Best of Bollywood web series 2024: A good mix of fresh stories and continuation of old seasons

Like the last few years, 2024 has also seen numerous filmmakers and production houses enter the OTT space.

A solid example of this is Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Heeramandi— a powerful women-led story focusing on the contribution of Tawaifs in India’s freedom struggle. The web show had plenty of Bhansali’s grandeur and his usual empathy for the Tawaifs.

Mulk (2018) and Article 15 (2019) director Anubhav Sinha also made an impactful OTT debut with the hijack drama IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. The web series revisited a hugely agonizing period when three Pakistani terrorists had hijacked a flight going from Delhi to Katmandu.

Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment a sub-wing of Dharma Productions produced two shows of diverse genres. The first one was the taunt investigative thriller/drama Gyraah Gyaarah. The series directed by Umesh Bhist kept the viewers intrigued with the additional concept of time travel, a cop in 2016 finding a walkie-talkie connecting him to a policeman from the past. Kill fame Raghav Juyal showcased his versatility with a wonderful portrayal of an impulsive cop.

The other was Collin D’ Cunha’s Call Me Bae, a breezy coming-of-age story with a strong sense of sisterhood. Ananya Pandey as Bella aka Bae delivered a winsome act nailing both Bella’s quirks and the emotional scenes too.

Continuation of series

In 2024, many popular series returned with new seasons. Among them, Panchayat Season 3, directed by Deepak Kumar Mishra, stood out.

The highlight of Panchayat Season 3 was its portrayal of grassroots politics, with intense scenes of political rivalry. The earthy humour from the previous seasons was also maintained, making it both engaging and entertaining.

Maharani Season 3, directed by Saurabh Bhave, was a gripping tale of politics and revenge. Loosely inspired by 1990s Bihar, the series continued its strong socio-political commentary. Bhave captured the illegal liquor trade despite the official ban and effectively depicted the power struggles and ruthless political world. Huma Qureshi once again delivered a powerful performance in the lead role.

Following are some more details of the most impactful Hindi web series this year

Heeramandi

Manisha Koirala in Heeramandi
Manisha Koirala in ‘Heeramandi’. (X)

Sanjay Leela’s Heeramandi features a complex storyline with numerous characters and backstories. It takes time for viewers to understand the direction of the plot but soon captivates with powerful moments and performances.

The best aspect of Heeramandi is how Sanjay Leela Bhansali blends the internal politics of Tawaifs with the Indian freedom struggle, showing how they played a crucial role. The series also delivers hard-hitting dialogues, revealing that not only the British but also Indian nawabs, were fighting for supremacy through a divide-and-rule strategy.

A particularly poignant moment occurs when the Tawaifs march toward a prison wall at night. The background score, combined with Bhansali’s song “Azadi”, gives the audience goosebumps.

The performances, led by Manisha Koirala and Sonakshi Sinha, were outstanding. Among the male leads, Taha Shah made the strongest impact, capturing the internal struggle of a young man torn between love and responsibility.

Freedom At Midnight

A still from the series Freedom At Midnight
A still from the series ‘Freedom At Midnight’. (Instagram)

Nikhil Advani’s adaptation of the sprawling novel by the same name was a brilliant exploration of the events leading up to partition. The director along with his writers skilfully captured the political turmoil of those times without blaming a particular political party.

The series had many goosebumps moments, particularly the portions of riot-torn neighbourhoods. The scenes of communal strife resulting from religious discord have a certain contemporariness as the religious divide remains a major issue today.

The acting performances led by Sidanth Gupta as Jawaharlal Nehru and Chirag Vohra as Mahatma Gandhi further enhanced the solid writing. Ashutosh Pataka’s music was also poignant enhancing the plot at various junctures. The tunes had a haunting quality.

Killer Soup

Konkona Sen Sharma in Killer Soup
Konkona Sen Sharma in ‘Killer Soup’. (X)

Abhishek Chaubey’s Killer Soup is a delightful mix, blending influences from William Shakespeare and Virginia Woolf. The series is based on real-life incidents from Telangana.

Konkona Sen Sharma plays Swati, a housewife who dreams of owning a restaurant but lacks support from her husband, Prabhu. At the end of the first episode, Prabhu catches Swati with her lover, Umesh, leading to a major twist. Manoj Bajpayee is seen in a double role as both husband and illicit lover.

