The battle between creators and the censors has been going on since ages. While the creators feel that their content is actually putting a mirror on the things that are happening in our society, the censors think otherwise. With the lack of censorship, creators on the web space are now free to present their stories the way they actually want to. While the web space in the country is still relatively young, we have got enough glimpses of the potential of the content which we are able to produce. So, we list down some of our favorite Indian web series that you definitely must check out. Read on...
1. Tabbar
Tabbar, a dark tale directed by Ajitpal Singh and written by Harman Wadala and Sandeep Jain, is about a former police constable who will do anything to protect his Tabbar, the Punjabi word for family. The family of retired police officer Omkar Singh is central to the plot of Tabbar. He is a small-business owner who adores his wife Sargun. The two sons of the couple. However, when their older son Happy shoots a local politician's younger brother, things start to go south for the happy family.
An unfortunate incident is followed by a tragedy of errors. Everyone is searching for the murderer because it is a high-profile case, but Omkar swears to do whatever it takes to protect his family. In the series, the drug problem in Punjab plays a significant role. Overnight, it alters Omkar's family's course. As Omkar gets dirty trying to protect his son from the politician and the police, the lines between right and wrong and good and bad become more hazy for him.
2. Maharani
The political drama Maharani takes place in Bihar in the 1990s. Will Rani Bharti (Huma Qureshi), a woman with no formal education, survive in this world of caste arithmetic, conventional satraps, and the emergence of the voice? Homemaker Rani Bharti is Bheema's wife who is the chief minister of Bihar. She only considers her home and her husband. After her husband steps down from his position as Bihar's CM, she wants to grab her belongings and return to the village. But when her husband, the CM of Bihar, is forced to reveal the identity of his successor, her life takes an unexpected turn. His party members appear eager to learn who has been chosen, but he unexpectedly names Rani as his replacement, shocking everyone.
3. Rudra: The Edge of Darkness
Rajesh Mapuskar's Hindi adaptation of the British television series Luther is set in South Mumbai. Ajay Devgn portrays the title character, a police officer who works in the special crimes unit and relies more on his intellect than his strength, in Rudra: The Edge of Darkness. He is infamous for never carrying a gun and for using logic puzzles to solve graphic crimes. In the six-episode series, South Mumbai's roads and historic buildings may have been cleaned of grime, but its back alleys and warehouses continue to harbour gruesome crimes. Rudra is given his pick of the cases, including serial killers, kidnappings, additional murders, and theft. Rudra's unconventional methods cast a shadow over him in the form of a criminal whose crimes have plagued him for a very long time. His ways of doing things and character flaws have caused his marriage with Shaila to fall apart.
4. Bard of Blood
In Bard of Blood, four Indian intelligence officers from the Indian Intelligence Wing (IIW) are tracked after they are compromised just as they are about to tell India something crucial. The handler of the captured agents, intelligence veteran Sadiq Sheikh, realises he must lead a covert mission to free his men when he returns to India. He contacts Kabir Anand, a former spy who is now a Shakespeare professor and is well-versed in the geography and politics of Balochistan. With the cryptic information at his disposal, Kabir must make sense of it. Kabir must take a perilous journey and complete unfinished business in order to obtain the answers.
5. Guilty Minds
One of the best courtroom dramas to release this year, starring powerhouses of acting Pankaj Tripathi and Shriya Pilgaonkar. It follows the story of two starkly opposite legal firms that battle it out in court over a range of cases.
While one is led by Kashaf Quaze (Shriya), who believes in the power of honesty, the other is led by Deepak Rana (Varun Mitra) whose aim is solely to ensure his clients win. Who gets the better of the other is for you to see, in this thrilling ten-episode-long Indian web series that will keep you hooked throughout.
