Missed these Indian OTT shows? Find the best of 2021

The OTT boon has given rise to a flurry of content in the streaming world. While many from well-known production houses failed to deliver quality content, some did justice to the expectations from them. It was encouraging to see many unheralded creators producing binge-worthy products that had terrific performances, raised important topics and dared to explore a variety of genres.

Here is the list of the best shows of 2021.

Family Man Season 2 (Amazon Prime Video)

Raj & DK take the espionage thriller several notches higher in the second part. The series manages to admirably blend the cultures of south and north India and keeps the suspense factor intact till the end. Manoj Bajpayee is excellent as usual but Samantha Ruth Prabhu, as the antagonist, steals the show. The series is shot in a slick manner and a touch of humour, that remains consistent, makes 'Family Man 2' the best of 2021.

Grahan (Disney+ Hotstar)

It is a crime drama by Ranjan Chandel based on the book 'Chaurasi'. It created a massive storm on social media as it talks about the 1984 Anti Sikh Riots. The makers argued that they had no intention in diminishing the Sikh community. The horrors and struggles of that incident was captured, they said. The gripping acting performance by Pavan Malhotra, Wamiqa Gabbi, Zoya Hussian has to be applauded.

Matsya Kaand (MX Player)

Matsya Kaand is the sleeper hit of 2021. The show draws references from the Mahabharat story. It was refreshing to see zero unwanted dialogues and needless fight scenes forced into the story. The plot gives prominence to character development.

Tabbar (Sonyliv)

'Tabbar' is a family thriller on the lines of Jeethu Joseph's spectacularly successful 'Drishyam' series. Ajit Pal Singh ignores cliched ideas seen in Punjabi films and crafts an engrossing survival drama. An excellent cast of Pavan Malhotra, Supriya Pathak, and Ranvir Shorey does well to keep us glued to our seats.

Mumbai Diaries 26/11 (Amazon Prime Video)

We have seen many films inspired from the ghastly 26/11 terrorists attacks on Mumbai. ‘Mumbai Diaries 26/11’, directed by Nikkhil Advani, looks at the incident from the point of view of doctors, who faced unprecedented challenges. It realistically portrays the horrifying incidents at the Bombay General Hospital. Mohit Raina, Konkana Sen, Satyajeet Dubey deliver moving performances.

Criminal Justice season 2 (Disney+Hotstar)

This is one of the most underrated web series of 2021. The first part, steered by the gifted Vikranth Massey, was a big hit. The second season too has all the ingredients for a compelling thriller. Themes of domestic violence and the problematic mindset of the society were explored in it.

Decoupled (Netflix)

Decoupled, created by journalist and writer Manu Joseph, opened to mixed reviews. The Madhavan and Surveen Chawla-starrer might not be in the league of the above-mentioned shows but it raises interesting topics to debate about. The process and consequences of a divorce and the dynamics of a married couple have been brought out well by the web series.