2021 is all set to wrap up in next two-three days and a new year is upon us. It's that time of the year when you take stock of things. Content-wise, it was a mixed bag as it delivered both terrible and terrific series. OTT platforms continued to dish out series which they thought needed to be told. While quite a few impressed us, the one that didn't also had a few good performances. So we decided to talk about the performances from web series that left us thoroughly satisfied irrespective of the fate of the series. Year Ender 2021: Squid Game, Hellbound – Five Kdramas Of The Year That Left The World Highly Impressed!.
Kani Kusruti - Ok Computer, Tryst with Destiny
Kani Kusruti as Malayali Monalisa in Ok Computer is a revelation. She is wise, with a dry sense of humour, a distinct style of talking and some amazing moments. Her comebacks are class apart. You immediately take a liking for her from the first episode. Despite having acting heavyweights like Vijay Verma and Radhika Apte in the lead, it's Kani's Monalisa that stays with you. She did an equally splendid job in one of the shorts in Tryst With Destiny where she played one half of a Dalit couple. The short was devoid of dialogues and she just shined!
Akshay Oberoi - Inside Edge 3, Dil Bekaraar
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Disney+Hotstar
Akshay Oberoi has evolved and how! Everytime we watch him on web shows, we just can't believe that this is the same guy who came across too saccharine for our taste in Isi Life Mein. He has groomed himself as an actor really well and picked up some amazing projects along the way. In Inside Edge 3, he played a closeted gay cricketer who chooses career over his personal life. He does such a wonderful job at it that you would love to hate him. Then there's Dil Bekaraar where he is an investigative journalist trying his best to bring the truth out despite deadly opposition.
Manoj Bajpayee - The Family Man 2
The Family Man has already established Srikant Tiwari aka Manoj Bajpayee's character well. What else can the second season add there? What we didn't factor in here is that we are talking about Bajpayee, he can make a regular character seem epic which is exactly what he does in the second season. He maintains the fun quotient of his character despite this season getting a lot grimmer than the previous one.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu - The Family Man 2
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
Samantha debut on digital with The Family Man 2 amidst controversy and emerged out a queen. People just can't get enough of her portrayal of an extremist. She adds a lot of depth to the character which could have easily turned into a cliche. Year Ender 2021: From Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s Oo Antava Oooo Antava To Sivakarthikeyan’s Chellamma, 5 Sensational South Songs That Became Viral (Watch Videos).
Raveena Tandon - Aranyak
Where to watch: Netflix
Raveena Tandon debuts on OTT with Netflix's Aranyak and does a stellar job of a guilted cop. Her inner conflict surfaces everytime she hits a roadblock in a murder case she is investigating and she maneuvers it really well.
Jameel Khan, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Sunita Rajwar, Harsh Mayar, Vaibhav Raj Gupta - Gullak 2
Where to watch: SonyLIV
What a charming series this is! So heartfelt, feel-good and fascinating! Every member of this series deserves an award for being just them because they don't seem to be playing fictional characters at all. Their middle-class existence and the simplicity of their performances wow you till the last. This is easily the best web-series of 2021 and with best performances of this year!
Abhilash Thapliwal - Aspirants
Where to watch: YouTube
TVF does a good job of painting the second screens with student stories and they aren't just romantic ones. Be it the hostel life or competitive exams or life after all that, they ace it and Aspirants is one them. SK Sir aka Abhilash Thapliyal is simply mind-blowing in the show. He keeps it real and relatable all through the series.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 29, 2021 06:32 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).