6. Mismatched
Mismatched starting doe-eyed boy next door Rohit Saraf and Prajakta Koli is a must-watch romantic comedy that you need to add to your watchlist asap! Set in a tech university, it has college students competing to make an app that outpaces the rest, taught by professor Ranvijay Singha. It has all aww-worthy moments, great comedic elements and an amazing soundtrack- basically all the elements you need for a perfect binge-watch!
7. The Great Indian Murder
Another must-add to the list of must-watch Indian web series this year is definitely the great Indian murder. With brilliant actors like Richa Chadha, Pratik Gandhi, and Ashutosh Rana, and a well-written plot line- this show is one to keep an eye out for.
Based on Vikas Swarup's book titled Six Suspects, the series revolves around the murder of complicated industrialist Vicky Rai, and the suspects they continue to surprise. As the investigation explores multiple versions of a single murder, the plot only thickens keeping you engaged.
8. Masaba Masaba
As a real-life mom and daughter Neena Gupta and Masaba Gupta play versions of themselves in this exaggerated, playful version of their life- you too are pulled into their world of fashion and film. A different genre from the rest of the Indian web series mentioned on this list, this series is a playful, and entertaining take on the lives of this duo. Definitely a relatable one-time watch, that will leave you smiling throughout- Masaba Masaba is a must-see.
9. Scam 1992- The Harshad Mehta Story
Money is what makes the world go round. And that's especially true in the case of Harshad Shantilal Mehta, a sauve, ever so charming stockbroker who became India’s very own big bull, cobra killer, cheetah of the market and propelled the stock market to unimaginable heights. Based on the book, The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away, by journalists Sucheta Dalal and Debashish Basu, the web series is a thrilling recollection of what the country witnessed during the time.
The series stars Pratik Gandhi, in the titular role, alongside a range of other talented actors such as Shreya Dhanwanthary, Anjali Barot, Ramakant Dayma, Chirag Vohra, Vishesh Bansal, Kumkum Das, Jay Upadhya among others. Whether Harshad Mehta was a hero to a criminal is a moral dilemma the markers decide to leave up to the audience. The web series is currently streaming on OTT.
10. Aarya
Aarya is a crime thriller-drama that follows the life of a woman who puts her family above everything else, even when moral dilemmas and shocking revelations ensue. The show created by Ram Madhvani and Sandeep Modi features the brilliant Sushmita Sen in the titular role. With new plots being constantly hatched, and sudden twists being thrown your way, there's never a dull moment in the series, and it'll keep you entertained throughout.
11. Modern Love Mumbai
Modern Love Mumbai is an Indian adaptation of the original foreign series of the same name. The web series is a compilation of six uniquely sweet stories that explore Mumbai while navigating the themes of friendship, love, and life.
The show has a great ensemble cast including notable actors such as Chitrangada Singh, Tanuja, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Pratik Gandhi, Ritwik Bhowmik, Meiyeng Chang, Arshad Warsi, chef turned actor Ranveer Brar and Designer turned actress Masaba Gupta. Each actor excels on-screen and manages to engulf you in their world of self-discovery, learning and dealing with the complexities of life.
12. Bandish Bandits
Something that definitely gives a web series an extra edge, is good music. Bandish Bandits, as the name suggests, is a story of two singers turned lovers, one who sings classical music while the other enjoys pop music. Through the series not only do the two music genres evolve and merge together, but the personalities of the two lead actors namely Ritwik Bhomwick and Shreya Chaudary also transform beautifully. Despite the cliche storyline, the good music, beautiful visuals and adorable love story make the series a fun watch.
13. Human
A dark-drama web series, the grasping show stars two phenomenal actors in the lead roles namely Shefali Shah and Kriti Kulhari. It follows the nexus of medical scams, highlighting unethical practices such as illegal drug trials on humans.
From pharmaceutical companies to hospitals and doctors and to unassuming patients that become the victims of such practices, the series shows you the concept through every perspective, keeping you engaged throughout all ten episodes. An eye-opening yet thrilling watch, Human is a must-add to your to-watch list.