A standout element of Killer Soup is how Chaubey infuses Shakespearean touches into the story. One example is a private detective ghost who helps a cop, played by Nassar. The ghost, visible only to Nassar, offers him advice whenever he’s in a bind.

These moments have a touch of magical realism. While the situations may seem absurd, they are equally fun to watch. Chaubey’s tribute to Virginia Woolf shines in how he humanizes Swati’s character. Swati’s determination to open her own restaurant and her desperate need for respect are portrayed poignantly.

Konkona Sen Sharma flawlessly portrays Swati’s shifting moods, moving from loving to intense without missing a beat. Manoj Bajpayee is also excellent, especially as the illicit lover, Umesh.

Murder in Mahim

A still from the series Murder in Mahim
A still from the series ‘Murder in Mahim’. (X)

Murder in Mahim, directed by Raj Acharya, is a gripping drama that explores homophobia in depth. The series highlights the challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community and how societal acceptance remains slow, despite the removal of Article 377.

Based on a novel by Jerry Pinto, the plot centres around a series of murders targeting the LGBTQIA+ community. Vijay Raaz plays the lead cop, Shivajirao Jende, while Ashutosh Rana portrays Peter Fernandes, a retired crime journalist and Jende’s long-lost friend, who becomes an important ally.

Murder in Mahim balances the murder mystery with a critique of homophobia. Beyond this, the father-son dynamic between Peter and his son adds emotional depth, especially as they hold opposing views on homosexuality. This tension provides some of the series’ most powerful moments.

An important metaphor in the series is the restroom at a Mumbai local station, intended to be a safe space for the LGBTQIA+ community but instead fueling their fears of societal rejection.

Vijay Raaz and Ashutosh Rana are solid performers who don’t need a particular introduction, here too the senior actors did a fantastic job. The surprise package though was the young actress Shivani Raghuvanshi in the role of Firdaus Rabbani, a female police officer and a closeted member of the LGBTQIA+ community, making a lasting impact with her performance.

Maamla Legal Hai

Ravi Kishan in Mamla Legal Hai
Ravi Kishan in ‘Maamla Legal Hai’. (X)

Maamla Legal Hai, directed by Rahul Pandey, is a delightful satire on the legal system. The eight episodes explore eccentric cases inspired by real-life incidents.

At the centre of the show is street-smart advocate VD Tyagi, played brilliantly by Ravi Kishan. Tyagi, who aspires to become the bar association president, is skilled at finding loopholes and winning cases with ease. The series touches on serious issues, like lawyer strikes affecting cases and the connubial rights of prisoners, but presents them in an entertaining way.

One of the most bizarre cases is about a husband wanting to divorce his wife because she didn’t feel shy on their wedding night. While this may seem unbelievable, a newspaper clipping at the end confirms it really happened.

Ravi Kishan shines in his role, but Nidhi Bhist, as fellow lawyer Sujatha, also impresses with her excellent performance, matching Kishan’s brilliance.

IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack

Vijay Varma in IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack
Vijay Varma in ‘IC 814 The Kandahar Hijack’. (X)

Anubhav Sinha’s IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack is a refreshing hijack thriller/drama in many ways. It subverts the trope of a larger-than-life hero and offers a nuanced portrayal of terrorists, making them feel like complex characters. For example, there’s a scene where the terrorists play Antyakshari with the passengers, and one comforts an air hostess when she vomits from the stench.

Even in the case of Captain Sharan Dev, played by Vijay Varma, he is vulnerable like the other passengers, but his strong determination shines through. The web series is also refreshing in how it avoids over-the-top nationalism.

The series blends real-life events with dramatized moments, using a voiceover alongside archival footage. Merging these two elements is difficult, but Sinha does an excellent job.

Vijay Varma delivers a terrific performance, and Manoj Pahwa also makes a strong impact as the aggressive official. Pahwa commands attention, whether negotiating with the hijackers or conversing with the suave Aravind Swamy.

Call Me Bae

Ananya Pandey in Call Me Bae
Ananya Pandey in ‘Call Me Bae’. (X)

Collin D Cunha’s Call Me Bae is a breezy coming-of-age story. Ananya Pandey plays Bella, a rich housewife, who is kicked out of her in-laws’ house after being caught getting cosy with her gym trainer, played by Varun Sood. Left to fend for herself, Bella’s mother also distances herself.

