2020 was the year where we got some of the best and unique content on the digital platforms as there was a big paradigm shift in the stories that were being told but with so much experimentation going on there were bound to be a few series that performed badly and disappointed the audiences.
Here you can take a look at our list of what were possibly the worst web series of 2020
10. Mastraam
Mastraam is the story of an erotic writer who makes decent money writing erotica and this show takes us on a journey on how he got the inspiration to write it all. This MX Player series is filled with such amounts of voyeurism and vulgarity that one is left with a lot of skin show and very little understanding of the moral and psychological dilemma of the writer. It is a sleazy show and was made as a cheap trick to gain a lot of streams from the perverse audience who are enjoying the unregulated flow of content. It is not the premise of the story but how it was handled that makes you cringe as all the women in this series have been severely objectified.
Wherever new experimentation is tried there will always be failures and with the OTT landscape continuously evolving many people are trying their hands at different and unique concepts. While we appreciate sincere efforts the execution, lazy writing can make it a dreadful task to watch such series and we wish that we could erase these web series from our memory.
9. Dangerous
Dangerous was marked by the presence of the Karan Singh Grover and Bipasha Basu couple on screen and apart from their chemistry or characters nothing seems to stand out in this thriller as there have already been several attempts at making such stories and one like this is surely passable. The storytelling seems rushed with some weird twists and theories along with lovemaking scenes thrown in the mix in a last-ditch attempt to keep the viewer hooked but in today’s day and age, such parlour tricks won’t work and this thriller turns to shambles and feels like it was stretched unnecessarily.
8. Pati Patni Aur Panga
Having Pati Patni and Panga on this list hurts the most as this MX Player original had the ability to be something really good but landed up being nothing but a lost opportunity. Romanchak Arora and Shivani the two main leads of the series fall in love with each other after the former helps her find a home. They fall in love and are happily married but then things take a dark turn as Shivani tells him about his past. While the intent of the series may have been good you don’t really see any of the characters grow. The performances and execution could have been better but more importantly, the writing could have elevated this story which could have shed light on a social issue but fails to register with the viewers.
7. Operation MBBS
Three students Nishant, Sakshi, and Huma have to deal with their turmoil and conflicts but become the support system of each other. This is definitely needed as the medical profession is never an easy ride. While the main cast Ayush Mehra, Anshul Chauhan, and Sarah Hashmi share a good rapport on screen the writing is a big letdown as the characterization isn’t very good and the setting of a medical college doesn’t look very real or appealing. While it may be a light-hearted affair it doesn’t offer much and doesn’t have a lasting impact on you.
6. Phone A Friend
Phone A Friend is another one of those experimental titles from Zee 5 that had a unique premise but gets lost in its execution. The makers have taken a very formulaic storyline and given it a Sci-Fi twist with the hope that it will bring something fresh to the table but unfortunately that never happens and it becomes quite a predictable affair. Varun Pandya (Akhlaque Khan) who is an awkward and unsociable guy does not have a lover but things change when he gets a new friend in the form of Leonardo (Btw it’s a phone). I know it sounds absurd but that is it and despite Akhlaque Khan trying his best to salvage something with some endearing moments all you get is a forgettable web series.
5. Bhanwar
While many platforms have experimented with unique concepts in the OTT era Bhanwar is another series on Zee5 that is based on the concept of time travel. Ranvir and Kanika Makhija (Karanvir Bohra and Priya Banerjee) are a couple who are on the run and look to stay in a posh apartment where they can hide from the law but things slowly take a different turn. The fact that this series was created in the lockdown lent a lot of restriction thus making the screenplay tedious with the frames being as minimal as possible. Another thing that really hurts this series is the loopholes in the story which make the plot unintentionally comic and while it may have been a bold attempt it is one that you would want to forget.
4. It Happened in Calcutta
It happened in Calcutta is one of those period dramas that was created by Alt Balaji and one can instantly find a lot of loopholes in it. Ronobir Chaterjee, Kusum Ganguly, and Ratan Bagchi are the main characters of the show who have just entered Calcutta’s most prestigious medical college. Ronobir is the typical ladies man and while he makes a commendable attempt the writers could have done a better job with the characterization. There is nothing authentic about the setting of the medical school and the detailing of the 60s era is certainly not up to the mark. The character development of some of the main leads becomes bizarre towards the end of the series.
3. Naked
Naked is one of those series that had to be handled with a lot of care especially because of the premise on which it was built and if the team had to be a bit more invested in the process right from screenplay to acting we may have had a unique thriller on our hands but instead what we get is a bland act form the team. The story revolves around a wealthy businessman who is found dead in his hotel room and Natasha (Superna Moitra) a famous porn actress is found to be staying with him. Suraj Kadam (Aaryaman Seth) tries his best to play the part of the honest cop but some forced dialogues will make you laugh.
2. Judgment day
Divya is concerned about her musician sister Hiya who doesn’t return home and Divya along with her lover try to take the help of the cops who are filled with their own sets of biases and prejudices. They receive news that hiya has been brutally gang-raped and tortured and what ensues in their journey for justice and vindication. The reaction of the cast to most of the situations either feels too forced or unnecessarily exaggerated. The series shows the plight of the girl but turns out to be regressive and there is very little to no detailing around the characters involved in the story. What could have been a great premise was sidelined by the shoddy execution and directionless approach.
1. Shrikant Bashir
A terrorist group, a pharmaceutical company, and a man-Made virus provide the central plot of this story as two officers who are poles apart in the way that they think and deal are given the task of stopping this calamity. A 14-hour run time and so many backstories that don’t always make sense mixed with a weak plot and some forgettable dialogues will surely test your patience and will only make you regret the fact that you spent so much time and energy on it.