Approaches Phantom Films

In 2014, Netflix approached Phantom Films to produce a series based on the novel "Sacred Games".

2014: Netflix Commissions Indian Content

In 2014, Netflix vice-president Erik Barmack asked Vikramaditya Motwane to create Indian content for the platform, leading to the development of "Sacred Games".

2016: Scripting Process Details

In 2016, Phantom Films advised the writers that the "Sacred Games" series "had to be a gripping slow-burner", influencing the scripting process.

September 2017: Filming Begins

In September 2017, Vikramaditya Motwane began filming the present-day scenes for "Sacred Games".

January 2018: Kashyap Completes Filming

In January 2018, Anurag Kashyap completed filming the 1980s Bombay scenes for "Sacred Games" after finishing his film "Mukkabaaz".

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February 2018: New Indian Series Announcement

In February 2018, Netflix announced three new series and four others in production for a total of seven Indian series, including Sacred Games.

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June 2018: Series Premieres at MAMI Film Festival

In June 2018, the first four episodes of "Sacred Games" premiered at the MAMI film festival in Mumbai.

June 2018: "Kaam 25" Song Release

In June 2018, the song "Kaam 25", written and sung by Divine, was released as part of the "Sacred Games" soundtrack, although it was not used in the series itself.

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July 2018: Controversy and Complaints

In July 2018, a first information report was filed against Netflix, the showrunners, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui for allegedly insulting former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in "Sacred Games", leading to additional complaints.

July 2018: Season 1 Release

In July 2018, the first season of Sacred Games, consisting of eight episodes, was released on Netflix in 191 countries, subtitled in over 20 languages, receiving mostly critical acclaim.

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September 2018: Season 2 Renewal Announcement

In September 2018, it was announced that "Sacred Games" had been renewed for a second season, accompanied by a teaser trailer.

November 2018: Season 2 Shooting Begins

In November 2018, shooting for the second season of "Sacred Games" began, with filming locations including Nairobi and Mumbai.

February 2019: Filming Concludes

In February 2019, filming for the second season of "Sacred Games" concluded, with the season premiering on August 15 of the same year.

August 2019: Season 2 Premiere

In August 2019, the second season of Sacred Games premiered, though it received a mixed response compared to the first season.

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2019: Awards and Nominations

In 2019, Sacred Games received several awards, and the second season was nominated for the Best Drama International Emmy Award.

2020: Filmfare OTT Awards

In 2020, Alokananda Dasgupta and Slyvester Fonseca won awards for Best Background Music and Best Cinematographer, respectively, at the Filmfare OTT Awards for their work on Sacred Games.