After what feels like millennia, the year is finally ready to say goodbye. Despite the pandemic impacting lives drastically, 2020 has slightly redeemed itself with the tremendous amount of original Indian content we got to consume. As OTT platforms shoved theatres out the door, our country's digital space flourished with splendid movies and shows that kept us sane and entertained in times of stress during lockdown. So, as we bid the year adieu, here is a look at 20 Indian original releases that made it to our watchlists.
1. Afsos
One probably isn't living their best life if their sole motive is to end it. Nakul is one such person who despite attempting to kill himself several times, is still alive and unhappily so. Stumbling upon a paid killing service, he books his own murder but soon has a change of heart. However, it might be too late for him as the contract killer assigned to end him, never leaves a job undone.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
2. Taj Mahal 1989
Encapsulating the romantic vibes of Lucknow in 1989, this series is a breath of fresh air. The plot emphasises on the lives of a Lucknow University professor couple, their old friend and his lover, a few college students, and a school girl planning to run away with an older boy. As these varied characters explore their philosophies and dynamics of love and relationships, a profound interpretation of romance in a pre-internet age comes to light.
Streaming on Netflix
3. Asur
Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti star in this series that explores the unsettling world of forensics and murder. A deranged serial killer with a perplexing philosophy leaves a cluster of bodies in his wake, and two criminological specialists from CBI are put on the case. Driven by tales from the dark corners of Indian mythology, the psychotic killer foils all attempts at his capture and turns out to be more than the authorities bargained for.
Streaming on Voot
4. Special Ops
Special Ops chronicles a 19-year-long manhunt for a terrorist, led by a RAW agent, Himmat Singh (Kay Kay Menon). Convinced that the same man is responsible for major terror attacks in India throughout the years, Himmat deploys some of his best agents across the globe to track him down using secret service funds and ends up facing an enquiry for his antics. His efforts finally seem to bear fruit when one of his agents discovers a lead. The narrative takes inspiration from numerous espionage missions undertaken by Indian secret services in the last 20 years.
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
5. State of Siege: 26/11
Sandeep Unnithan's book—Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai 26/11 comes alive in this faithful and gut-wrenching retelling of the 2008 terror attacks. Told from the perspective of the National Security Guard (NSG), the gritty and thrilling plot goes into detail about the preparation that went into taking down the terrorists as they slaughtered their way through various areas of the city. To paint a complete picture, the series also uses an episode to showcase the planning and training undertaken by the gunmen before the onslaught.
Streaming on ZEE5
6. She
A female police constable gets recruited to go undercover to bust a drug racket. Quiet and timid by nature, she poses as a prostitute to get closer to the leader of the gang and discovers the power of her latent sexuality. She uses her newfound strength to manipulate her targets and comes out as a fierce woman on the other side of the operation.
Streaming on Netflix
7. Panchayat
After graduating from an engineering college, Abhishek Tripathi (Jitendra Kumar), is forced to take up a low paying job as a Panchayat secretary, due to lack of better opportunities. As a result, he moves to a remote village in Uttar Pradesh and is bludgeoned with a cultural shock. Surrounded by simpletons who exist in a trivial society, Abhishek regrets his choice and decides to crack the CAT exam to escape. However, his time there may hold more surprises than her can think of.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
8. Gulabo Sitabo
One of the first films to release digitally in India, Gulabo Sitabo brings to life a small corner of Lucknow, focusing on a sly landowner and his tenants. 78-year-old Mirza (Amitabh Bachchan) is quite proud of being responsible for a worn-out mansion in the city but hates the renters living there. Fed up with their daily shenanigans, he curates a strategy to kick them out and claim the property for himself. His only hindrance is Baankey (Ayushmann Khurrana), one of the tenants, who will stop at nothing to foil his plan.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
9. Paatal Lok
Delhi Police Inspector Hathi Ram Chaudhary finds himself entangled in a web of lies and deceit after he accidentally gets involved in a high-profile case. A foiled assassination attempt in his area sees the arrest of four suspects, and he is assigned to get a confession out of them. Determined to follow his orders to a tee, and get a promotion, Hathi Ram's investigation unravels true horrors in his prisoners' past which shake him to the core. As he is sucked further into the matter, he realises that he is a mere pawn in a much bigger game.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
10. Your Honor
Is it wrong to break the law to save your family even though you are responsible for upholding it? An honest Judge, Bishan Khosla (Jimmy Shergill), asks himself the same question when he manipulates the legal system to save his son, Abeer, from a hit and run. Initially wanting to turn him in, Bishan soon changes his mind when the victim turns out to be the son of a formidable gangster. Realising that Abeer is marked for death, he compromises his position and everything he stands for, to save both their lives.
