Year-End Recap: Top 2023 Web Series: Kaala Pani To Take First Place

The first Hindi comedy series, Permanent Roommates, brought the Western notion of web series to Indian audiences. The Viral Fever produced the 2014 program that caused a furor on the internet. The three seasons of the popular Sumeet Vyas, Jitendra Kumar, and Nidhi Singh sitcom Permanent Roommates were successfully adapted for television by the general public. There hasn’t been a turning back since. Throughout the years, the public has enjoyed a wide variety of web series on over-the-top (OTT) platforms, ranging from criminal thrillers to psychological dramas, historical masterpieces, and slice-of-life stories. As 2023 draws to a close, let’s remember some of the most well-liked Hindi web series from the last year.

Farzi

This is an OTT wonder by Raj and DK. Farzi, which features Shahid Kapoor in the title role and also stars Vijay Serhupathi and Raashi Khanna, tells the tale of a guy who becomes embroiled in a fraudulent money-making scheme. Prime Video offers streaming for the comedy-thriller.

The Manager of the Night

The Night Manager, based on the same-titled book by John Le Carre, follows an ex-soldier who has been sent to join a violent gang led by a weapons dealer in order to stop him for his evil intentions. Aditya Roy Kapur, Anil Kapoor, and Shobhita Dhulipala make up the ensemble cast of The Night Manager, which is an espionage thriller drama that is just ready to be viewed on Netflix.

Celebration of Life

This Prime Video online series transports us to the bygone era of India’s film industry. Jubilee is a story that takes place in the pre-Independence era and centers on the adventures of a production company called Roy Talkies, ending in the present day. Aditi Rao Hydari, Wamiqa Gabbi, Aparshakti Khurrana, and Prosenjit Chatterjee gave an outstanding performance.

Naidu Rana

Rana Daggubati plays the lead role in this Netflix series, which is directed by Karan Anshuman. The television series Rana Naidu focuses on the intricate world of celebrities, with Naidu serving as a “problem-solver.” However, as his father is released from jail, he discovers family secrets and a network of falsehoods, which causes things to take a sharp turn.

Asur 2

After the first season garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews from both reviewers and the general public, Arshad Warsi and Barun Dobti reunited for the follow-up. A young child called Shubh breaks the law and commits many crimes in the name of mythology. Asur 2 on Sony LIV was much more gritty and lived up to the title.

Dahaad

This Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti-directed series is perhaps one of the best Hindi online series available on Amazon Prime. The central plot point of this crime thriller is a serial murderer who is on the run and the police department’s relentless pursuit of his capture. The Berlin International Film Festival hosted the premiere of Dahaad, which featured outstanding performances by Sonakshi Sinha and Vijay Verma.

Kaala Paani

Even in the last episode, this Netflix survival drama will have you on the edge of your seat. What drew viewers in was the series’ connection to the Covid-19 epidemic. The gripping story of an unidentified sickness that is gradually consuming the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is presented in Kaala Paanu. It is an account of human mistakes laced with aspects of survival instincts, the quest for a remedy, and deep human connections tinged with emotions of love, grief, and despair.

The Men from the Railways

To produce a terrifying masterpiece, Netflix brought together some of Bollywood’s best performers, including Babil Khan, Kay Kay Menon, Divyendu, and R Madhavan. Based on the Bhopal gas catastrophe, this compelling story follows three railway workers as they labor tirelessly to contain a toxic gas leak from a carbide plant in order to save the lives of a thousand people.

Weapons n’ Gulaabs

The Netflix series Guns n Gulaab is set in the fictitious Gulaabganj town, where opium is farmed under government permission. The two rival gang bosses, Ganchi and Nabeed, are engaged in a bloody struggle for control of the opium trade. A local child called Gangaram watches Babu Tiger being assassinated by hired assassin Four-Cut Aatmaram in the middle of all of this. The dark comedy, which stars Dulquer Salmaan, Adarsh Gourav, and Rajkummar Rao in the key parts, is a must-see.

Scoop

One of Karisma Tanna’s best performances to date was seen in the Netflix biographical crime drama Scoop. The show centers on the real-life tale of Jigna Vora, who was accused in 2011 of killing Jyotirmoy Dey, a news reporter. Both journalists and the general public found great resonance with the suspenseful narrative, which produced nothing but facts about society and the media.

Lust Stories No. 2

The sequel was directed by the well-known Konkona Sen Sharma, Sujoy Ghosh, Amit Ravindernath Sharma, and R Balki, and it was inspired by the passionate cravings and secret desires of the female leads. The four-part Netflix anthology explored the world of female dreams while shattering preconceptions about sex. The ensemble cast included Angad Bedi, Tillotama Shome, Kumud Mishra, Neena Gupta, Vijay Verma, Kajolm Mrunal Thakur, and Tamannaah Bhatia.

Aarya 3

With her incredible acting abilities in the film Aarya, directed by Ram Madhvani and Sandeep Modi, Sushmita Sen stunned the OTT circuit. This year’s third sequel that debuted on Disney Plus Hotstar exceeded all expectations as well.