Bella’s struggles are presented in a light, sanitized way. She isn’t shown sleeping on footpaths or hustling in local trains. The show uses tongue-in-cheek humour to portray Bella, and once viewers adjust to the tone, there’s a lot to enjoy.

The best part of Call Me Bae is the camaraderie between Ananya Pandey’s Bae and Muskkaan Jaferi’s Saira Ali. Muskkaan’s character enters at a critical point and quickly becomes a pillar of support for Bella. Her witty one-liners add much to the show, and through her performance, Muskkaan makes viewers wish for a strong friend like Saira.

The show also features two other important women, played by Niharika Lyra Dutt and Lisa Mishra, who play key roles in Bella’s life. Vir Das adds spice as an arrogant journalist, with his confrontation scenes with Ananya being a major highlight.

Ananya Pandey excels in the title role, skillfully portraying Bella’s transformation.

Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein Season 2

A still from the series Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein Season 2
A still from the series ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein Season 2’. (X)

Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein Season 2 is a pulpy sequel with engaging twists and a strong Shakespearean touch. The famous Shakespeare quote, “The course of true love never did run smooth,” perfectly describes the twisted love story of Vikrant, played by Tahir Raj Bhasin.

Like the first season, the second benefits from the layered characterization of Vikrant. By the end of season one, he had become morally ambivalent. In this season, his grey shades are even more pronounced. Much like Sushmita Sen’s Aarya, Vikrant is forced to confront his inner demon due to certain circumstances.

Tahir does a terrific job portraying Vikrant’s emotional turmoil, especially when he realizes that Shikha (played by Shweta Tripathi) is no longer his. He is devastated when Shikha marries someone else and confronts her. In response, Shikha points out that he too married Purva (Aanchal Singh), bowing to circumstances. Tahir’s portrayal of Vikrant’s broken ego is exemplary.

Aside from Tahir, the season delves deeper into Purva’s character, revealing how she became an extremely possessive person. There is a powerful scene where Saurabh Shukla’s Akheraj Awasthi apologizes to Vikrant, saying he should have raised her better. Aanchal Singh does an excellent job humanizing her role as an obsessive lover.

(Edited by Sumavarsha)

Mismatched Season 3 (Hindi web series) : A compelling portrait of love and identity in the age of digital paradox

Directors Akarsh Khurana and Nipun Dharmadhikari dig deeper than the previous two instalments looking the dangers of the online personas that we create.
Mismatched Season 3 (Hindi), 13-12-2024, Romance, Comedy, Drama, 8 episodes, A, OTT
  • Main Cast: Rohit Saraf, Prajakta Koli, Muskkaan Jaferi, Taaruk Raina, Laurena Robinson and Rannvijay Singha
  • Director: Akarsh Khurana and Nipun Dharmadhikari
  • Producer: Ronnie Screwvala
  • Music Director: Jasleen Royal and Anurag Saikia
  • Cinematography: Sudip Sengupta
  • Rating: 3.5/5

For those who haven’t seen the first two seasons of Mismatched, the plot revolves around two diametrically different personalities.

Rohit Saraf’s Rishi is a young man with traditional notions of romance. Prajakta Koli’s Dimple is a tech-savvy girl with contrastingly different views on love and marriage. The series is based on the book titled When Dimple Met Rishi by Sandhya Menon

Her perception regarding marriage has zero similarities with Rishi’s filmy ideas. The two have a disastrous first meeting but a summer program brings them together despite the contrasting personalities.

The first two seasons primarily explored the themes of love, coming of age and societal expectations. All this resonated well with the younger audiences making it a popular show.

What also made the first two seasons popular was its supporting cast led by Taaruk Raina and Muskkaan Jafferi.

Taaruk Raina’s character Ammol represents the struggles of disabled people in finding normalcy. To cover up his emotional vulnerabilities he behaves like a bully pretending to be a tough guy. Muskkaan Jafferi’s Celina on the other hand is also someone who pretends to be brave but has secrets of her own.

Synopsis

Rohit Saraf and Prajakta Koli
Rohit Saraf and Prajakta Koli. (X)

Coming to Mismatched Season 3 the plot shifts from Jaipur to Hyderabad. The beginning episodes focus on their long-distance relationship.

Rishi is doing very well in NNIT run by Nandini Nahata (Dipannita Sharma). Dimple on the other hand is grappling with a lack of self-confidence, the reason being she couldn’t secure a place for herself in NNIT.