Streaming on SonyLIV
11. Aarya
Sushmita Sen turned heads when she returned to mainstream acting with this action-packed crime drama. She plays Aarya, a mother of three, facing a life-threatening situation when her husband, who is involved in an illegal drug trade, is shot dead. Realising it is up to her to protect the children, she claws her way to the top of this business and eliminates all threats.
Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar
12. Bulbbul
When Satya returns to his village in Bengal after completing his education in London, he is met with a peculiar situation. One of his brothers has perished and the other, the elder lord of the family, has left home. The ancestral mansion and all its affairs are overseen by Bulbbul—Satya's sister-in-law and childhood friend. Before he can come to terms with this development, the men in the area start dying under mysterious circumstances and the locals blame it on a witch. The film is set in the nineteenth century and uses an urban legend to depict themes of female oppression.
Streaming on Netflix
13. Breathe: Into the Shadows
A psychiatrist, Avinash Sabharwal (Abhishek Bachchan), faces his worst nightmare when his six-year-old daughter, Siya, is abducted. The kidnapper demands Avinash murder a few people in exchange for Siya, to which, he agrees. Soon the police enter the picture, led by Inspector Kabir Sawant (Amit Sadh), and a game of psychological warfare begins. Kabir's investigations soon unearth a massive secret that turns the whole case on its head.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
14. Raat Akeli Hai
An uptight cop, Jatil Yadav (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), is called in to investigate the murder of an aged but wealthy lord on the night of his wedding to his mistress. The bride, Radha (Radhika Apte) is labelled the prime suspect due to her benefitting the most from the situation. Refusing to believe in the obviousness of the case, Jatil digs deeper to figure out the truth and save Radha from an unjust fate. With multiple members of the family hiding dark secrets, this film has all the ingredients of an appealing whodunnit.
Streaming on Netflix
15. Masaba Masaba
Real-life mother-and-daughter duo, Neena and Masaba Gupta come together to celebrate life and play a fictional version of themselves in this show. It takes you on a scripted journey of Masaba's life, which is inspired by actual events. Laden with relatable humour, the plot accentuates Masaba's career as a fashion designer and her dive back into the world of dating, while living with her over-the-top mother.
Streaming on Netflix
16. Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story
Adapted from journalist Debashis Basu and Sucheta Dalal's book, The Scam, this show revolves around the life of Harshad Mehta, a stockbroker and businessman, who was responsible for elevating India's stock market to colossal heights and his eventual downfall during the ’90s. He was declared a fraud and arrested when his involvement in the 1992 securities scam was unveiled by Sucheta Dalal. This case forced the Securities and Exchange Board of India to fix loopholes that Mehta exploited to dupe the Indian banking system of crores of rupees.
Streaming on SonyLIV
17. Cargo
A rare entry into the Indian sci-fi genre, Cargo boasts of a unique premise that seamlessly blends mythology with science. Aboard a spaceship named Pushpak 634, A supernatural being called Prahastha (Vikrant Massey) is responsible for recycling deceased souls for rebirth. Living alone in space for aeons, he is eventually assigned an assistant, Yuvishka Shekhar (Shweta Tripathi), who aids him in this Post-Death Transition service. As new 'cargo' keeps arriving every day, Yuvishka wonders about the stories and relationships they leave behind on earth post their deaths and the superficiality of life.
Streaming on Netflix
18. Mirzapur season 2
After waiting for two years to find out who will rule Mirzapur, the high-octane show returned with a bang. With a steadier pace and an intricate plot, the series' second season is an edge-of-the-seat watch. The Tripathis have their work cut out for them as Guddu and Golu threaten their hold over the city. Some new rivals step into the picture, and this political game is thrown wide open. Every character has a different motivation, but their goal is the same—Mirzapur.
Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
19. A Suitable Boy
A familial drama set in 1951, this adaptation of Vikram Seth's book acts as a holistic representation of India, after independence. Focusing on a girl set to be married against her wishes and a young boy who fancies an elderly courtesan, this miniseries challenges the notions of right and wrong set by society. And, with a cast including Ishaan Khatter, Tabu, Ram Kapoor, and Tanya Maniktala, the performances are bound to be stellar.
Streaming on Netflix
20. Ludo
Like the titular board game, four drastically varying tales intersect and create a clever narrative fuelled by the butterfly effect. The people at the centre of this story have their respective predicaments to deal with, including an unexplained sex tape, a stray suitcase of money, and more. However, behind it all, is a gangster who is the thread that ties these strangers together. To come out of this safely, they all must keep playing.
Streaming on Netflix
Also read:
7 movies and shows that capture the life of the Indian diaspora, on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video
