Year-Ender 2024: From Barun Sobti’s ‘Raat Jawan Hai’ to Sidhant Gupta’s ‘Freedom at Midnight’, 5 Best Web-Series That Debuted This Year and Where To Watch Them Online
With these five standout shows, 2024 proved that the Indian OTT landscape still has plenty of fresh and engaging stories to offer.
The year 2024 has been a fairly decent one for the Indian OTT space. While we’re still waiting for the next instant cult classic like Sacred Games or The Family Man, there have been both hits and misses. Disappointing follow-ups to popular shows like Mirzapur (though we had a more positive take in our review) and Panchayat left fans wanting more. Similarly, highly anticipated shows such as Showtime, Call Me Bae, and Citadel: Honey Bunny failed to meet expectations. ‘Citadel: Honey Bunny’ Review: Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s Slick Spy Series Falters When Tied to a Larger ‘Universe’.
However, 2024 also gave us some standout web-series debuts that left a lasting impression. In this year-end feature, we highlight five Indian web series that truly impressed us, along with where you can stream them.
1. Raat Jawan Hai
Written by Khyati Anand and directed by Sumeet Vyas, this delightful series offers a heartwarming exploration of friendship and parenthood that feels relatable from the get-go thanks to some lively writing and humour. Raat Jawan Hai thrives on the fantastic camaraderie between its lead actors, Barun Sobti, Priya Bapat, and Anjali Anand, who are all at the top of their game. They are wonderfully supported by Hasleen Kaur, Priyansh Jora, and Vikram Singh Chauhan. The show is streaming on Sony LIV. ‘Raat Jawaan Hai’ Review: Barun Sobti, Priya Bapat and Anjali Anand’s Heartwarming Series on Friendships and Parenthood Will Leave You With a Big Smile, Guaranteed!
2. Freedom at Midnight
Created by Nikkhil Advani and written by a team of six writers (Abhinandan Gupta, Gundeep Kaur, Adwitiya Kareng Das, Divy Nidhi Sharma, Revanta Sarabhai, and Ethan Taylor), Freedom at Midnight is a flawed yet riveting drama that delves into the political machinations behind India’s independence and partition. The series delivers strong performances from Sidhant Gupta, Chirag Vohra, Rajendra Chawla, and Arif Zakaria. With powerful moments that challenge long-held myths about India’s founding fathers, the show is an intriguing exploration of political strategy. Freedom at Midnight is streaming on Sony LIV. ‘Freedom at Midnight’ Review: Nikkhil Advani’s Series Is a Riveting Yet Compromised Dive Into Political Powerplay Behind India’s Partition.
3. IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack
Anubhav Sinha brings to life the harrowing real-life events surrounding the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC 814, diverted to Kandahar. IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack captures the tension and drama of one of India’s most significant diplomatic failures with exceptional storytelling, stellar technical execution, and a gripping narrative. The series boasts a star-studded cast, including Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Arvind Swami, Kanwaljeet Singh, Manoj Pahwa, Vijay Varma, Dia Mirza, Kumud Mishra, Aditya Shrivastav, Amrita Puri, Anupam Tripathi, Yashpal Sharma, Sushant Singh, and Patralekhaa Paul. It is streaming on Netflix. ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ Review: Anubhav Sinha’s Netflix Series Uses Its Brilliant Cast To Give a Gripping Reality Check.
4. Poacher
Directed by Richie Mehta, who co-wrote the screenplay with Gopan Chidambaram, Poacher is a well-crafted series with a strong message about wildlife conservation, seamlessly integrated into a gripping investigative narrative. Nimisha Sajayan, Roshan Mathew, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya shine in their roles, while Kani Kusruti has a strong cameo. Poacher is streaming on Prime Video. Poacher Review: Nimisha Sajayan and Roshan Mathew’s Series Is an Absorbing Thriller With a Conscientious Heart.
5. Lootere
Directed by Jai Mehta, Lootere is created by Hansal Mehta and Shailesh R Singh and written by Anshuman Sinha, Vishal Kapoor, and Suparn Verma. This hijacking saga keeps viewers on the edge of their seats with its taut direction, impressive production design, and stunning cinematography. Vivek Gomber, Rajat Kapoor, Amruta Khanvilkar, and Chandan Roy Sanyal deliver exceptional performances that elevate the series. Lootere is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
With these five standout shows, 2024 proved that the Indian OTT landscape still has plenty of fresh and engaging stories to offer.
(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 04, 2024 04:23 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).