Their long-distance relationship soon starts cracking leading to a major strain. Dimple eventually makes an important decision to join Siddarth, Nandini’s rival’s (Rannvijay Singha) new institute which is conveniently located right next to NNIT. This move of Dimple isn’t just about beginning her career afresh but it’s also about staying close to Rishi.

The rest of the story focuses on the complexities of career ambitions and relationships coupled with the evolving dynamics of a fresh batch.

Strong points

Akarsh Khurana directorial Mismatched Season 3
Akarsh Khurana’s directorial ‘Mismatched Season 3’. (X)

A strong aspect of Mismatched Season 3 is the exploration of digital paradox through a project called Betterverse. This Betterverse, also called metaverse is a virtual reality space where the users can live out all their wildest fantasies, has been created by Rishi and Co. The central conflict of Mismatched Season 3 is this digital utopia.

On paper, this project looks very exciting as the players can live out their hidden fantasies but as the story progresses the characters find difficulty in drawing a much-needed line between the real and the virtual world.

Directors Akarsh Khurana and Nipun Dharmadikiri have done a terrific job in exploring this theme. Many youngsters and also extremely tech-savvy people would definitely relate to this.

Among the flaws, the characterization of Dipannita Sharma’s Miss Nandini could have been done with more nuances. She is mostly seen shouting at the top of her voice. This gets jarring after a point.

Also, the students aren’t seen attending much of theory and practical classes, also the atmosphere of the college often comes across as more of a corporate world than a tech college.

Strong characterisation 

A still from the series Mismatched Season 3
A still from the series ‘Mismatched Season 3’. (X)

Mismatched Season 3 deals with the new challenges faced by Dimple and Rishi. Before starting this project Betterverse Rishi was introspective and slightly insecure but post becoming the leader his personality undergoes a significant change.

He somewhat drifts away from his original persona leading to some cracks in the relationship with Dimple. He finds a lot of success in Betterverse but this success comes with a certain cost too.

Dimple on the other hand is facing the dual pressure of wanting to carve a space for herself in the world of coding and technology and having a solid love life. The colliding worlds of real and virtual have been wonderfully written and enacted.

The complexities here go beyond navigating romantic feelings; they also involve figuring out your true self and staying true to it. This is a difficult task, given the challenges of the digital age. All of this has been presented in a raw and unfiltered manner, without beating around the bush or trying to sugarcoat it.

Supporting characters

Ahsaas Channa and Taaruk Raina in Mismatched Season 3
Ahsaas Channa and Taaruk Raina in ‘Mismatched Season 3’. (X)

What also adds to the impact of the third season are its supporting characters both the older ones and the fresh entrants. A particular mention must be made of the track involving Lauren Robinson’s Rith.

Rith is assigned female at birth and wants to transition and come out of the closet. The romantic track between Rith and Muskkann Jaferi is wonderful to watch. Through the track of Rith, the directors have touched upon the difficulties faced by the transgender community in embracing their real identity.

Talking about the older characters both Muskkann and Taaruk Raina successfully take off from the previous ones providing solid support to Rohit Saraf and Prajakta Koli.

Performances

Talking about the leads, both Rohit Saraf and Prajakta are in wonderful form perfectly imbibing the fresh nuances. The chemistry between them in both the light and emotional scenes is a delight to watch.

The self-discovery of Muskkann’s character runs parallel to that of Dimple and the actress does a fantastic job in showcasing the different nuances. Taaruk Raina is also equally good bringing in both humour and solid emotions.

Special mention must also be made of Laurena Robinson. Laurena is first-rate in portraying the identity struggle of Rith.

The music much like the first two seasons plays an important role in enhancing the story. Tracks like “Ishq Hai”, “Do Din Ke Bad” and “Pyaar Hai” perfectly capture the joys and the internal struggles faced by the characters at different junctures.

Final take

Keeping aside these niggles Mismatched Season 3 streaming on Netflix makes for a good watch, particularly for those who like soothing love stories with a dash of technology.

