An overview into some of the best web series from Hindu and Telugu with different storylines
2025 can be easily categorized as the year of Applause Entertainment whose CEO is Sameer Nair. The year started with the fabulous Black Warrant based on a book of the same name. The web series was directed by numerous people including the fantastic Vikramaditya Motwane. The show presented a very gritty picture of the deeply horrifying situations in a jail making reforms difficult. Next came Criminal Justice Season 4. Directed by Rohan Sippy Criminal Justice Season 4 did an excellent job in exploring issues like mental health and grey areas in marriage: Pankaj Tripathi returning back as Madhav Mishra did an excellent job as always combining humor with empathy.
Last but not the least Nagesh Kukunoor’s The Hunt “The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case) also won many hearts. The series was a gripping manhunt with multiple perspectives. The famous quote of “One Man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter”, was explored well. Apart from the above-mentioned web series the other noteworthy ones include Paatal Lok Season 2, Khauf, Kankhajura, Waking of a Nation, Aashram season 3 part 2 and lastly Aryan Khan’s stunning directorial debut The Ba***ds of Bollywood.
As far as Telugu web series is concerned the year was pretty dull with just a handful of impactful shows. Deva Katta’s Mayasabha easily tops the list. Mayasabha was a welcome return to form for the director. The series doesn’t shy away from wearing its politics on sleeves especially the dialogues related to caste disparities. The talented Aadi Pinishetty got a solid role. He was seen as the fictional Chandra babu Naidu and the actor absolutely nailed it. Among others Devika &Danny had a good message of women empowerment through a friendly ghost. Lastly Arabic Kadali though a rehash of Thandel had its highs too. Director VV Surya Kumar did a fine job in dealing with the socio-political aspects. Also, the Pakistani characters had more depth in comparison to Thandel.
Following is an overview into the best web series of 2025 Hindi and Telugu
Black Warrant: Black Warrant directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, Satyanshu Singh and others presents a very gritty picture of jail life. How bringing reforms is extremely difficult was presented well. This web series is based on the book of the same name. The show focuses on the notorious functioning of the Tihar jail set in the 80’s. The base is Tihar jailer Sunil Gupta. Sunil Gupta was known for doing some great work. One of his major achievements is starting Tihar’s first legal aid cell. In spite of getting a secure railway job Suni Gupta pursued his dream of wearing a khaki uniform. Young actor Zahaan Kapoor successfully entered into the shoes of Sunil Gupta.
The web series did an excellent job in capturing the soul of the novel especially the intricate power structure and the various hierarchies based on both caste and religion. The characterization of Zahaan as Sunil Gupta was also well done starting off as a vulnerable young man to becoming more confident. Apart from Zahaan’s performance the supporting characters were also written with nuance especially Rahul Bhatt. Rahul Bhatt’s character is mostly selfish with moments of genuine empathy for his fellow men. The actor did an excellent job in portraying the different shades. Sidhant Gupta as Charles Sobharaj also shined bright. The women characters though needed better writing. Only Rajshri Deshpande made some impact as a firebrand reporter. Nevertheless, Black Warrant is a gripping watch.
Paatal Lok Season 2: Avinash Arun Dhaware’s Paatal Lok Season 2 is a fantastic dive into Nagaland’s socio political landscape. Along with creator Sudip Sharma he made a web series notches above the first one. A strong aspect of Paatal Lok Season 2 was the depiction of Nagaland politics. The contrast between the beautiful landscapes and the immense turmoil of the local population was wonderfully captured. One of the major themes in Paatal Lok Season 2 is the insider versus outsider topic. A section of people coming from outside pay a certain amount of money to a local group in hope of ensuring their safety.
But that isn’t enough on some occasions. This especially comes out in a super conversation between Jaideep Ahlawat’s Hathiram and a businessman. Talking about Jaideep Ahlawat the actor was superlative once again. The way he portrays the strong determination while battling professional and personal issues was a delight to watch: mention must also be made of Tilotama Shome playing SP Meghana Baura. As a local police officer and the solo woman, the character brings in an interesting female perspective into what is generally considered a male bastion. Ishwak Singh too made his presence amply felt as once upon a time junior and now Hathiram’s boss. There is a palpable thread of friendship amidst the awkward scenarios.
Aashram season three part 2: Prakash Jha’s Aashram season 3 part 2 was a satisfying conclusion. In spite of some elongated stretches the series makes the viewers ponder about the power held by these fake babas.
The strong determination of Aaditi Pohankar’s Pammi in bringing down the empire of Bobby Deol’s Niral Baba was a treat to watch. A major part of this plan is turning Niral Baba and Chandan Roy Sanyal’s Bhopa against each other. Pammi’s game of seduction though slow paced gave the show some of its best moments. Aaditi Pohankar did an excellent job in capturing the transformation from a victim to an avenger.
