In this article
Updated 23 October 2026: release day. Cast, characters, trailer details and episode count confirmed from several reports.
Chaar Yaar, a new Hindi crime drama, premieres on Prime Video on Friday, 23 October 2026. Set in early-2000s Mumbai, it follows four broke friends played by Purav Jha, Naman Jain, Saqib Ayub and Prayrak Mehta, whose one desperate decision drags them into a world of gangsters and police chases. The show is directed by Vinay Waikul, with Sai Tamhankar, Sikandar Kher and Chunky Panday in the supporting cast.
Chaar Yaar quick facts
- Show: Chaar Yaar (Prime Video original series)
- Genre: Crime drama with comedy
- Release date: Friday, 23 October 2026
- Where to watch: Prime Video (exclusive)
- Episodes: 8, all released together
- Language: Hindi
- Lead cast: Purav Jha, Naman Jain, Saqib Ayub, Prayrak Mehta
- Director: Vinay Waikul
- Writers: Sambit Mishra and Saurabh Sawant
- Setting: Mumbai, early 2000s
- Trailer: released 16 October 2026 (about 2 minutes 19 seconds)
Chaar Yaar release date and where to watch
Prime Video announced the series on 9 October 2026, and The Hollywood Reporter India, The Telegraph's t2 and Bollywood Hungama all carry the same date: 23 October 2026. It streams only on Prime Video, in Hindi, in India and, according to the announcement, in more than 240 countries and territories.
The Hollywood Reporter India and Flickonclick both report that the show has eight episodes. The series is billed as premiering on that date, so all eight are expected on day one rather than weekly. Chaar Yaar is a streaming show, not a TV channel programme, so it will not air live on any channel. For everything else arriving on OTT this week, see our new OTT releases this week list.
Story: what Chaar Yaar is about
The four friends are Jay, Tony, Saahil and Sameer. They are middle-class Mumbai boys juggling family duties and dreams of a better life. When money runs out, they make one decision out of necessity, and it pulls them into the underworld, with gangsters on one side and the police on the other. Prime Video's own synopsis says their friendship is the only real protection they have as the stakes keep rising.
India TV, writing about the trailer, adds a detail the official synopsis leaves out. It says the friends plan a theft but end up taking a valuable vintage vehicle by mistake, which puts both the police and vehicle-theft gangs on their trail. Take that as one outlet's reading of the trailer until the show is out.
The trailer mixes car chases and action with a fair bit of humour, which matches how Prime Video's Nikhil Madhok, Head of Originals (SVOD), described the show at launch: a blend of friendship, ambition, humour and twists.
Chaar Yaar cast and characters
India TV and Flickonclick both give the same casting for the four friends:
| Actor | Character | What we know |
|---|---|---|
| Prayrak Mehta | Jay | The quiet planner of the group, the one the others turn to. Mehta has said Jay thinks before he speaks, and that his intelligence is both his strength and his weakness. |
| Saqib Ayub | Tony | An ordinary Bombay boy. Ayub, known for Farzi and Bambai Meri Jaan, said he enjoyed the car chases and large-scale action. |
| Purav Jha | Saahil | Jha, a comedian and content creator, has called the role a new world for him and a milestone in his acting career. |
| Naman Jain | Sameer | The friend who finds humour even when things go wrong. Jain won a National Film Award as a child artist. |
In the supporting cast are Sai Tamhankar, Sikandar Kher, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Rajesh Tailang, Chunky Panday and Bhagavathi Perumal. Their character names have not been announced. Bollywood Hungama's trailer listing also names Pankaj Jha, Manav Gohil and Paresh Ganatra, but we have not seen them in other cast lists yet.
Who made Chaar Yaar
- Director: Vinay Waikul
- Created by: Vinay Waikul, S. Hussain Zaidi, Sambit Mishra and Saurabh Sawant
- Written by: Sambit Mishra and Saurabh Sawant
- Produced by: Pranati Nagarsheth, Niraj Nagarsheth and P.S. Shyam, through Pink Window Production
- Developed by: BBC Studios India
S. Hussain Zaidi is the crime writer behind the books that inspired several Mumbai underworld films and shows, which explains the setting. Waikul has said the series is about the uncertainty of life, and he praised the ensemble cast.
Trailer reactions
The trailer came out on 16 October 2026. The two trailer write-ups we found were broadly positive. India TV and Flickonclick both found it well cut and fast, but warned that it moves so quickly you can lose the thread if you look away, and that it gives away a lot of the plot. If you want to go in fresh, you might skip it. Flickonclick's verdict was that the show looks like a good pick for fans of heist stories with a funny side.
Is Chaar Yaar like any other show?
A "four friends get in over their heads" crime comedy set in old Mumbai will remind many viewers of other buddy-crime stories, but none of the coverage we checked makes a direct comparison, and Prime Video has not pitched it as a follow-up to anything. If you like gritty Hindi crime shows, our guide to the real story behind Raktanchal is a good next read.
Reviews: what we know and what is not out yet
What we know: the date, the platform, eight episodes, the full lead cast with their characters, the director and writers, and the premise.
Not out yet: critics' reviews. We found no reviews from major outlets before release, which is normal for a show that premieres the same day. Supporting characters, a season 2 and episode titles have not been announced either. We will add reviews here once they come in.
Want more Hindi series? Browse TV series on NoWireTV, or catch up with the releases from last week.
Read next
- New OTT Releases This Week: Movies & Series on Netflix, Prime & More
- Raktanchal True Story: Real Gangsters, Characters & Cast
- The Terminal List Season 2: Release Date in India, Cast and Story
- Chumbak Episode Guide: All 16 Episodes Explained
Frequently asked questions
When is Chaar Yaar releasing?
Chaar Yaar premieres on Friday, 23 October 2026. All eight episodes are expected to arrive together on release day.
Where can I watch Chaar Yaar?
Chaar Yaar streams exclusively on Prime Video, in Hindi, in India and in more than 240 countries and territories. It does not air on any TV channel.
How many episodes does Chaar Yaar have?
Chaar Yaar has eight episodes, according to The Hollywood Reporter India and Flickonclick.
Who is in the cast of Chaar Yaar?
Prayrak Mehta plays Jay, Saqib Ayub plays Tony, Purav Jha plays Saahil and Naman Jain plays Sameer. Sai Tamhankar, Sikandar Kher, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Rajesh Tailang, Chunky Panday and Bhagavathi Perumal are in supporting roles.
Who directed Chaar Yaar?
Vinay Waikul directed the series. He co-created it with S. Hussain Zaidi, Sambit Mishra and Saurabh Sawant, and Mishra and Sawant wrote it. Pink Window Production produced it, and BBC Studios India developed it.
What is the story of Chaar Yaar?
Four middle-class friends in early-2000s Mumbai make one desperate decision for money and end up caught between gangsters and the police, with their friendship as their only protection.
