The Bull of Dalal Street is a Hindi web series released in 2020 on ULLU, tapping into the world of the stock market, ambition, downfall, and moral compromise. It centers around Harshal Mehra, a man from modest beginnings who rises rapidly in the financial world, taking high risks, making questionable ethical decisions, and ultimately facing the consequences of his choices. The show is fictional, but draws clear inspiration from real stock market scandals, offering a dramatic, morally grey tale of greed, power, and ambition in the high-stakes trading world.
Here’s a structured overview, followed by detailed sections on cast / crew, release and scheduling, story & themes, strengths & weaknesses, and critical reception.
Overview
Parameter | Details |
Series Name | The Bull of Dalal Street |
Platform | ULLU App (OTT platform) |
Genre | Drama / Financial Ambition / Moral Thriller |
Original Language | Hindi |
Number of Episodes (Season 1) | 12 episodes |
Approx. Episode Runtime | ~22-25 minutes per episode |
Release Year | 2020 |
Main Cast | Mohammed Iqbal Khan (Harshal Mehra), Ashmit Patel (Dilip), Priyal Gor (Nidhi), Naina Chhabra (Jhanvi), Aparna Sharma (Akanksha), Man Singh Karamati (goon) |
Production / Creator | Dreamzz Images Studio in association with ULLU; developed by ULLU App. |
Theme / Short Synopsis | Harshal Mehra gambles everything in the stock market; rises to power via risky and ethically questionable trades; success leads to consequences. What goes up must come down. |
Cast, Director & Production Team
Main Cast & Roles
Here are the principal actors and their characters:
- Mohammed Iqbal Khan as Harshal Mehra — the central protagonist. He rises in the stock market, pushing boundaries of legality and morality.
- Ashmit Patel as Dilip — a supporting character in Harshal’s circle; possibly a partner, rival, or someone influencing or being influenced by Harshal’s choices.
- Priyal Gor as Nidhi — another key character whose personal relationship or professional interaction with Harshal adds drama and tension.
- Naina Chhabra as Jhanvi — supports the lead in either personal or business dimensions; likely contributes to exploring the non-financial costs of ambition.
- Aparna Sharma as Akanksha — part of Harshal’s world, possibly in personal/professional intersection.
- Man Singh Karamati in a smaller role as “goon.” This role suggests the series has darker / criminal shades beyond market drama.
Director, Writers & Crew
- While IMDb’s public free section doesn’t list all production roles (writers, editing, etc.) in full detail, it’s known that The Bull of Dalal Street is a ULLU Original made in collaboration with Dreamzz Images Studio.
- The episodes are directed by Deepak Pandey.
- The production companies listed include Dreamzz Images Studio and ULLU App.
Release Timeline & Format
- Release: The series premiered in 2020. The first episode’s release date was 20 February 2020 in India.
- Episodes: Season 1 has 12 episodes.
- Episode Titles / Numbering: Episodes are numbered 1 through 12; viewers can find the list on IMDb under episodes.
- Runtime: Each episode is roughly 22-25 minutes (some slightly more depending on content). The format is serial, unfolding the rise and fall of the protagonist over these episodes.
Story & Thematic Exploration
Plot
- The Bull of Dalal Street follows Harshal Mehra, a man with big dreams and ambition, entering the stock market with hopes of making it big. He takes high risks, makes questionable trades, uses morally dubious methods to climb up the ladder.
- Throughout the series, as Harshal gains power, wealth, and influence, he increasingly confronts obstacles—competitive rivals, ethical dilemmas, public scrutiny, perhaps betrayal, and the fragile nature of success. What goes up must come down, as the series title suggests.
- Secondary character arcs (Nidhi, Dilip, Jhanvi, Akanksha) interact with Harshal’s journey—either as enablers, obstacles, or emotional anchors / spoilers. The presence of a “goon” character also hints at darker elements—possibly threats, coercion, or criminal sides as Harshal’s journey entangles with them.
Themes
- Ambition and Greed: The driving forces of the protagonist; show explores how far someone is willing to go for success, even if it means crossing ethical boundaries.