14. Mumbai Diaries
The perfect mix between a medical drama and an edge-of-the-seat thriller, Mumbai Diaries is set during the Mumbai attacks of 26/11. However, the unique bit is the fact that, unlike other series that cover the issue from the front end, this looks at the events through the perspective of a government hospital and present front-line workers that were involved with crisis management during the calamity.
The ensemble cast, featuring Konkana Sen Sharma and Mohit Raina among others is also a big plus. The series balances vulnerable emotions, and hard-hitting objectivity and chronicles a gritty, yet engaging depiction of attacks.
15. The Fame Game
Starring none other than the gorgeous Madhuri Dixit in the lead role, The Fame Game deals with the journey of being a Bollywood actress and the baggage that comes with it. The drama-thriller features a dysfunctional family and highlights how they deal with obstacles that befall them throughout the six episodes.
Watching Madhuri Dixit, alongside Sanjay Kapoor on the silver screen is nothing short of a delight, and both actors carry out their personas convincingly. The build-up of the show may be slow, but it keeps the watches engaged. The cliffhanger ending, however, has us waiting for a second season!
16. Bombay Begums
This six-part series follows the journeys of five different women from different walks of life as they aim to smash the patriarchy in their own small way. Starring Pooja Bhatt, Shahana Goswami, Amruta Subhash, and Plabita Borthakur as four women bound by the shackles of corporate life, and Aadhya Anand, as a troubled teen named Shay- the story is a progressive tale of rebellious female energy. As each of them deals with their own dreams, desires and disappointments, we are taken on a journey of empowerment, that may be a little preachy at times, yet continues to be powerful.
17. TVF Aspirants
Another great web series by viral fever, aspirants revolves around the friendship of competing for best friends and UPSC aspirants. The series shows us the difficulties of competing for a public service exam, even more so when you're from a middle-class family. The five-episode-long show displays how people change as the stakes increase, and personal successes are on the line.
This show is a must-watch, and even more so if you're a student. The story has relatable dialogues, a realistic storyline, great acting and a plot that will shake you, and motivate you!
18. Rocket Boys
This biographical drama traces notable personalities Homi J Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai, two pioneers in the field of atomic research and nuclear science as they work on the journey of launching India’s first rocket. Featuring the talented Jim Sarbh and Ishwaak Singh, the plot follows their innovations and friendship. It demonstrates how they spent three decades developing one of India's most important inventions, and in turn, created historic milestones.
19. Stories by Rabindranath Tagore
Set in the 1920s, Stories by Rabindranath Tagore is a representation of short stories by the Bengali writer and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. A standout factor of Tagore’s literary work is that he mainly focused on relationships that were tainted by the shortcomings and idiosyncrasies of human nature. Another interesting fact is that female characters were more often than not the protagonists in these tales. While each story has a different concept, the feel of that era has been captured well in almost every story. The web series features a bunch of talented actors like Radhika Apte, Sumeet Vyas, Rohan Shah and Amrita Puri amongst others.
20. Selection Day
Even though cricket is extremely popular in India, Bollywood films based on the sport didn’t seem attractive enough to the audience for some reason. Yes, there are exceptions like Lagaan and Iqbal which impressed many, but overall the response to films based on this sport is rather underwhelming.
Selection Day brings a change to that trend as it was extremely well received online and managed to gain widespread popularity. The Indian web series revolves around two brothers and their father’s obsession with making them India’s next cricket stars. While they do enjoy the sport and are passionate about it, their father’s unhealthy attitude in pushing them toward their goal affects them to a great extent. The Indian web series includes a talented cast of Mohammad Samad, Yash Dholye, Karanvir Malhotra, Rajesh Tailang, Mahesh Manjrekar, Ratna Pathak Shah, Shiv Panditt, Parul Gulati and Akshay Oberoi.
