TOP 10 INDIAN WEB SHOWS OF 2019

Since the past few years, we have seen a lot of Indian web shows and films come being made and they’re getting a lot of appreciation from the audiences. Last year, we had seen a lot of shows being made and released, some were really appreciated and some just raised the expectations and never could reach there. In this feature we will look at what we feel are our top 10 Indian original web shows of 2019. 

1. THE FAMILY MAN

Starring Manoj Bajpayee in the lead as Srikant Tiwari, the show follows the journey of a spy who is trying to balance his life as a spy and his life as a middle class family man. He works for a special cell of the National Investigation Agency, trying to save the country from the terrorists and one the other hand he is also protecting his family from the impact of his job. The series created by Raj & DK also stars Priyamani and Gul Panag in prominent roles. What has been really appreciated about the show is how the story has the right amount of drama, action, thrill and also some comic relief mixed together very nicely along with, what goes without saying, an interesting storyline. The season two of the show is currently under the works. THE FAMILY MAN is exclusively streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

2. DELHI CRIME

Netfl ix Original Show DELHI CRIME is based on the true story of the Nirbhaya Rape Case. It follows the journey of the Delhi Police in trying to fi nd the perpetrators of the crime. The show stars Shefali Shah is the lead role as DCP Vartika Chaturvedi who is heading the investigation and is committed to fi nding the perpetrators as quickly as possible. At the same time the series also sheds a light on the relation she shares with her daughter. The reason why the show is being so appreciated is because the story doesn’t hold back and is said with utmost honesty. The show also stars Rajesh Tailang and Rasika Dugal in key roles and the acting performances from the actors is also what makes the show a good watch. The story of the show is also quite gripping and also in places, brutal. Recently, DELHI CRIME also won awards in six categories at the Asian Academy Creative Awards.

3. MADE IN HEAVEN

MADE IN HEAVEN, produced by Excel Entertainment, follows the lives of Tara and Karan, two wedding planners, who run a management company in Delhi called Made In Heaven. One thing about the show that was really appreciated by the audiences that, while the show and the weddings had the backdrop of rich, glamorous Indian weddings, the show at the same time confronted a lot of issues plaguing our society like patriarchy, homophobia and class differences. It also focuses a lot on all the insecurities, incidents, ambitions and other things that happen in an individual’s life. The season two of the show is also currently under works. MADE IN HEAVEN is exclusively streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

4. KOTA FACTORY

KOTA FACTORY is a TVF Original series which was made for TVFPlay. The show follows the life of 16 year old Vaibhav who moves to Kota from Itarsi for education. The series shares a tragicomedy commentary on the educational system prevalent in India. The series is a lot close to the reality and hence he audiences have been able to relate to it so much. Interestingly, the show is also India’s first black and white series. KOTA FACTORY is available to stream on TVF Play.

5. LITTLE THINGS – SEASON 3

LITTLE THINGS starring Mithila Palkar and Dhruv Sehgal in the lead roles, follows the journey of a cohabitating couple in their 20s, where they try to balance their work, life and the ups and downs in their everyday life in Mumbai. This show was already appreciated since it was launched but gained even more popularity after getting picked by Netflix for season 2. The season 3 of the show came out last year and the story hasn’t disappointed at all. LITTLE THING is streaming on Netflix.

6. CRIMINAL JUSTICE

CRIMINAL JUSTICE is a series based on CRIMINAL JUSTICE by Peter Moffat , which has been adapted for the Indian Audiences by Shridhar Raghavan for Hotstar, under their new label Hotstar Specials. The story is based around the lead Aditya (Vikrant Massey) who wakes up with blood in his hands with no recollection of anything whatsoever. While he claims he is innocent, he has evidence stacked against him. The series follows the journey of whether he is guilty or not. The show has garnered a lot of appreciation for the treatment and has kept the audiences on the edge of their seats throughout. The show is streaming exclusively on Hotstar.

7. KAAFIR

KAAFIR follows journey of Kainaaz Akhtar (Dia Mirza), a woman from Pakistan who ends up on the Indian side of border and is held prisoner by the army on the suspicion of being a militant. It also follows the journey of a journalist (Mohit Raina), who is trying is best to prove that she isn’t the militant they think she is. The story being so true to life, has been appreciated a lot by the audiences. The show has been shot beautifully as well. KAAFIR is streaming on ZEE5.

8. BROKEN BUT BEAUTIFUL – SEASON TWO

BROKEN BUT BEAUTIFUL is a seriesthat has been created by Ekta Kapoor for her OTT service AltBalaji. The series returned for the season two of the show last year after being appreciated by the audiences for the season one. The series stars Vikrant Massey and Harleen Sethi in the leading roles and it revolves around love, heartbreaks and romance between the two protagonists. The show is streaming on AltBalaji.

9. QUEEN

QUEEN is an Indian historical drama series based on the life and times of the late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. The series is directed by Gautham Menon and Prasath Murugesan and is produced by Times Studios Originals. The first season of the show has 11 episodes. The show being based on the life of such a prominent leader has garnered immense appreciation and has become a talk of the town, especially in the southern belt of India. The show is exclusively streaming on MX Player.

10. INSIDE EDGE – SEASON TWO

The second season of the much loved show INSIDE EDGE returned late last year and has struck a chord with the fans of the show yet again. The second season put a face to the man whose voice was all that was revealed in season 1 as the man who controls cricket in India. The show continues where it left o from in Season one and continues the drama and the thrill it has built in the season one surrounding the Gentlemen’s game of Cricket. INSIDE EDGE exclusively streams on Amazon Prime Video.

Notable films that released on the OTT platforms:- SONI, CHOPSTICKS, HOUSE ARREST AND DRIVE released on Netfl ix. Zee 5 had an original film release in BADNAAM GALLI and Hotstar had two films released namely, KANPURIYE and CHHAPPAD FAAD KE. Out of the films that released SONI is the pick of the lot, with the rest being average/below average overall. The trend for Original films is also slowly picking up in India and hopefully this year we get to see more Original films releasimg straight to OTT.