(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)

Call Me Bae: A breezy coming of age story

Director Collin D’Cunha manages to create a strong sense of sisterhood, the journey of Ananya Pandey’s Bae in carving her own identity comes across as sanitized but still the show has enough spunk

  • Starcast: Ananya Pandey, Muskkaan Jaferi, Gurfateh Pirzada, Varun Sood, Vihaan Samrat, Vir Das and others
  • Story: Ishita Moitra, Samina Motlekar and Rohit Nair
  • Director: Collin D’ Cunha
  • Producers: Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta and Somen Mishra
  • Production Company: Dharmatic Entertainment
  • No of episodes: 8
  • Streaming site: Amazon Prime
  • Music: Rochak Kohli

Collin D’Cunha’s Call Me Bae focuses on the transformation of a rich housewife Bella aka Bae (Ananya Pandey). The show begins with Bae getting ousted from her sasural when she is caught getting cozy with the gym trainer played by Varun Sood. From here we go to a brief flashback establishing her rich lifestyle. Mini Mathur plays Bae’s mother Gayatri. She takes it upon herself to set the daughter’s marriage with an equally rich guy Agastya (Vihaan Samrat). Their relationship starts off a great note, but soon the marriage takes a big hit because of Agastya’s detachment. It is during this time that Bae falls for Varun Sood’s Prince Bhasin. What adds to Bae’s woes is the attitude of her mother who distances herself. Now Bae has to fend for herself and in this process her path crosses with that of Satyajit Sen (a delightful Vir Das). Satyajit Sen is a news anchor modeled on the likes of Arunav Goswami. Aiding Bae in the growth is Muskkaan Jaferi’s Saira Ali.

Call Me Bae focuses on the transformation of a rich housewife Bella aka Bae
Bae’s path crosses with Satyajit Sen (Vir Das)

First and foremost, the tonality of Call Me Bae is not of the typical riches to rags storylines. Ananya Pandey’s Bae doesn’t sleep on a footpath and nor do we see her hustle in local trains. The process of finding a place and job doesn’t become a big hassle. There is a lot of tongue in cheek humor in the way the writers have written Bella. Once the viewers get adjusted to this tonality there is quite a bit to enjoy.

What makes the series work in spite of the sanitized situations is the characterization of Bella coupled with Ananya Pandey’s winsome act. Some of Bella’s quirks jell perfectly with the personality of Ananya and the actress raises many chuckles in portraying Bella’s cluelessness. One of the humorous bits include a scene where Bella sprays hand sanitizer on a beach bench. At the same time, she also aces the emotional scenes like the one where Bella sees her husband Agastya being close to another girl. The process of Bella becoming a more layered person has been wonderfully portrayed by the actress. Also, to the credit of Ishita Moitra and co Bella doesn’t drastically transform into a down to earth person. Her quirky nature is very much there but at the same time there is a subtle growth.

What also works for the series is the camaraderie between Ananya Pandey and Muskkaan Jaferi. Muskkaan Jaferi’s character enters at a crucial point and soon becomes an important ally. Muskkaan Jaferi’s comic timing is simply wonderful, her one liners add a lot to the show. Through her performance Muskkaan Jaferi makes you wish that you also had a strong friend like her.

Vir Das’s act of an arrogant and oversmart journalist is clearly reminiscent of Arunav Goswami’s antics. The character is more of a caricature but still Vir Das does a splendid job in making the viewers detest him. There is a devilish glee in the way Vir portrays him. The confrontation scenes between Ananya and Vir spice up the show in a major way.

Vir Das as Satyajit Sen
Ananya Pandey and Vir Das confrontation scene

Mention must be also made of the equation between the characters of Ananya Pandey and Gurfateh Pirzada. Gurfateh Pirzada plays Bella’s colleague Neel. Neel also contributes significantly to Bella’s progress, there is also a cute love story. Gurfateh Pirzada pitches in a fine performance making his presence amply felt. Varun Sood as the lovable gym trainer also has his moments.

As mentioned in the beginning director Collin D’ Cunha brings a strong sense of sisterhood. This sisterhood is reflected through not just the track of Muskkaan Jaferi. There is also Niharika Lyra Dutt as Tammarrah Lisa Mishra as Harleen. These two women also become an important part of Bella’s life.

Towards the end the series gets into a serious territory of Me Too and also data privacy. These important themes needed stronger writing, also the cinematic liberties taken by Colllin D’Cunha here becomes hard to digest. Thankfully though the series doesn’t get into a preachy zone. The costumes of Ananya go perfectly well with the pitch of the series. initially they are very glitzy and over the top but in the later episodes they are more subdued.

Rochak Kohli’s music has a good mix of fun and emotional songs particular mention must be made of Churaaiyaan.

Ananya Pandey in Churaaiyaan

Call Me Bae is a perfect watch for those like frothy entertainment without going very deep.