The web series also has some fantastic dialogues on aspects related to power and faith. In a very explicit manner Prakash Jha shows devotion being a double-edged sword. How playing with someone’s faith through numerous lies can take you down came out in an excellent manner. Bobby Deol as Nirala Baba was first rate especially in the scenes where the tables are turned against him. There is an important dramatic breakdown featuring the actor and Bobby did an excellent job. Chandan Roy Sanyal had a bigger canvas to play around with compared to the last seasons and the actor did a terrific job too.
Khauf: Khauf directed by Pankaj Kumar and Surya Balakrishnan is a slow burn horror thriller with real word issues. A strong aspect of Khauf is the technical department headed by a fantastic Pankaj Kumar himself. The hostel in which most of the story takes place became a major character in itself: A sense of claustrophobia is palpable creating the right amount of tension. The setting of Delhi is also a masterstroke given the shameful scares associated beyond the gruesome Nirbaya case.
The different issues faced by modern female came out in an impactful manner especially with the main protagonist. Monika Pawar as Madhuri was absolutely fantastic in showcasing the varied emotions. A special mention must be made of the portions where the protagonist becomes more confident after being possessed by a certain thing. Rajat Kapoor in a terrifying negative role was first rate as well. He brought in the right amount of creepiness instilling fear in audiences minds.
Geetanjali Kulkarni in a grey shaded role was wonderful too. The way she oscillates between a worried mother and a tough police woman gave the show some of its best moments. The subplots connected to Madhuri’s hostel mates was also done well with each representing different kinds of issues faced by everyday women in society. One big problem with Khauf is the clichéd use of trauma as a way to give agency to a woman. Also, the show suffered from some abrupt tonal shifts. Nevertheless, Khauf was an excellent show for most part.
Kankhajura: Kankhajura is a gripping psychological drama about flawed humans. Director and writer Chandan Arora did a fine job in exploring the impact of childhood traumas specially bullying and how need for validification leads to manipulative behaviour. This show is based on a series called Magpie from Israel. A strong aspect of Kankhajura is the gradual building of tension. The aspects of past traumas, sibling rivalry and unresolved guilt were integrated well. The cinematography of Rajeev Rai and Vinod Illampally also added to the thrills. Though shot in Goa the web series presents the place in a very different way unlike the usual mainstream route.
Mention must also be made of how the women characters came out. Though a Roshan Mathew and Mohit Raina show reel the female protagonists have an important role too. Sarah Jane Dias and Trinetra Halder had a strong individuality especially the former. There are numerous portions in the series where Sarah Jane Dias is seen giving back to Mohit Raina’s Max about his unlimited greed. This strongness is maintained throughout and as a result the viewers cheer for her when she walks out of marriage. Trinetra Halder as a transgender also played her part with lots of grace successfully bringing out the inner strength.
Waking of a Nation: Ram Madhavani’s Waking of a Nation is a patience tester with the constant back and forth: nevertheless for history buffs especially the series is worth watching. This web series focuses on the events leading up to the horrific Jallianwala Bagh massacre through the eyes of a young lawyer Kantilal Saahani (a fantastic Taaruk Raina).
Kantilal Saahani is a beneficiary of western education making him an outsider amongst his group of friends. This character is apparently based on Sri Chamanlal Harilal Setalvad a man known for cross examining General Dyer.
A strong aspect of this Ram Madhvani directorial is the depiction of the political events leading up to the massacre. Ram Madhavani along his writers were especially good in shedding light on the controversial Rowlett act. The depiction of the massacre with just sound design and panic stricken reactions of the people gives a haunting experience too.
An important subplot in Waking of a Nation is the themes related to racial discrimination not just by the British; it’s also about the discrimination followed by fellow Indian on the basis of caste and religion. The underlying message is about the need to stay united irrespective of caste and religion. This is an important message keeping in mind today’s divisive political environment.
Ba***ds of Bollywood: Aryan Khan could have easily chosen to be a leading man with his background of badshah Shah Rukh’s Khan son. Instead, Aryan chose to be a director showcasing his uniqueness. Ba***ds of Bollywood is a wonderful whimsical ride with strong satire. Much like Zoya Akhtar’s Luck By Chance the Ba***ds of Bollywood too is a percipient take on the starry world of movies. But this one goes a step ahead in dealing with the insider and outsider debate along with exploitative producers coupled with the uncertain nature of fame etc.