- Rise & Fall / Consequences: The narrative underlines that unlimited ambition, especially when backed by shady or risky financial practices, carries a heavy price—legal, moral, relational.
- Moral Ambiguity: Harshal is not strictly villainous or heroic; he’s flawed, which makes the story more complex. Viewers are asked to evaluate right vs wrong in shades.
- Identity & Reputation: As Harshal’s public image grows, so does the importance of what people think, how rumors / media / rivals affect that image. The cost to personal relationships, identity, integrity is a theme.
- Power / Corruption / Risk: Success in financial markets is not just about skill; it involves risk, sometimes manipulation, perhaps corruption. The show seems to delve into that risk side too.
What Works & What’s Less Strong
Strengths
- Compelling Premise – Financial ambition stories are always appealing, especially when inspired by real scandals. Audiences tend to gravitate toward dramas that promise risk, glamour, and downfall.
- Strong Lead Actor – Mohammed Iqbal Khan as Harshal has been praised by many viewers for his performance. His ability to project both ambition and vulnerability helps ground the story.
- Moral Complexity – The series doesn’t simplify good vs bad; it shows the cost of choices. That gives more depth than pure greed spectacle.
- Accessible Format – Episodes under half an hour, modest number of episodes allows for manageable watching; keeps momentum from drag.
- Platform Fit – ULLU’s audience expects bold drama; this series includes ambition, power, drama with adult themes, which likely appeals to its target demographic.
Weaknesses / Criticisms
- Comparisons with Stronger Works – Because this is a fictional take on a Harshad Mehta-like figure, comparisons with Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story are inevitable. In many reviews, The Bull of Dalal Street is viewed as less polished, less subtle, or more sensational.
- Writing Depth / Realism – Some reviews suggest that the series sacrifices depth for drama; certain plot points or character decisions feel exaggerated or clichéd. The realism of the stock market functioning, legal or institutional repercussions, etc., may be underdeveloped.
- Supporting Characterization – Secondary characters (Nidhi, Jhanvi, etc.) may not be fully developed; their motivations may remain less explored, which weakens emotional impact of betrayals or relationship arcs.
- Pacing / Predictability – The rise-and-fall template in financial ambition stories has been used many times; unless there are strong unexpected twists or fresh perspectives, predictability becomes a risk.
- Production Constraints – Given ULLU’s typical budgets, things like high-end stock market visuals, realistic trading floors, regulatory/legal sequences might be less detailed. Also, marketing suggests sensational content (drama, glam) which may overshadow nuance.
Reception & Impact
- IMDb Rating: The series has a rating of ~5.8/10 on IMDb, from just over a thousand votes. That suggests a mixed to average reception.
- User Reviews: Some users praised the performance of Iqbal Khan, the ambition of the story, and the emotional elements. Others criticized it for overacting, for its fictionalization, and for being superficial compared to more detailed financial scams dramas.
- Comparisons & Criticism: Many reviews say that The Bull of Dalal Street tries to cash in on public interest in stock market scandals but doesn’t match the depth or detail of series like Scam 1992. Some feel it focuses more on drama than explanation.
- Cultural Significance: The series reflects interest in financial scandals in Indian media—stories about bulls, stock market manipulation, greed have strong resonance, especially after real-life events. It adds to the genre of finance thrillers in Indian web content. Also, it shows the appetite among audiences for morally complex narratives.
Conclusion
The Bull of Dalal Street is a web series that offers drama, moral grey zones, risk, and downfall, anchored on a protagonist driven by ambition. With Mohammed Iqbal Khan leading, it paints a story of rise against odds, but also the inevitable consequence when shortcuts or unethical methods are part of success.
Its strengths lie in its premise, pace, central performance, moral questions. Its limitations are found when compared to richer works in the same domain (especially factual ones), as well as in over-dramatic turns, perhaps shallowness in supporting arcs, and possible lapses in realism.
For viewers who enjoy financial dramas, moral dilemmas, and stories of ambition and fall, The Bull of Dalal Street is worth watching—not because it’s perfect, but because it adds to the conversation about wealth, power, risk, and the costs that come with them.