Forbes India 2021 Rewind: Best web series we watched this year – Forbes India

Top row: What If...? (Disney+Hotstar), Money Heist (Netflix), Succession (HBO)Bottom row: Squid Game (Netflix), Grey's Anatomy (Disney+Hotstar), Lupin (Netflix)This is supposedly the golden era of content, and OTT series is leading the pack. There are hundreds of shows launched every year and fan-favourite classics are added to the online libraries of numerous OTT platforms. You can binge-watch the brand new season of Emily In Paris or you can take time savouring the weekly episodes of Wheel of Time. You can go back to the first episode of Grey's Anatomy to return to that feeling of comfort and the familiar in this pandemic or you can dissect the accuracy of Arcane concerning the League of Legends storyline. Team Forbes India did all of this, and now we are presenting you with our favourites in 2021.RUCHA SHARMA'S PICKSuccessionStreaming on - Disney+HotstarI am always on the lookout for shows that evoke strong feelings. Succession on HBO was that one show in 2021. Amazon Prime Video's Mumbai Diaries nearly overwhelmed me. Jason Sudekis's Ted Lasso on Apple TV+ made me feel all warm and fuzzy with its relentless optimism in contrast to the sadness of the pandemic. But it was Jesse Armstrong's writer room for Succession that made me beg for the other shoe to drop. The latest season of Succession seems to draw inspiration from the Disney-Fox merger. A deal so massive, it can not only save the drowning elephant that is Waystar Royco but also change the most important dynamic of the showthe one shared between Logan Roy and his children. Image: Graeme Hunter/HBOThese uber-rich characters are mean and deprived of a real connection by design. The father enjoys giving his kids something he can, and then snatches it away from them. It devastated his second-born, Kendall Roy, in the first season. In the recent one, he killed the soft corner in the heart of his youngest, Roman. His daughter Siobhan is constantly subjected to casual sexism. What made this season more claustrophobic is Logan's tendency to keep the cards close to his heart. He closes all windows and doors through which his kids can beat him. When the shoe finally dropped in the season finale, there were shards of relationships and a great opportunity for Kintsugi (Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold). The success of Succession lies in the crisp writing, twisted narratives, and impactful musical score. The first two allow actors such as Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Matthew MacFyden to build upon the source material and deliver stunning performances, while Nicholas Britell's music encases these gems perfectly.SAMIDHA JAIN'S PICKMoney HeistStreaming on - NetflixImage: NetflixThis show became a popular choice in the past two years, with viewers waiting with bated breath for the final season. The bar was set high, and I think the last season matched the expectations of the viewers. The many twists made the climax of the heist much more exciting. What was also very remarkable was the parallel storyline of a beloved character, Berlin, played by Pedro Alonso. This season makes the viewer feel deeply for the character and enhances his charming ways of living life. NAANDIKA TRIPATHI'S PICKMaidStreaming on - NetflixImage: Ricardo Hubbs/NetflixThis popular show on Netflix is inspired by Stephanie Lands Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mothers Will to Survive. Maid follows the story of Alex, a single mother, who turns to house cleaning to make ends meet as she escapes an abusive relationship and overcomes homelessness to create a better life for her daughter. The 10-episode limited series powerfully depicts the devastating impact of domestic abuse, and portrays the clear difference between couple arguments and emotional abuse. Amongst many, one of the most chilling moments in Maid is a scene where Sean (Alexs ex-husband) is emotionally abusing Alex, forcing her to sit at the table while her father looks on, without saying a word. The rawness of this show prevents it from falling into the melodramatic territory. I wouldnt recommend binge-watching this series since it weighs heavy and has many dark moments. But it is a must-see. I also loved all the soundtracks used in the show. My personal favourite is Shoop by Salt-N-Pepa.ANUBHUTI MATTA'S PICKHouse of SecretsStreaming on - NetflixImage: NetflixHouse of Secrets, a docu-series on the Burari deaths11 members of the same family are found dead under a roofis gripping and binge-worthy. It captured all the voices one expects from a documentarypolice, investigators, friends, family, a host of medical professionals, even social anthropologists, and journalists. There is a solid storyline, presented immaculately without sensationalising any detail or taking a stand. The best part about it is that every time I had a question, it was answered within the next few minutes. It leaves no questions unanswered, no mystery unsolved.ADITI AGRAWAL'S PICKLets be honest. 2021 was a steaming pile of burning garbage. Outside of very few movies and shows, I was not particularly looking for dramas that would put me through an emotional wringer or for profound ruminations on life and its meaning. I needed an escape and an excuse to laugh. Korean dramas came to my rescue, where even understanding the culture and its intricacies were not that hard given its proximity to (north) Indian practices and family structures (disclosure: my aunt is Korean so Im biased). Here are the three that me (and my family) liked the best and laughed at the most:Squid GameStreaming on - NetflixImage: Noh Juhan/NetflixThis was the South Korean juggernauts first season (it has been renewed for another). Netflix's Money Heist, and now Squid Game, deal with a very similar set of issues related to class, capitalism, hoarding of wealth, and ethnicity-based discrimination. Irrespective of how you think the world or its financial systems should be governed, you land up rooting for the underdogs in these gripping, keeps-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat productions.

Hometown Cha-Cha-ChaStreaming on - Netflix

Offerings from hosts of The Grand Tour/Top GearStreaming on - Amazon Prime Video

The stories are psychological probes into unusual minds. The three directors, Srijit Mukherji, Abhishek Chaubey, and Vasan Bala, add their creative sensibilities to Rays stories that might or might not sit well with the followers of Rays original work. But the stories do enough to bend your mind and look beyond the predictable human behaviour we expect in everyday life. Its a must-watch for anyone looking for brilliance in the intricacies of storytelling.Kota FactoryStreaming on - Netflix

Kota Factory tells you that story. It is a portrayal of a bunch of kids who travel to Kota, Rajasthana hub of IIT entrance coaching in India. The series revolves around the lives of a few impressionable minds who have entered the IIT admissions rut but are just starting to realise the magnitude of obsession with cracking the JEE entrance. It doesnt fail to acknowledge the inherently discriminatory nature of Kota, with the faces of toppers plastered at every nook and cranny, plodding one or the other coaching centre. The ingenuity of Kota Factory lies in its ability to dive into the minds of 17-year-oldswho fall between the over and underachieversand coalesce the narratives effortlessly.

The list of the characters I love (and hate, depending on the episode) is too long for hereokay, Allison Shepherd, Callie Torres, Arizona Robbins (it was a ride), Alex Karev (best character arc), Miranda Baileyyep, its long. The Covid-19 season may have made me uncomfortable and when I get to it, I may not rewatch it. But Shonda Rhimes perfected art of dealing with delicate and complex emotions of loss, death, tragedy, and sorrow always leaves me wanting more. That and how complex subjects like adoption, alcoholism, addiction, gender identity, gender reassignment, LGBTQ+ identities, transphobia, racism, black identity in America, school shootings, and many more, are tackled expertly and sensitively by the creator. Maybe most of you are caught up with the latest episode, but if youre thinking of reliving the entire journey, Id highly recommend it. Okay, now back to my marathon.

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Forbes India 2021 Rewind: Best web series we watched this year - Forbes India