Lakshya Lalwani’s Aasman is an outsider going through a roller coaster ride of different emotions. The series features a number of cameos from Ranveer Singh, Karan Johar and Emraan Hashmi among others. Emraan Hashmi as an intimacy coach works the best among the extended cameos. Raghav Juyal’s reaction on seeing Emraan is priceless. The character goes into a complete fan mode singing Emraan Hashmi’s famous songs. Emraan’s absolute bewilderment on how to deal with the fan boy moment coupled with Raghav Juyal’s acting is simply fantastic. Apart from the glossy packing the show also has some strong emotional moments. A specific mention must be made of Anya Singh in the role of Aasman’s manager. She lends in certain gravity as a trusted ally making the viewers wish that they also had a loyal manager like her. Mona Singh and Vijyant Kohli in the role of parents were wonderful too like the sequence where the father gives an important advice on never backing down. The friendship between Lakshya and Raghav also gave the show some of its best moments. It was wonderful to see the different dynamics after last year’s Kill.
Lakshya as Aasman showed that Kill was no fluke coming up with a solid act. He brought alive the determination of Aasman as well as a certain cheeky nature. Bobby Deol as one of the primary villains continued his golden form bringing in both a starry aura as well as solid acting chops. Overall Aryan established himself as a promising masala director especially the climatic twist. He definitely made his father proud.
Best Telugu web series (2025)
Mayasabha: Mayasabha directed by Deva Katta is an excellent socio-political drama. The web series as earlier said doesn’t shy away from wearing politics on its sleeves especially the dialogues related to caste prejudices. In simple terms the story is based on Chandra Babu Naidu and late Rajasekhar Reddy. The fictional names are Karakala Krishnama Naidu and Dr MS Rami Reddy. Aadi Pinishetty and Chaitanya Rao did an excellent job in their respective parts.
The dynamics between the two principal actors was one of the shows biggest strengths. How they start as idealists with a common aim of transcending social divisions and their differing responses to societal pressures were written with nuance. The portions of two disagreeing offers a fresh take on political rivalries by never getting venomous. Maysabha also deserves credit for the way it gives voice to the marginalized. There are disturbing scenes of people caught in a major crossfire due to power hungry politicians. The character of Ravindra Vijay wanting to shield his family from violence is a perfect representation of this theme.
The supporting cast were also excellent especially Divya Dutta and Sai Kumar. Divya Dutta playing the role of Indira Gandhi had a commanding presence. The track of emergency has a contemporary touch especially in the dialogue “You will give birth to a line of dictators who will use your method, impose emergency and not even call it one.” Sai Kumar as the legendary NT Rama Rao shined with his strong voice modulation and a powerful presence.
Devika &Danny: B Kishore Devika &Danny is an interesting mix of supernatural elements and a young woman breaking out of self-imposed shackles. The web series has simple but effective storytelling. The show starts off as an anthesis to one of Ritu Varma’s hit movie Pelli Choopulu. Devika lacks a certain agency unlike Chitra from that movie at least in the initial portions. This is established in a very effective manner setting the tone for the subsequent transformation. How a ghost played by Surya Vashishta becomes a medium for this gives the show some of its best moments. There’s nothing unpredictable here but the small nuances make a big difference.
B Kishore also did a good job in addressing generational through the roles of Gopuraja Ramana as Devika’s prospective father in law. Subbaraju played the role of Devika’s fiancée. Both the actors did justice to their parts especially Subbaraju with his serious expressions and a certain exasperation.
In the role of Devika Ritu Varma delivered an assured performance with the right mixture of vulnerability and inner strength. Surya Vashishta as the friendly ghost was charming too making the viewers wish that the two had met in different circumstances.
Arabic Kadali: Arabic Kadali directed by VV Surya Kumar had a major hangover of Thandel with its themes. Nevertheless the show is worth watching for its handling of socio-political aspects. A special mention must be of the Pakistani characters who are presented in a much more layered manner. A good example of this is the scene where a judge is seen defending Indian fishermen in front of Pakistani officials. Even Amit Tiwari as the evil warden gets a credible redemption arc too.
Lastly Poonam Bajwa playing Dr Fatima isn’t afraid to express her opinions. The actress played the role with the right amount of warmth and authority. Arabic Kadali though doesn’t just confine itself to Indian Prisoners languishing in Pakistani jails; it also talks about the Pakistani ones in a similar situation. The underlining message is the need for humanity across borders.
Satyadev in the role of Badri makes sure that the character’s saint like nature never comes across as irritating. The actor is especially impressive in the scenes of emotional vulnerability. Anandhi as Ganga also did a good job in portraying the inner strength. Much like Sai Pallavi in Thandel she too is a woman of steel not letting cynicism get to her. Yes the love story could have done with more intensity still the viewers root for Badri and Ganga to get together.