21. Cricket Fever: Mumbai Indians
IPL over the years has transformed itself into the biggest domestic cricket tournament in the world. Massive player fees, packed stadiums and the inclusion of Bollywood, what’s not there to like about this cricket extravaganza? But, while we’ve only been treated with the action on the pitch, this web series takes us into what goes on off it.
In the eight-part documentary series, we go through the IPL team Mumbai Indian’s road to victory. Each episode is 40 minutes long and with each episode, you learn a little better about what goes into the making of a high-profile IPL team. Shot inside dressing rooms, hotel rooms, conference rooms, team meetings and net sessions, this documentary really makes you feel a part of the Mumbai Indians squad. While we’ve seen many documentaries like these covering teams from sports like football, rugby, basketball, and baseball, this was a first for a cricket team. Even though it’s slightly hampered by a weak background score and patchy edit in places, it surely will be a delight to watch for any cricket fan.
22. Jamtara :Sabka Number Aayega
After a few disappointing ventures, it seems like Netflix was losing out on the interest of the Indian audience. However, after watching this web series we can safely conclude that they’re back in the game. Creators Trishant Srivastava and Nishank Verma and director Soumendra Padhi present a gripping story based on a group of boys from Jamtara running a highly lucrative phishing scam. These activities are planned and executed mainly by two cousins - Sunny (Sparsh Shrivastav) and Rocky (Anshumaan Pushkar). While Sunny enters into it for the money, Rocky’s obsession lies in power. A cast of mainly fresh faces embrace their roles and manage to do a brilliant job in portraying their different characters.
This Indian web series is in fact inspired by true events as Jamtara has over the years turned into a hub of sorts for phishing India. They also portray the impact of aspiration, greed, wealth and power on a person. Jamtara stands somewhere between the Anurag Kashyap and Tigmanshu Dhulia universes. Recently, we’ve seen many Indian web series try out the rural gang mafia but Jamtara is one series that manages to execute it perfectly. Director Soumendra gets full credit for crafting an exciting story filled with twists and turns in each episode.
23. Rangbaaz
Rangbaaz is a web series based on the life of the infamous criminal Shree Prakash Shukla which is changed to Shiv Prakash Shukla in the series. The story begins in 1992, with a naive twenty-year-old Shiv Prakash (Saqib Saleem) is shown to be happy in his simple life. Things take a turn when an eve teaser dares to harass his sister and ends up getting killed by the hands of Shukla. The web series does full justice to the character transformation of Shukla from being a simpleton to the most wanted man in India. A special mention must be given to Saqib Saleem, who delivers possibly his career-best performance with this one. He gets into the skin of his character of the dead gangster and delivers a terrific performance.
24. Sacred Games
When the first scene in the show is of a dog falling from the height of a skyscraper, you know that this Indian web series isn’t going for subtlety. In fact, it’s the level of brutality that marks the cornerstone of this web series. Sacred Games was the first web series produced by Netflix in India and with a duo of talented directors like Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane pulling the strings, people naturally expected big things.
This Indian web series is based on Vikram Chandra’s 2006 novel of the same title. While the storyline won’t be termed as extraordinary, it is the visual craftsmanship of the directors that distinguishes Sacred Games from following the footsteps of other crime dramas. The acting by the cast too is absolutely spot-on. Saif Ali Khan is convincing as a Sikh police officer and even nails his Punjabi accent while he is at it. It seems that playing a ruthless gangster can come to Nawaz even in his sleep as in his past performances he fits this role like a glove.
25. Mirzapur
Mirzapur is a typical gang war drama in which people are ready to go to any extent for securing power. Right from the first scene itself, this Indian web series establishes the world you’re in. This seemingly lawless land is ruled by Akhanda Tripathi aka Kaleen Bhaiya (Pankaj Tripathi). Carrying out a carpet business as a cover, Kaleen Bhaiya carries out every illegal activity imaginable like dealing in desi kattas (guns), drugs and blackmail to name a few.
