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BizAsia 2021 Reflections: Five Indian web series that stood out

In 2021 viewers saw content like never before especially when it came to Indian web series. Throughout the year creators were working very hard to present the audience with something new and interesting to keep them entertained. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that they did extremely well in terms of experimentation. It has proved that with the right cast and a decent storyline even web series can create an impact.

So in no particular order BizAsiaLive.com will take a look at some Indian web series that managed to catch the eye of viewers around the world.

‘The Empire’ (Disney+ Hotstar)
The series is said to be based on Alex Rutherford’s novel ‘Empire of the Moghul: Raiders from the North.’ Created by the ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ (2003) director Nikhil Advani, the story revolves around the life of the Mughal emperor Babur and the struggles he faced during his reign. The series is a historical, fiction drama which consists of eight episodes. One thing that may have excited many was the cast of the series which had both film and Television artists join hands. From the legendary actress Shabana Azmi to queen of TV Drashti Dhami, Kunal Kapoor as the emperor Babur and not forgetting Dino Morea who gives an impressive performance as the terrifying Shaibani Khan, this was a cast that no one saw coming.

A historical drama that makes the viewer feel like they have been transported back to the Mughal era. The grand sets were breath taking and not to mention the costumes that had such immense detail, the makers of the show went above and beyond. However with that being said if there was something that let down this series it was the visual effects which is a shame because in every other department they did a superb job. Hopefully with the next season they can improve on this as there are talks of another season which should be releasing in 2022.

‘Jeet Ki Zid’ (ZEE5)
Based on a true story this was the journey of one man who in order to survive had to continuously fight a battle against himself. The story of Major Deependra Singh Sengar is one of inspiration, determination and of bravery. Directed by Vishal Mangalorkha, the series shows different stages of the army man’s life from before he entered the Special forces team, to his training days and even in battle. At one point in his life he becomes wheel chair bound and struggles to remain positive. Though he faced many obstacles in his life, it is how he overcame them that made this series memorable.

Amit Sadh did justice to his performance. The pain and frustration his character was feeling he really was able to convey that to the audience. With Sadh, another name that deserves praise is Sushant Singh who played the role of Colonel Ranjeet Chaudhary. This seven part military drama will definitely tug at the heart strings and encourage one to never give up.

‘Mumbai Diaries 26/11’ (Amazon Prime Video)
A medical thriller that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seat. The story takes place at Bombay General Hospital where the medical staff are working non stop to help the patients that visit them.
Aware that the patients coming in could have something as major as a gun shot wound to something like a high fever they are prepared for most things. However nothing can prepare them for what calamity will befall them on that very day. News starts to circulate of a terrorist attack in Mumbai in which many people have lost their lives and the number of seriously injured is high. How the medical staff deal with the events that take place while trying to put their own emotions aside is something to watch.

Mohit Raina received a lot of appreciation for his role of Dr Kaushik Oberoi, head of trauma surgery. His portrayal of a doctor who can’t help but break the rules if it means he can save a life won over the viewers. Seen alongside Raina was Konkona Sen Sharma who played the role of Chitra Das, a social services director at the hospital. While her character has studied medicine she is restricted by what she can do due to not completing her degree. Sen Sharma really excelled in her role.

‘Maharani’ (SonyLIV)
A woman in a man’s world. Rani Bharti (Huma Qureshi) is a housewife who likes to keep her house in order while looking after her husband who is the chief minister of Bihar. One day her life is changed when her husband decides to appoint her as his successor. Confused and a little lost Rani gives in and does as her husband wishes. At first she feels uncomfortable being in a workplace that consists of mostly men but then she tries her best to learn about the world of politics.

Qureshi was highly praised for her performance in fact she won an award for the role she did. This ten episode drama has managed to open doors for Qureshi and she had confirmed on Twitter that viewers will get to see her as Rani in Season 2 of ‘Maharani.’

‘Little Things S4’ (Netflix)
A feel good series that viewers can simply not get enough of. After the success of not one but three seasons the makers of the drama released season four a few months back. The final season with the main leads Dhruv Vats (Dhruv Sehgal) and Kavya Kulkarni (Mithila Palkar) had both the viewers excited but also sad to see the end of them. Viewers got to see different aspects of their relationship from them living in together to having a long distance relationship. With the last season the makers of the show hoped that it would leave viewers with a smile on their face.

So these were the five web series BizAsiaLive.com talked about. Before we go here are a few more web series we had to quickly mention such as the spy thriller ‘The Family Man S2’ starring Manoj Bajpayee. The first season received so much appreciation that when the second season came out fans of the show were over the moon. Another series that received a lot of attention was ‘House Of Secrets: The Burari Deaths’. This docuseries released on Netflix with three episodes exploring the various theories as to how eleven members of one family all passed away. It was a series that had viewers shocked and at the same time intrigued as to what actually took place.

Stay tuned to BizAsiaLive.com for more features and entertainment!