Netflix has taken over our television, mobile screens, and laptop screens slowly but surely. What started as a new concept has now become more or less omnipresent. Netflix has completely revolutionized the way people consume content. Netflix has content from the world over and India is not far behind. In recent times, a lot of good Indian web series on Netflix have come up that have enthralled audiences from around the world. These series have become the talk of households and have completely changed the dynamics of the way people consume content.
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Reasons why Indian web series on Netflix became popular
Earlier, we used to watch movies in cinema halls. If you missed it, then you had to buy a DVDÂ of the movie or wait for it to come on TV. These were the only options available. Then, later on, a few websites were started where you could pay and watch movies. TV shows, however, could be watched only at a particular time in the day during the screening. If you missed an episode you had to watch a repeat telecast over the weekend. Later on, some DTH providers allowed people to record the TV shows that they liked.
With Netflix, you can watch whichever TV show or movie that you like as per your convenience. Moreover, Netflix will also show you recommendations based on the shows and movies that you have watched. Popular shows that used to come on TV are available on Netflix. Moreover, some series called web series are only released only on Netflix and aren’t even telecast on any channel. This means that if you wish to watch some new and exciting series, you need to have a Netflix membership.
There are shows from different countries on Netflix. Netflix has done a good job of adapting its content according to the demographics of a region. Many web series like Hasmukh, She, Sacred Games and Mirzapur are made especially for India. Netflix Web series like these cater to the demand of the Indian population and the modern Indian youth. Moreover, their storylines are set up in Indian backgrounds and Indian cities which makes them all the more relatable. The Netflix India series also features popular Indian actors which further increases their appeal amongst people.
Sacred Games
Sacred Games is one of the most popular Indian web series on Netflix. The story of Sacred Games has Sartaj Singh as the main protagonist. His past still haunts him and he is a Mumbai police inspector. He wants recognition from the police force but gets embroiled in its corruption. He receives a call from Ganesh Gaitonde, who claims that he knew his father. Ganesh Gaitonde is a notorious gangster who had been underground for 16 years.
In Season one, Gaitonde tells Sartaj that he has 25 days to say his city Mumbai. After that everything will be over and the world will end. Sartaj then goes on a wild goose chase to uncover the plot that threatens to destroy Mumbai. Through this, he is also trying to figure out Gaitonde’s connection to his father.
In the second season, Sartaj learns about the existence of a ‘Guruji’ and his ashram that his father was a part of. He then uncovers a doomsday plot that aims to create a new world devoid of conflict and suffering. However, this had to be done by ending the current one. Sartaj then races against time to stop this from happening.
Sacred Games is an adaptation of a novel which was written by Vikram Chandra under the same name of Scared Games. Vikramaditya Motwane and Anurag Kashyap directed this series under the banner of Phantom Films. In 2014 Netflix wanted to come up with Indian content. Erik Barmack, who is the vice-president of Netflix then contacted Motwane regarding the same and the show was conceptualized. Motwane took the responsibility of Sartaj Sigh’s character while Anurag Kashyap took the responsibility of Ganesh Gaitonde.
Another reason for the success of the show is its casting. Saif Ali Khan who is popular Bollywood actor takes up the role of Sartaj Singh in this show. Nawazuddin Siddiqui who is famous Bollywood actor renowned for his methodical acting plays Ganesh Gaitonde. Another popular actor, Radhika Apte also plays an important role in the show as a RAW analyst. All these factors have helped it become one of the best Indian web series 2018.
She
She is one of the latest Indian web series on Netflix. It is gripping crime drama about a female constable in the Indian Police named Bhumi. Bhumi is a timid character who is working to sustain her family consisting of her mother and younger sister. She is currently estranged from her husband who shows up from time to time just to belittle her. She then ends up going undercover as a prostitute to bust a major drug lord.
This undercover operation exposes her to some ugly truths about life and crime. However, this operation ends up leading her onto a path of self-empowerment. During her attempt to Honeytrap the drug lord Sasya, she feels unusually aroused. This incident leads her onto a journey of exploring her dominant sexuality after being cold and dormant throughout her life. The show aims to highlight the awakening of a sexual abuse survivor. The narrative also shows how women are treated in male-dominated environments.
The show is created and written by Imtiaz Ali and Divya Johry. Arif Ali and Avinash Das were the directors of this series and they did it under the banner of Window Seat Films. Soon after its launch, it was trending as the top Indian web series on Netflix 2020.
Bard of Blood
As far as action-packed spy thriller series go, it doesn’t get much better than Bard of Blood. It’s a thriller revolving around Kabir Anand who takes it upon himself to rescue four Indian operatives captured in Balochistan. Kabir Anand is an excommunicated RAW agent with a rocky past. He then undertakes a daring mission along with an analyst and a sleeper agent to rescue the captured agents.
