thriller | Business Upturn

Top 5 corporate thriller series that expose the dark side of business

Sneha Sharma — Sun, 03 May 2026 09:00:07 +0000

If you’re drawn to boardrooms that feel like battlegrounds, these five corporate thriller series peel back the glossy facade of big business and expose the greed, lies, and moral decay beneath. Each one turns the workplace into a high‑stakes arena where power, money, and loyalty blur.

1. Succession (HBO)- 2018–2023

This family‑dynasty drama orbits the fictional media‑conglomerate Waystar Royco, laying bare the ruthless manoeuvring among the Roy siblings and their domineering patriarch, Logan. The show doesn’t just dramatise emerges and earning calls; it reveals how family, journalism, and democracy get twisted into bargaining chips. The toxic power games, backroom deals, and betrayals feel uncomfortably close to real‑world corporate dynasties and media empires.

2. Industry (HBO / Max)-2020

Set in the cutthroat world of a London investment bank, Industry follows a group of young graduates competing for survival in a culture fuelled by long hours, substance abuse, and cut‑throat politics. The series blends finance jargon with intense personal and sexual power plays, highlighting how ambition can erode ethics. The way it portrays internal power struggles, opaque deals and regulatory pressure makes it feel like a dramatised exposé of modern banking culture.

3. Billions (Showtime / Amazon Prime in some regions)-2016–2023

Focusing on the clash between hedge‑fund billionaire Bobby “Axe” Axelrod and aggressive prosecutor Chuck Rhoades, Billions mixes financial manipulation with psychological warfare. Insider trading, shell‑company games, and offshore structures are central to the plot, and the show leans into how easily wealth can buy influence and bend the law. The high‑gloss world of hedge funds and legal battles makes it a slick, cynical look at unchecked capitalism.

4. Ozark (Netflix)- 2017–2022

While anchored in crime, Ozark is also a brutal corporate thriller about laundering money through a riverfront resort business. The series shows how a normal family business can be twisted into a web of drug‑money laundering, corrupt officials, and violent enforcers. The “business‑like” approach to murder, cover‑ups, and financial restructuring makes it feel like a nightmare version of what happens when profit becomes the only corporate KPI.

5. Bad Banks (ARD / Amazon / local platforms by region)- 2018–2020

This German‑language thriller dives into the world of investment banking, compliance, and corporate espionage within a fictional European bank. It tracks the moral compromises of bankers, lawyers, and regulators as they navigate scandals, insider deals, and government pressure. The series strips away glamour to show how greed and fear drive decisions, leaving a lingering impression that the financial system is one scandal away from collapse.

Together, these five series don’t just entertain—they hold up a mirror to the dark side of global business, where ethics are negotiable, and the bottom line often comes at someone else’s expense.

Finding hidden gems on streaming platforms

Jennifer Philip — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 03:13:48 +0000

With the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and JioCinema, viewers are spoilt for choice. While blockbuster films and trending shows dominate the spotlight, there’s a treasure trove of underrated content waiting to be discovered.

Here are some hidden gems worth adding to your watchlist:

The Night Comes for Us (Netflix) – A brutal Indonesian action thriller with jaw-dropping fight sequences, perfect for fans of The Raid.
The Vast of Night (Prime Video) – A gripping low-budget sci-fi mystery about two radio operators who uncover a strange signal in 1950s New Mexico.
Kaala Paani (Netflix) – A survival drama set in the Andaman Islands, blending mystery, suspense, and deep emotional storytelling.
Forgotten (Netflix) – A South Korean psychological thriller packed with unexpected twists that will keep you guessing till the very end.
The Invisible Guest (Netflix) – A Spanish mystery-thriller where a successful businessman wakes up next to a dead body—and must prove his innocence.
Dark Winds (Prime Video) – A slow-burn crime drama following two Navajo police officers solving a brutal double murder in the 1970s Southwest.
Giri/Haji (Netflix) – A stylish crime drama that blends British and Japanese cultures, following a detective caught in Tokyo’s underground crime world.
See You Yesterday (Netflix) – A fresh take on time travel where two teen prodigies try to prevent a tragic police shooting, mixing sci-fi with real-world issues.
Bad Sisters (Apple TV+) – A dark comedy-thriller about four Irish sisters plotting to get rid of their abusive brother-in-law in the most unexpected ways.
Tumbbad (Prime Video) – A visually stunning Indian horror-fantasy that weaves mythology and greed into an unforgettable cinematic experience.

To uncover these hidden gems, consider exploring niche genres, watching foreign-language films, or diving into indie productions. Social media communities and film forums often highlight overlooked content, making it easier to discover quality entertainment beyond mainstream charts. As streaming platforms continue expanding their libraries, finding hidden gems has become an exciting adventure for film and TV lovers. So next time you scroll past the usual trending titles, dig a little deeper—you might just find your next favourite show or movie.

