The series begins with Telgi as a young, ambitious man in the 1980s struggling to make a living in Saudi Arabia and later in Bengaluru. After a failed transport business, he discovers a loophole in the stamp paper supply chain. Using his sharp understanding of human greed, he forges stamp paper by bribing officials at a government printing press in Nashik, Maharashtra.

Scam 2003: The Telgi Story is a riveting biographical financial thriller that captured the attention of millions when it debuted on SonyLIV in 2023. Created by Hansal Mehta and directed by Tushar Hiranandani, the series serves as a spiritual successor to the critically acclaimed Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story .

Scam 2003 follows the life of Abdul Karim Telgi, played with brilliant nuance by theater veteran Gagan Dev Riar. The narrative begins in Khanapur, Karnataka, where Telgi sells fruits on trains to support his family. Armed with sharp mathematical skills and a relentless ambition to earn "easy money," Telgi moves to Mumbai. The series carefully maps his evolution:

The series consists of 10 episodes in total. You can watch it exclusively on the OTT platform.

At the center of this narrative is Abdul Karim Telgi, portrayed with chilling nuance by theater veteran Gagan Dev Riar.

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Telgi’s criminal breakthrough happens when he identifies the massive demand and restricted supply of government stamp papers—instruments essential for every legal, corporate, and real estate transaction in India. By systematically acquiring expired or old printing machinery from central government presses and bribing officials at every tier of the bureaucracy, Telgi establishes a parallel, illicit printing empire. The drama chronicles how his network expanded across 18 states, thriving in plain sight for over a decade because it fed the greed of politicians, police officers, and bureaucrats alike. Performance and Characterization