A still from Kaushiki

If you’re one to notice the inspirations that makers of Indian web shows draw from their Hollywood counterparts, Kaushiki — a tale about the lives of six friends and their dark secrets — may remind you of the acclaimed show, 13 Reasons Why. The series kicks off with Kaushiki’s (Sayani Gupta) voiceover, as she describes her hometown, the city of Ahmedabad. This onset is refreshing, giving you a peek into the soul of a city that’s not Mumbai. Kaushiki introduces us to her gang of five. Omkar Kapoor plays the wealthy Maggie, a businessman by profession. But, in order to derive his “kick”, he also moonlights as a drug peddler. However, Maggie is no brat. He loves his family and friends, but isn’t particularly responsible. Writer Shantanu Srivastava instantly earns brownie points for deciding against stereotyping this character, which has only been showcased in limited ways until now.