Pankaj Tripathi absolutely nails his act as the local don. Be it his nuances, mannerism or the way he delivers lines, it's hard to not be in awe of him. Vikrant Massey is his usual reliable self as he delivers an impressive performance. Ali Fazal does a commendable job as an all-brawn and no-brain. Divyendu Sharma, however, comes as the surprise package with his portrayal of Munna in the Indian web series. It's good to see him play an extremely negative character for the first time and nail it.
26. Yeh Meri Family
“Summer is a festival, not a season.” declares a 13-year-old Harshu (Vishesh Bansal) - an average boy from an average family. Within a few minutes of the Indian web series, the message is very clear. TVF wants you to go on a nostalgia ride through their Indian web series. The Indian web series is filled with elements of nostalgia like hearing cricket commentary on the radio, talking on cordless phones while drinking Rooh Afza, phantom cigarettes, and WWF trump cards.
In fact, all that’s missing is a dial-up connection and Yahoo chatrooms. The web series revolves around the events that occur during the summer in a family of five. Many shows tend to suffer from nostalgia.
27. Made In Heaven
Close to two months ago, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti delivered one of the best Hindi films in recent times - Gully Boy. The film had a lot going for itself like stellar acting and great music. However, its: biggest strength was that it stayed away from the stereotypes that are a given for films ‘made in Bollywood’. And this thought is reapplied in Zoya and Reema’s next venture, Made In Heaven. This Indian web series follows the life of two Indian wedding designers.
These two, and the brides and grooms they are serving, often lie to get their way. But, like most of us who also lie, cheat or deceive to get by in life, they do not always get away with things and are unable to find closure. Again, much like in real life, the Indian web series shows us the deep dark truth behind the seemingly perfect face of the rich Delhi wedding scene.
28. Little Things
This cute little Indian web series based on the life of a couple in a relationship won the hearts of people ever since it was released online. The realistic and refreshing take on love blooming between two youngsters over little things in the big city of Mumbai is probably the biggest selling point of the show. The Indian web series recently concluded its second season.
In the second season, we find the protagonists to be in a much different position than the first. The thing that works best for the Indian web series is the lead couple’s effortless chemistry. The simplicity and ease with which the lead pair play their parts are truly commendable. The show is realistic in the way it portrays love.
It celebrates the imperfections of love and life, and it shows us exactly what happens when two real people fall in love and decide to go for it. It’s messy, it’s imperfect, but, at the end of the day, it is all worth it.
29. Breathe
This Amazon web series is probably India’s answer to Breaking Bad. The supremely talented R. Madhavan plays the role of Danny Mascarenhas, who probably should be awarded the title of Father of the year. we see Madhavan pull off some crazy acts in order to save his only son Josh, who has 6 months to live. Josh is in urgent need of a lung transplant which is his only hope in live. However, the problem is that he’s fourth on the transplant receiver’s list.
While the two leads and the supporting cast put in a great performance, one cannot argue over the fact that the show belongs to Madhavan. The actor loses himself in the character of a doting dad turned criminal. Whether he’s planning a murder in an empty warehouse with only a stray dog for his company or his one-sided conversation with the grave of his wife, Madhavan really ‘breathes’ life into this show.
The show is all set to return with season 2 which will continue on the same path. Fans are excited to see what the makers have in store for them in the next season. The new season will star Abhishek Bachchan in a prominent role.
30. Delhi Crime
The Nirbhaya rape case was an incident that shook the entire nation. Several years have passed since the tragedy but the people of the country have still not forgotten. It was a crime that made headlines across the world, and as detail after shocking detail of the case got out, it left us stunned with the horror of it all. So while many web series focused on the incident and what were the factors that drove the culprits towards such a heinous act, Netflix puts light on how the Delhi Police went about the job of catching the criminals during the fragile political conditions.
