During the lockdown, digital platforms and OTT platforms saw a significant rise in the number of users, and in the time spent streaming movies and shows. From reminiscing about the times when social interactions involved meeting their peers, and having a college crush, to playing pranks on friends and learning life lessons from teachers, there's a lot that everyone has fond memories of!
As we are set to bid adieu to 2020, let's take a look back and list down the top 7 streaming platforms of the year who stole the show with their Indian/Hindi offerings.
Netflix
Here are some fantastic shows that you can binge on Netflix if you haven't!
Delhi Crime (2019)
Based on the 'Nirbhaya rape case' that shocked Delhi/NCR a few years ago, this crime drama follows the special group of officers investigating the brutal rape case of a girl in a moving bus. With the investigation, they are under immense pressure to capture all the culprits as early as possible.
The International Emmy-winning show Delhi Crime stars Shefali Shah, Rasika Dugal, Adil Hussain and Rajesh Tailang in lead roles.
Vir Das: Outside In - The Lockdown Special
After having started the year with a crackling special called Vir Das: For India, this time around Vir gave his audience a taste of how a virus ended up uniting the entire globe at the same time. The show originally premiered on his website for charity but will now make it Netflix on December 16.
Sacred Games season 1 and 2:
This Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte, and Kalki Koechlin starrer Netflix original is probably the best Indian original series to watch. If you haven't already seen Sacred Games, it's about time you do.
Little Things:
Little Things was not a Netflix original, but the streaming service later bought the franchise. You have three seasons of the TV show available to watch on Netflix. It is based on the lives of a young, unmarried couple — Kavya (Mithila Palkar) and Dhruv (Dhruv Sehgal) — who live together in Mumbai. Little Things follows the daily lives of the couple and tracks their relationship over the years. A must watch for every millennial.
Mismatched:
Mismatched is a young-adult romance series based on Sandhya Menon's bestselling book 'When Dimple Met Rishi'. Starring YouTuber-turned-actor Prajakta Koli and Rohit Saraf, Mismatched is about a bunch of wannabe coders who enrol for a summer course in Jaipur. It's funny, quirky and will make your heart melt.
With such fun—tastic shows on offer, Netflix and Chill will be a perennial mood.
Amazon Prime Video
Bandish Bandits:
A musical extravaganza directed by Anand Tiwari, this romantic series features Ritwik Bhowmik and Shreya Chaudhary in lead roles and Naseeruddin Shah, Sheeba Chaddha, Rajesh Tailang, Kunaal Roy Kapur and Atul Kulkarni in supporting roles. One cannot forget the soulful classical tracks by musical maestro Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.
Paatal Lok:
An assassination attempt on a veteran journalist sparks a nail-biting police investigation that traverses cities, religion, politics, and gender discrimination. Pataal Lok is fueled by brilliant performances across the board from actors like Jaideep Ahlawat, Neeraj Kabi, Abhishek Banerjee, and others. The gripping series co-produced by Anushka Sharma is hard to forget.
Mirzapur 1 and 2:
This gritty thriller web series revolves around two families and the series of crimes they get entangled in, in the lawless city of Mirzapur. From Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Vikrant Massey, Divyendu Sharma, Rajesh Tailang, Shweta Tripathi, Rasika Duggal to Abhishek Banerjee and Sheeba Chaddha, each member of this ensemble cast has helped the show attain a cult status with their brilliant performances. The season 2 is simply unmissable.
Breathe season 1 and 2:
After the stupendous success of Breathe season 1, season 2 has raised the bar it's all the more gripping and spine chilling. The psychological crime thriller web series features Abhishek Bachchan, Nithya Menen, Amit Sadh, Saiyami Kher, Hrishikesh Joshi and Shrikant Verma among others.
Four More Shots Please! 2
The first season of Four More Shots Please premiered in January 2019 and became an instant hit among the youth. Starring female protagonists, Sayani Gupta, Kirti Kulhari, Bani J, Maanvi Gagroo the new season is bolder, sassier, and more empowered. Samir Kochhar and Shibani Dandekar are the latest entries to the show. Are you ready for round 3?
ALTBalaji
Mentalhood:
kick-started the year on a significant tempo with one of its most spoken about shows Mentalhood saw Karisma Kapoor debut OTT and steal the limelight. A story that was different, yet as real as ever, Mentalhood spoke about Moms of various personalities and won the hearts of millions around the globe. The show also stars Tillotama Shome, Sandhya Mridul, Shruti Seth, Shilpa Shukla, and Dino Morea.
