It has been a massive and remarkable year for web series in India. 2019 can be seen as the game-changer.
The following are Binged.com’s picks the top 7 web shows for the year 2019:
The Viral Fever (TVF) is at the forefront among homegrown OTT platforms. Their shows (the best ones) have the desi-touch and connection that is leagues ahead of others. Kota Factory happens to be one among those and a great example that highlights their strengths. It is about the grind students undergo to get admission in IIT. The competitive culture and bond among the students are well captured.
The stories aren’t anything new, but it is the writing and spot-on casting that elevates the series. Emotions are not contrived or tacky and are dealt in a heart-warming way. They are the Rajkumar Hirani equivalent in this space.
Amazon Prime Studios, which is slowly making inroads with various projects, hit it out of the park with Made In Heaven. The show is groundbreaking in the way it is mounted. The scale is on a whole new level compared to anything that preceded it.
The Zoya Akhtar brand helped Made In Heaven a great deal. The actors rose to the challenge and are enjoying the fruits of their success. The relatable backdrop of marriages and the rich setting gave it the edge.
Netflix, an international phenomenon that single-handedly revolutionised the digital space, tasted its first success in India with Sacred Games. However, it was a year later, in 2019, that it is finally taking off with its content.
Typewriter, by Sujoy Ghosh of Kahani fame, gave Netflix the head turn. It is a low-key affair when compared to others in the space and it’s severely underrated. It was made with dedication and quality. The supernatural thriller has become a common staple for many series in the digital medium. However, none has managed to come up to the level of Typewriter.
The Telugu webspace is reeling with disastrous content, the ZEE5 backed Gods Of Dharmapuri is an exception.
The Anish Kuruvilla directed series features a fabulous cast and excellent writing. The subject of power politics is not novel or original, but the writing and performances elevate it to the next level.
Delhi Crime was another shot in the arm for Netflix. This Netflix original, based on the 2012 Nirbhaya incident, is so disturbing and timely. The police procedural drama is an eye-opener for people within India and outside as well.
The Manoj Bajpayee headed spy thriller is the talk of the town currently. The Amazon Prime Video production is one of the most prominent digital successes.
The quirky entertainment of Raj & DK is seamlessly blended into the spy thriller trope. The former helped the later, and the combined result is an entertaining watch.
The ZEE5 production is a human drama centered on the Indo-Pak tensions, and based on a real story. The show lacked the grand chutzpah of some of the big series mentioned above, but it made up for it with the terrific writing and lead performances.
Dia Mirza and Mohit Raina lived the parts, with the former delivering her career-best act.
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