We all know that the criminals were arrested within a matter of days of the incident but what we were not aware of is how meticulously the task force at the Delhi police worked for this to happen. The 7-episode series details the stellar efforts on the part of the Delhi police in nabbing the men behind the act. The star of the show has to be Shefali Shah. Her character refuses to let gender get in the way of her duty and strays away from falling into the pit of police politics.
31. Criminal Justice
Criminal Justice is a crime thriller and court drama rolled into one. The Hotstar original is based on the 2008 BBC show of the same name. The Indian version has been adapted by Sridhar Raghavan and directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia and Vishal Furia. In the Hindi drama, we see Vikrant Massey play the role of the cabbie played by Ben Whishaw in the original.
Criminal Justice is a show that keeps you glued throughout. 10 episodes Having a bunch of the finest actors in Bollywood at the moment obviously does kick things up a notch. Every actor is in sync with the dark, gripping mood of a crime that isn’t as simple as it seems. however, it’s Vikrant Massey and Pankaj Tripathi’s presence that truly makes the show special. It is how they portray their characters that keep the viewers so interested in finding out what lies in store next. Although we see some cliche that we’re used to seeing in Bollywood for years now, this one is definitely worth your time.
32. Kota Factory
Over the years, Kota has got earned the reputation of mass-producing IIT graduates. But, what we don’t see behind this astonishing success rate is that along with this there are also many people who are forced into this field and are termed as ‘misfits’. The Kota Factory gives us a birds-eye view of the functioning of this conveyer belt routine that produces these future 9-to-5ers.
The camera work in the show too gives us a gist of the life of these young achievers. The signature drone shot is of the city of Kota which is often used as an opening to shots and gives you an impression of the city which makes it looks like a maze and the students in the maze are a hamster. This Indian web series & also features Jitendra Kumar in a pivotal role, who impresses as the teacher, mentor, and overseer Jeetu Bhaiya.
33. Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala
On paper, Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala seems to tick all the boxes. It’s a romantic drama with a fresh concept, features some of the big names from the television industry, on-point production design and a reputed director in Pradeep Sarkar. Coldd Lassi Aur Chicken Masala tells us a story of the run-on of long-lost lovers Nitya (Divyanka Tripathi) and Vikram (Rajeev Khandelwal). Nitya is Indie Spice's head chef while Vikram is a two-time Michelin star chef. Their profession ends up getting the two back together.
Indian web series features two timelines - the present day and 2010 Bhopal where we’re told about their past. Even though the two are deeply in love with each other, their different ambitions in life cause them to separate earlier. While the concept had great potential, it goes the typical Balaji route by overdramatizing the story and its situations. This web series disables two very talented actors to bring out the best in their characters.
34. The Family Man
Starring Manoj Bajpayee, The Family Man is an edgy action drama that revolves around a middle-class man who’s a secret agent for the National Investigation Agency. While he’s saving his country from terrorists, he also needs to protect his family from the impact of his secretive yet low-paying job. What makes this Indian web series stand out is the fact that Bajpayee’s family sidetrack that we witness in the show.
Normally, spy-based drama is all about the action on the field but with this, we learn a little more about the character and his personal life resulting in a sense of attachment to the lead. Manoj Bajpayee, as usual, is effortless and completely immerses himself in the character.
35. Rejectx
Off late, hip hop and rap have gained immense popularity amongst the youth in the country. The youth of the country today are using this as an instrument to express their feelings about matters that concern them. Set in a high-profile school, director Goldie Behl gives a deep insight into the complicated life of millennials through his show RejectX.
Rejectx web series gradually shifts from a high school musical set up to an intense thriller. But, the charters aren’t well defined and we don’t get to know enough about the character's backstories and what leads them to be like that.
36. What The Folks
Remember Little Things? A web series that rose to fame for accurately depicting the ‘little things’ about a relationship. Well, another Dice Media web series titled What The Folks take a similar route but only in a family setup.