This off the books mission takes Kabir Anand on a journey of self-discovery. He is forced to grapple with his dark past in order to succeed. He goes from being a lone-wolf to a team player all in the span of one mission. His teammates don’t know this but he is also out for revenge. This is because he had lost his closest friend due to being double-crossed earlier.
The series is based on the book titled Bard of Blood by Bilal Siddiqi. Ribhu Dasgupta directed this series and Red Chillies Entertainment produced it. The popular Indian Bollywood actor Emraan Hashmi was cast into the role of Kabir Anand. This brought a much-needed appeal to show and help it catch more eyeballs.
The Indian Detective
The Indian Detective is a crime comedy with a touch of drama that enthralled the audience. It is one of the popular Indian web series on Netflix which debuted in 2017.
The storyline follows the adventures of Doug D’Mello who is a cop in Toronto, Canada. He receives a one-month suspension for incompetence form the police force in Canada. Hence, he comes to Mumbai to visit his father but gets embroiled in a murder case here. Doug is a goofy cop with funny antics. He has a romantic interest in his neighbour. He ends up answering the call of duty even outside his jurisdiction since he is a cop.
The Indo-Canadian comedian Russell Peters plays Doug D’Mello. Anupam Kher, who is a popular Bollywood actor plays the role of his father. Frank Spotniz and Smita Bhide are the ones who have created this show.
Hasmukh
Vir Das is a popular comedian and Bollywood actor in India. He has done a few stand-up comedy shows for Netflix and has acted in Bollywood movies as well. Vir Das returns on Netflix with the series Hasmukh.
Hasmukh is a dark comedy that revolves around a small-town comedian named Hasmukh. Initially, Hasmukh is a comedy student working under the acclaimed comedian Gulati. He is looking for his big break. Gulati, however, refuses to give Hasmukh his break and keeps mocking and chastising him.
Gulati was an alcoholic and the two of them end up fighting just before a show. Hasmukh ends up killing him and then takes his place on stage. Surprisingly the show goes very well despite Hasmukh being afraid. Gulati’s manager Jimmy finds Gulati dead and understands what Hasmukh did. Instead of reporting this crime, Jimmy covers up the murder and becomes Hasmukh’s manager.
This starts the Saga of Hasmukh. However, things soon take a darker turn. Hasmukh realises that he is only able to perform on stage if he kills before his show. Jimmy helps with this as Hasmukh’s shows start flopping. Then Hasmukh kills his abusive uncle before a show and then the show turns out to be off the charts. Before his next show, he kills an evil politician. Jimmy keeps helping Hasmukh by taking care of the bodies.
After this Hasmukh vows not to kill innocent people. He decides that he will only kill evil people before his shows. Thus, starts the legacy of Hasmukh who is a popular comedian but also a serial killer. This gripping storyline has been the reason why Hasmukh was trending among the top ten shows in India. Hasmukh’s refreshing storyline and great cast have helped it become one of the top Indian web series on Netflix.
Nikhil Gonsalves is the director of this show while Vir Das plays Hasmukh. Ranvir Shorey plays the iconic character of Jimmy while Manoj Pahwa plays Gulati. Nikhil Advani and Vir Das also serve as the co-creators and writers. The show premiered on Netflix on 17th April 2020.
Little Things
Soon after its launch, this Indian web series on Netflix became insanely popular among today’s youth. Mithila Palkar and Dhruv Sehgal play the main roles in this comedy-drama. Pocket Aces launched this series on their own channel Dice Media in October 2016. Subsequently, Netflix purchased this franchise and launched Season 2. The second season premiered on Netflix on 5th October 2018 with eight episodes. Subsequently, on 9th November 2019, Netflix released the 3rd season of the show.
Kavya Kulkarni and Dhruv Vats are a couple from Mumbai that decide to go in a live-in relationship. The show explores how their life changes once they start living together. It portrays the problems that come up, the misunderstands and the good parts that come up in a live-in relationship. The show elaborates how they evolve as a couple and how their perspectives change. It gives out a message on how a mature take on things is required in decisions like this.
The show also has an important social message. In the Indian society, people frown upon live-in relationships. In fact, any relationship between a man and a woman apart from friendships is frowned upon. This show was an eye-opener for parents who are always worried about their children opting for a live-in relationship. Hopefully, it gave them an idea of how this topic is not a taboo. It’s about two people growing and evolving together. It was also a source of education for young couples who may be looking to adopt a live-in relationship. Overall, it challenged the traditional mindset of people and provided a mature take on live-in relationships.
Final thoughts
The Indian demographics have undergone a drastic change in recent times. Under the global influence, the Indian society has changed as a whole. India has a dynamic young population and this there is a huge demand for contemporary serials and shows. Thus, online streaming services like Netflix have launched Indian web series on Netflix to cater to this demand. TV Serials usually cater to the entertainment needs of the previous generation. Online web series are sure to play a huge role in the entertainment industry. By catering to the demands of the young population, Netflix has achieved huge success. The demand for modern web series from various domains is only set to increase over time.