Akshay Kumar & Rakul Preet team up for a new project!

Tushna Choksey — Tue, 29 Jun 2021 11:20:06 +0000

Reportedly, after the theatrical release of Akshay Kumar’s ‘Bell Bottom’, the actor will be working with Bell Bottom director Ranjit Tewari for yet another project, along with Vashu Bhagnani.

The movie is allegedly going to be a remake of the 2018 Tamil psychological crime thriller ‘Ratsasan’, as per Peeping Moon, It will be tweaked to suit North Indian audience sensibilities.

The portal further reported that the film will feature Bollywood actress Rakul Preet Singh has been roped in to play the lead role in the film. The film is currently in pre-production and will commence shooting from August in London for about one month, in a start to finish schedule.

The synopsis of the original film reads, “Arun gives up on his dream of becoming a filmmaker and takes up the job of a police officer after his father’s death. He then attempts to track down a psychotic killer who targets schoolgirls.”

On the work front, Akshay has been busy shooting all year long as he will feature in a couple of other movies too namely, Raksha Bandhan, Ram Setu, and Oh My God 2.

As for Rakul Preet, the fitness enthusiast will be next seen in Ajay Devgn’s Mayday as well as Thank God and Doctor G with Ayushmann Khurrana.

Madhuri Dixit Nene celebrates 27 years of Anjaam, Shares throwback pictures with Shah Rukh Khan and Deepak Tijori.

Satya Shruti — Thu, 22 Apr 2021 12:45:50 +0000

Bollywood actress Madhuri Dixit on Thursday took to her Instagram handle to share memories of her film Anjaam. The film completed 27 years. The actress shared throwback pictures with Shah Rukh Khan and Deepak Tijori to recall the days, and wrote,

“#27YearsOfAnjaam One of my memorable films with @iamsrk & #DeepakTijori filled with lots of emotions, drama, and entertainment.”

‘Anjaam’ was the first time Madhuri Dixit and Shah Rukh Khan shared a screen.

Anjaam is a psychological thriller the plot revolves around ‘consequences of actions’, and features Shah Rukh in a negative role.

Helmed by Rahul Rawail, Anjaam also stared Johnny Lever, Kalpana Iyer, and Deepak Tijori among others.

Meanwhile, Madhuri Dixit is set to make her digital debut in the series “Finding Anamika”. In the show, Madhuri plays a superstar who goes missing. The show has been directed by Karishma Kohli and Bejoy Nambiar.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Madhuri Dixit (@madhuridixitnene)

Hussain Zaidi and Jaspinder Singh Kang’s Golden Pen: a new address for Indian crime writing

Karishma Jangid — Wed, 18 Nov 2020 11:37:06 +0000

Golden Pen, a partnership between best-selling author and former investigative journalist S. Hussain Zaidi and Jaspinder Singh Kang, global entrepreneur/film producer, is a versatile content creation resource in the crime & thriller genre, under the umbrella ‘Hussain Zaidi Presents’.

With the growing need for cutting edge content across various media, Golden Pen was started with the primary objective of ‘bringing high quality of crime noir and intriguing tales to varied audiences.’

Since its inception in 2018, Golden Pen has established itself as a specialized content provider having forged creatively rewarding partnerships with production houses for features and direct-to-digital films, web shows as well as audio content on the one hand and the formidable publishing house Westland, an Amazon Company on the other. Golden Pen has been identifying, screening, mentoring, nurturing and promoting writers, both known and new, in their endeavour to value the most important people in the content chain – the original creators, following its credo, ‘Writers First.’ In the very first year of its collaboration with Westland, an Amazon company, Golden Pen has committed to releasing several fiction and non-fiction books in the crime-thriller genre.

In the words of Hussain Zaidi, “This is a unique content creation collaboration intended to fill the void of the dearth of credible and authentic content in the industry. We aim to blaze a formidable trade of fabulous stories.”

Jaspinder Singh Kang, with over 25 years’ experience in corporates and media productions, is the marketing and commercial brain behind Golden Pen. Talking about the vision for the company Jaspinder said, “Since my corporate days I have firmly believed that partnerships are the foundation for any business. Golden Pen has also been all about strategic alliances – starting with a powerhouse of talent like Hussain Bhai to getting into the publishing space with Westland and co-production & co-development of AV projects with reputed Production Houses like Matchbox, Endemol Shine India and Sanjay Leela Bhansali and many more. Our writers, too, are regarded not just as a talent but as partners!”

With double-digit tie-ups in a short span of two years and one international project already under its belt, Golden Pen is looking at expanding into scripted and unscripted formats, aggressively forging its way forward to make its presence felt both in the Indian and global markets.