The web Indian series revolved around named Nikhil (Veer Rajwant Singh) who has to stay with his wife Anita’s (Eisha Chopra) parents for a while because of work. The web series is almost like a Saas-Bahu opera in reverse with Nikhil having to deal with his father-in-law’s love and rage. The web series also manages to give out a very important message. In Indian families, the daughter-in-law aka Bahu is never treated with respect while it is a sin to offend the ‘ladkewalas’.
37. Bekaboo
The Indian web series produced by Balaji is a psycho-thriller drama. The story revolves around an author who seems to be living the perfect life until a mishap he faces changes everything completely.
The biggest fault in this project is that it does not focus on the content as much as it does on the sex. Yes, we agree that sex does sell big time but the makers could’ve gone a little easier on that part.
38. Kaafir
The contrast between Kashmir’s beauty in turmoil is a concept that has been utilized several times in the past with Kaafir being the latest addition to the list. In this Indian web series, we see Kainaz Akhtar (Dia Mirza), a woman from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir who finds herself on the Indian side of the border and is promptly declared a militant.
Despite her appeal for innocence, she’s put behind bars for eight years and even gives birth to a child along the way. Kainaz almost gives up on the hopes of returning home until lawyer-turned-journalist Vedant Rathod (Mohit Raina) learns of her story and decides to don the black coat again to win justice for her. The film is based on a true story and gives out a message for cross-border peace that is very relevant based on the current political scenario.
39. Four More Shots Please!
Four More Shots Please Web Series is the story of four women in Mumbai who can afford to drown their life’s failures with inexpensive booze. First, we’re introduced to Damini (Sayani Gupta), whose life revolves around her job as a journalist. Next is Anjana (Kirti Kulhari) who has forgotten what it feels like to have sex since her daughter was born, four years ago.
Then we have Umang (Bani J), a bisexual who doesn’t believe in the concept of love until she falls for a woman who isn’t ready to come out of the closet yet. And finally, there’s a virgin (Manavi Gagroo), who’s emotionally abused by her mother over her weight and the need to get married. The Indian web series is about these four people who feel they're misfits in society but learn to deal with their insecurities.
40. Tripling
The tagline of this show is ‘Crisis ke waqt family hi kaam aati hai’ which is enough to give you a gist of what to expect. The show takes us on an unplanned road trip along with three siblings who aren’t on the best of terms. All three main leads, Sumeet Vyas, Maanvi Gagroo & Amol Parashar have done complete justice to their roles and truly make the arguments and bonding between them seem authentic which adds further depth to the show.
This definitely not like the road trip film we’ve seen in Bollywood - Farhan Akhtar’s Dil Chahta Hai and Zoya Akhtar’s Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Director Rajesh Krishnan doesn’t try to mimic the style and instead focuses on the idiosyncrasies of the bunch. All in all, Tripling is a cheerful misadventure that we all can relate to.
41. Pitchers
"Tu kya hai? (What are you?)” This question is that people often ask themselves when they don’t know their purpose in life. Few of them have the courage to answer this question and the rest of the bunch just choose to move along with their life. Pitchers is a show about four friends who quit their job to work on their ‘million dollar idea’. While working on their idea is obviously the biggest motivating factor, they also want a change.
From their routine corporate lives, to starting their own company and being masters of their will. This five-episode season takes us through the struggles of this group as they work towards turning their dream into reality.
42. Inside Edge
Inside Edge, Indian web series was Amazon’s first venture to attract the Indian audience and what better a topic than cricket to lure Indians? However, this web series does not actually have many shots of the players on the pitch. Instead, it focuses on putting light on what goes on behind the scenes in a cash-rich league.
Arvind Vashist (Angad Bedi) and Niranjan Suri (Sanjay Suri) are the Mumbai Mavericks' captain and coach respectively which is owned by a Bollywood actress named Zarina Malik (Richa Chadha). The cricket league is owned by the suave and demonic Vikrant Dhawan (Vivek Oberoi) Inside Edge is a typical guilty pleasure watch with each episode that leaves you wanting more. The web series follows the typical underdog and overachiever formula.