Bebaakee Season 1:
A tale of love, passion & madness between the three, Sufiyaan (Kushal Tandon) and Kainaat (Shivjyoti Rajput), get closer in the show but are unable to understand whether their passion is accompanied by love or hate. With the entry of Imtiaz (Karan Jotwani) in their lives, Sufiyaan sets out on a mission to ruin Kainaat and Imtiaz. Bebaakee is an intense love saga that will make you fall in love with Kushal Tandon's character a lot more.
Baarish Season 1 and 2:
An unusual tale between a middle-class girl and a wealthy businessman, Baarish embraces the ups and downs in life that is relatable for many. Starring Sharman Joshi and Asha Negi. In today's hook -up culture, Baarish showcases the purest romance.
Bicchoo Ka Khel:
A revenge drama set in Varanasi stars Divyenndu( Akhil), a budding writer whose life is nothing less than a roller-coaster ride with twists and turns to keep you at the edge of your seat. Divyenndu is funny, quirky and the dialogues in the show often leave you in splits.
ZEE5
Kaafir
The ZEE5 web-series which is shot against the backdrop of Kashmir but the actual shoot took place in Himachal Pradesh. Kaafir is inspired by a true story of an innocent Pakistani girl, Kainaaz Akhtar played by Dia Mirza. She faces a jail term after the Border Security Forces (BSF) mistakenly take her as a militant. Throughout the episodes, one can easily fall in love with the valley and the breathtaking views of the mountains and the rivers: the web-series star Dia Mirza and Mohit Raina.
Naxalbhari:
Starring Rajeev Khandelwal, Tina Dutta, Sreejita De, Satyadeep Misra. The show revolves around STF agent Raghav who goes on a secret mission to curtail the revival of a Naxal uprising in Gadchiroli. However, the war becomes too personal as he digs deeper and tries to uncover the larger plan of the revolution.
Abhay 1 and 2:
The web series is based on true events that took place in north India in 2006, which also includes the infamous mass murder and cannibalism in Noida. The character Abhay is played by Kunal Khemu who tries to balance his personal life while solving the crimes. The crime thriller will surely leave you with more idea and information about the events.
Disney+Hotstar
Criminal Justice:
Criminal Justice is based on the US show of the same name. This series tells the story of a cab driver whose life turns around after he becomes a prime suspect in the murder of his one-night stand. You cannot merely miss impeccable performances by Pankaj Tripathi and Vikrant Massey If you love shows that explore the world of sex, drugs and crime. Well, if you haven't binged watched CS do it now, as season 2 is all set to stream from December 24.
Aarya
Aarya is memorable for all of us as it marks the comeback Sushmita Sen after a decade. The web series showcases some beautiful palaces and the local setups of Rajasthan. One can even see the rich Rajasthani cultural heritage in many of the scenes. The plot of the web-series revolves around a loving wife and doting mom Aarya, and her reluctance to be involved in the illegal narcotics family business. The web series stars Sikandar Kher, Chandrachur Singh, and Ankur Bhatia.
Sony LIV
Scam 1992:
Hansal Mehta's TV series, Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, is one of the most engrossing adaptations of a real-life event on-screen. It follows the rise and inevitable fall of Indian stockbroker Harshad Mehta, better known as the 'Big Bull.' The series is adapted from journalist Sucheta Dalal and Debashish Basu's book "The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away," and Pratik Gandhi (who essays the role of Mehta in the series) has done a spectacular job. Kudos to the amazing cast.
Avrodh:
Based on one of the chapters from Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh's book, "India's Most Fearless," this Indian show is inspired by the Uri attacks that took place in September 2016. The series features an incredible star cast, comprising Amit Sadh, Neeraj Kabi, Darshan Kumar, Vikram Gokhale, Anant Mahadevan and Madhurima Tuli.
Voot Select
Asur:
This gripping crime thriller web series revolves around two conflicting worlds – one, which is backed by forensic science and the other that is heaving dominated by mythology—featuring Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti in leading roles. The show is a perfect balance between since meets superstition. Well for the ones who have already watched, season 2 is underway.
Crackdown:
A slick, high-octane, action-fueled thriller, Crackdown revolves around a covert operations wing that tries to crack through multiple smaller decoys to uncover a larger conspiracy that threatens national security. In the process, they find an able ally in a girl whose identity remains a mystery. The series marks the directorial debut of Bollywood director Apoorva Lakhia and stars Saqib Saleem, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Iqbal Khan, Waluscha, Rajesh Tailang, and Ankur Bhatia.
Gone Game:
The Gone Game revolves around the current pandemic. Shot entirely in isolation during the lockdown. The show stars Sanjay Kapoor, Arjun Mathur, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Rukhsar Rehman, Lubna Salim, Indraneil Sengupta, Dibyendu Bhattacharya.
