15 December,2021 08:19 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
web series stills/picture courtesy: PR
As 2021 is about to come to an end, the OTT industry has given us a wealth of quality and engaging shows which kept the viewers hooked to their screens. OTT players made sure to keep their subscribers satisfied and engaged throughout the year. As we look back at 2021, we reminisce about the unique and exciting content we watched so far. A major portion of the year has gone by binge-watching from the comfort of your home. With the rise in content in different genres, makers are challenging themselves to come up with unique concepts for shows. Viewers were treated with overwhelmingly fabulous content from different platforms where they were spoilt for choice.
The shows were not only loved by the viewers but also the critics. Let's have a look at the web series that left us at the edge of our seats.
The series that took the world by storm, Squid Game takes you through a mysterious game for people at risk who are in dire need of money. 456 participants from all walks of life are locked into a secret location where they play games to win 45.6 billion won (South Korean currency). Every game is a Korean traditional children's game such as Red Light, Green Light, but the consequence of losing is death. This show not only won hearts globally, but it also became the most talked show in 2021.
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The Family Man has managed to keep you at the edge of your seats from its first season. The story revolves around Srikant (actor Manoj Bajpayee), a middle-class man who works for a clandestine government agency, dealing with a rather high-profile commitment and dedication to serving while wanting to protect his family. The connections between the family members of this show will make you laugh yet to get a parent point of view in a hypothetical situation as well. It created a large connection with the audience, and the fans couldn't help but binge-watch, discuss and dissect every scene during their late-night conversations.
How can we miss out on this one? What began as a robbery will turn into a war as the Professor has been captured by Sierra and, for the first time, doesn't have an escape plan. Even though the gang have managed to rescue Lisbon, their darkest moment is upon them after losing one of their own. Just when it seems like nothing else could go wrong, an enemy comes on the scene that is much more powerful than any they've faced: the army. Part 5 of this iconic Spanish series will mark the end of the greatest heist in history. Have you watched this one yet?
Though not high on discussion, Maharani, A 1990s political drama set in Bihar, did leave OTT lovers to think about Huma Qureshi's character. It stayed with a lot of people, with its caste arithmetic, traditional satraps, and the emerging voice...will an illiterate woman Rani Bharti (Huma Qureshi) survive this? A homemaker and the wife of Bihar's chief minister Bheema (Sohum Shah), who is suddenly thrown into something she has never been a part of, takes a step to save her husband's political career. This was an out-of-the-box thought for Rani Bharti herself. Why, you ask? Well, all she cared about was her house and her husband, and once she is a part of politics, all she wants is to pack her bags and go back to the village after her husband resigns from the post of Bihar's CM.
Though not liked by many, Bombay Begums showcases the lives of 5 women from various walks of life in Mumbai, as they try to hustle their way around the chauvinistic culture and break stereotypes. It gave rise to a lot of alarming topics a woman faces now and then, yet refrains from discussing with their gang. Bombay Begums initiated such matters which were later seen to be taken into their own hands. Though divided by socio-economic disparity, these women are seen as united in their struggle to stay relevant and to be heard in the city of dreams, Mumbai.
Kota Factory is set in Kota, Rajasthan, an educational hub famous for its coaching centres. The show follows the life of 16-year-old Vaibhav (Mayur More) who moves to Kota from Itarsi. It shows the life of students in the city, and Vaibhav's efforts to get into IIT by cracking the JEE Advanced examination. It also stars Jitendra Kumar, Ahsaas Channa, Alam Khan and Ranjan Raj in prominent roles. Starting at a slower pace, it gains a lot of momentum in its second season, connecting with students and parents alike.
A three-episode show that left everyone talking about it, who somewhere have read this in newspapers, and watched it on their television sets back in the 2000s. House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths is a docudrama, that left many shaken by the brutal deaths in one entire family. The mass-suicide, mass-hysteria case is beautifully shown by Netflix, making us all think more and more and do our background checks around the murders.
Based on the life of a group of teenagers, who decide to make it big by hook or by crook, are suddenly caught up in an act that they can't leave behind. How To Sell Drugs Online (fast) will hit you like an epiphany, which showcases all things wrong with the teens working their hearts out in the show. Moritz Zimmermann, who starts a small-time business, quickly spirals out of control. Moritz and Lenny learn to deal with the consequences of large scale drug trafficking. The series is inspired by a true story that took place in Leipzig in 2015 that shares the story of Maximilian Schmidt, who was sentenced to seven years in prison.
In this anthology series, Ray, from a satire to a psychological thriller, celebrated Satyajit Ray's stories that were adapted into short stories. Directed by Srijit Mukherji, Abhishek Chaubey, Vasan Bala, Ray has an essence that will stay with you for a longer period. It grows on you in such a way, you won't help but connect the dots with each story. The independent episodes on their own, Ray will fulfil your intellectual score, which highlights people's vulnerability in the most poetic manner.
This Mike Flanagan show will stay with you longer than you thought. Midnight Mass, a dystopic take on Holy Bible, where a small dead town is suddenly awakened after an 'angel' shows up to resurrect the entire village. Hamish Linklater's character, along with Zach Gilford and Kate Siegel, revitalises the town's faith in God with its eight-episode show. If The Haunting Of Hill House is your new horror show to binge on, Midnight Mass will send chills down your spine as the show reaches its final episode.