43. Flames
Ritvik Sahore is turning into an actor that is slowly and steadily taking over the Indian digital scene. The actor impressed with his performance in Laakhon Mein Ek, a story of a young boy trying to live up to his father’s expectations and now we see him in a more conventional love story.
The web series revolves around teenage love and heartbreak and takes you back to a time when just getting a smile from your crush meant the world. The cast also includes Sunakshi Grover, Tanya Maniktala and Shivam Kakkar. The episodes are named after evergreen 90’s love songs and the background score also features these songs from time to time which is sure to make the viewers nostalgic.
44. Asur (2020)
Asur is a show that slowly and steadily sucks you into its dark mystic world. The story, in this Indian web series, unfolds across two timelines. Things kick off with a flashback. We see ex-CBI officer Nikhil (Barun Sobti) teaching forensics at a University in America. His easygoing life is interrupted when he begins to receive pictures and coordinates of corpses from an unknown number.
The curiosity brings him back to his original job, where he’s reunited with his mentor DJ (Arshad Warsi). How the two talented investigators begin to unravel the mystery behind the serial killer, who often refers to himself as Asur (Satan in Hindi), forms the crux of the show. The show stands out as it’s extremely high on Indian mythology, psychology and mystical concepts like karma and redemption.
45. Special OPS (2020)
Now Neeraj Pandey already has a reputation for creating some exciting action thrillers. He manages to build on it further with this web series. The show revolves around real-life terror incidents that have occurred in India. It gives us a fictional account of what takes place behind the scenes at RAW as the country looks to track the culprits behind the act.
We are first introduced to Himmat Singh (Kay Kay Menon), who is now settled for a desk job. He has his network of spies across the world reporting back to him as they track an upcoming terrorist in India. Apart from Kay Kay Menon, the show’s cast also includes Karan Tacker, Vinay Pathak, Saiyami Kher, Sajjad Delafrooz, Sana Khan, Vipul Gupta and Meher Vij.
46. Paatal Lok (2020)
A celebrity anchor emerges as a shocking target for a group of killers. But why him? Who’s behind this? These are the questions that begin to haunt your thoughts as we progress in the show.
The star of the show is Jaideep Ahlawat. His never-ending desire to get to the bottom of the case is what keeps you engrossed in the story. His pairing with Ansari rests on the classic formula of an experienced senior showing the ropes to a wide-eyed junior. Neeraj Kabi and Abhishek Banerjee also do justice to their parts. At the end of the show, you’re left wondering if is anyone actually evil. The answer lies in whether they love a dog or not. Go figure.
47. Panchayat (2020)
Set against a rural backdrop, Panchayat revolves around an engineering graduate named Abhishek (Jitendra Kumar), who takes up a job as the secretary of the village Panchayat Chief. What follows is his encounter with a completely different side of India. TVF is known to narrate alternate stories. They did it previously with Kota Factor and they nail it yet again with Panchayat. The characters are well-fleshed out. We see a bunch of scenes, which are fun to watch but don’t make much sense until the ending when it all comes together.
We also see the enjoyable journey of Abhishek coming to love the village and its people after his initial dislike for them. Panchayat is a perfect watch if you’re feeling low and need something to lift up your spirits.
48. Chacha Vidhayak Hai Hamare (2018)
Zakir Khan is a popular name in India’s stand-up comedy circuit. Now, he impresses yet again with the web series Chacha Vidhayak Hai Hamare. Zakir is not your typical leading man. That's what’s so good about the show.
He does not try to portray someone larger-than-life. Instead, he plays a simpleton, who often exaggerates the truth to enjoy a sense of supremacy over others (something we all have done at some point in our lives). Just like Ronnie (Zakir), the other characters in the show are authentic and relatable, making this comedy one you should definitely check out.
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