A deep dive into the top Indian web series that changed storytelling and captured audiences nationwide.
From Buffering to Binge-Watching: The Indian Web Series Revolution
Just a decade ago, Indian audiences were glued to saas-bahu dramas and primetime slots. Today, binge-watching gritty, bold, and socially relevant web series has become the new norm. The digital streaming boom in India—led by platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and homegrown services like TVF and MX Player—has rewritten the rules of storytelling.
Here’s a list of 10 groundbreaking Indian web series that didn’t just entertain—they changed the game. With awards, international recognition, and real-life success stories to back them, these shows are now benchmarks in India’s entertainment history.
- Sacred Games (Netflix)
Impact: India’s first Netflix original, Sacred Games shattered stereotypes and made Indian content binge-worthy globally.
Gamechanger Why? It introduced international audiences to the gritty underbelly of Mumbai, with unforgettable characters like Sartaj Singh and Ganesh Gaitonde.
Awards: Won multiple Filmfare OTT Awards and was featured in The New York Times’ “Best TV Shows of 2018”.
Success Story: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, despite hailing from a small village in Uttar Pradesh and once working as a watchman, became a global sensation with this series.
- Mirzapur (Amazon Prime Video)
Impact: This crime drama brought small-town mafia politics into living rooms nationwide.
Gamechanger Why? Its unfiltered dialogues, raw violence, and unforgettable characters like Kaleen Bhaiya and Guddu Pandit sparked mass memes and fandoms.
Awards: Mirzapur Season 2 bagged several Indian Television Academy Awards and topped viewership charts in India.
Real-Life Influence: Actor Divyenndu Sharma, known previously for comic roles, rebranded himself entirely as the menacing Munna Bhaiya, gaining critical acclaim.
- Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story (SonyLIV)
Impact: A financial thriller that made stock markets and scams gripping for mainstream audiences.
Gamechanger Why? Exceptional storytelling by Hansal Mehta, stellar acting by Pratik Gandhi, and a theme song that became iconic.
Awards: Best Drama Series at Filmfare OTT Awards 2021, and Pratik Gandhi won Best Actor.
Success Story: Pratik Gandhi, a Gujarati theatre actor with no major Bollywood break, became a national star overnight. According to The Hindu, he received 17 scripts in just 10 days post-release.
- The Family Man (Amazon Prime Video)
Impact: A middle-class father who’s also a secret spy—talk about a twist!
Gamechanger Why? Blended humor, thriller, and geopolitics with pan-India appeal.
Awards: Won Best Series at Filmfare OTT and Asian Academy Creative Awards.
Real-Life Touch: Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s performance as Raji in Season 2 got standing ovations despite her being a South Indian actress debuting in Hindi OTT.
- Kota Factory (TVF/Netflix)
Impact: India’s first black-and-white web series became the voice of engineering aspirants.
Gamechanger Why? Highlighted the emotional toll of India’s coaching culture without sensationalism.
Awards: IMDb’s Top Rated Indian Web Series of 2019.
Real Story: Vaibhav, the protagonist, mirrors the lives of lakhs of students in Kota. The show’s creator, Saurabh Khanna, was inspired by his real IIT journey.
- Made in Heaven (Amazon Prime Video)
Impact: Marriage, wealth, secrets—wrapped in modern India’s contradictions.
Gamechanger Why? Unapologetically tackled LGBTQ+ rights, class divide, and gender roles.
Awards: Featured in Variety and The Guardian as one of the best international shows of 2019.
Success Highlight: Arjun Mathur, openly queer on screen, was nominated for an International Emmy Award, making India proud.
- Panchayat (Amazon Prime Video)
Impact: A peaceful village show that became a national favorite during the lockdown.
Gamechanger Why? No drama, no action—just brilliant writing and real India’s charm.
Awards: National Film Awards – Special Mention for its writing and cast performance.
Success Story: Jitendra Kumar, an IIT graduate, left his engineering career to pursue acting. Today, he’s the face of the rural web content revolution.
- Delhi Crime (Netflix)
Impact: A heart-wrenching dramatization of the 2012 Delhi gang rape case.
Gamechanger Why? Showed sensitive storytelling could be bold and respectful.
Awards: International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series in 2020—India’s first!
Hero Behind the Lens: Director Richie Mehta spent six years researching for accuracy. He once told Hindustan Times, “The show is not about crime; it’s about resilience.”
- TVF Pitchers (TVF/YouTube/ZEE5)
Impact: India’s first true startup drama, long before Shark Tank came to town.
Gamechanger Why? Captured millennial dreams and challenges in starting up.
Awards: Won Webby Honoree and was widely celebrated in tech/startup circles.
Inspiration: Many IITians and entrepreneurs claim Pitchers sparked their startup journey. It mirrored real-life stories from Bengaluru to Gurgaon.
- Aarya (Disney+ Hotstar)
Impact: A strong female lead taking on the drug mafia after her husband’s death.
Gamechanger Why? Brought Sushmita Sen back with a bang and gave India its own Godmother story.
Awards: Nominated for an International Emmy Award, won Best Actress (OTT) at Filmfare for Sushmita Sen.
Comeback Tale: After a 10-year hiatus, Sushmita Sen told The Indian Express, “I was waiting for a role like this. Aarya gave me my true second innings.”
Final Curtain: More Than Just Content
These web series did more than entertain—they inspired, challenged norms, and sparked national conversations. In a world of endless content, it was these few that stood tall, shaping the cultural fabric of New India.
From small-town actors to Emmy wins, the Indian digital space has birthed real stars and authentic storytelling. As the lines between Bollywood and web blur, one thing’s clear: the future of Indian entertainment is streaming—and it’s here to stay.
