10 Films and Shows to Watch on Netflix India

Netflix India originally launched back in January 2016, and it was fair to say the selection on the service was rather limited, especially the lack of Bollywood content.

However, half a year later the library of films and TV shows has expanded tremendously and subscribers now have a diverse selection of entertainment to choose from.

DESIblitz has compiled the top ten things to watch on the Indian streaming service.

Brahman Naman

The Netflix original comedy film, directed by Qaushiq ‘Q’ Mukherjee, is a delightfully funny hour and half, particularly for those with a liking for raunchy and vulgar humour.

Set back in the 1980’s, Brahman Naman is centred around three guys who are desperate to lose their virginities.

They epitomise pubescent curiosity at its most hilarious. For example, at one point in the film the audience is treated to seeing Naman masturbate with the help of a ceiling fan.

The film is a hybrid of Silicon Valley, Revenge of the Nerds, American Pie and that episode of The Big Bang Theory when Sheldon and the trio face off in a quiz.

Jim Jefferies: Freedumb

Freedumb, another Netflix original, is the latest standup special from the superb Aussie comic, Jim Jefferies.

The brilliance of Jefferies is that he is able to say some of the most controversial statements in the history of stand-up comedy and still seem extremely likeable.

In the past he’s tackled topics including gun control and the Oscar Pistorius trial. This time round he’s tackling Bill Cosby and Donald Trump.

Chauranga

Chauranga’s focal point is an angry frustrated teenager who yearns for an education and the heart of a girl of a higher caste.

However, the caste hierarchies which his village adheres to means his future is likely to entail looking after the family pig.

Debutant director Bikas Mishra provides viewers with insight into the social microcosm of rural Bihar where entitlement still rules the day.

The Wolf of Wall Street

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio’s fifth collaboration was a special one.

The film tells the true tale of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who made a fortune through corruption and market manipulation.

The excess of affluence meant Belford was able to partake in activities mere mortals could only dream of e.g. spending $430,000 on ‘business expenses’.

Stellar performances are exhibited from DiCaprio, Margot Robbie and Jonah Hill. Hill was famously only paid $60,000 for the film but received a second Oscar nomination for his performance.

Jugni

For those with a liking of romantic musicals, look no further than 2016’s Jugni.

A talented young musician leaves her suburban surroundings and heads to a more rural part of India to discover new music.

Her journey takes her to a village in Punjab in search of a local singer named Bibi Saroop but, as fate would have it, it is the voice of Bibi’s son that steals her heart.

A romance burgeons but it really is the music, composed by Clinton Cerejo, Vishal Bharadwaj and Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman, that takes centre stage.

District 9

Neil Blomkamp’s compelling sci-fi thriller was inspired by the events in District 6, Cape Town during the apartheid in South Africa.

In an alternative 1982, an alien ship hovers over Johannesburg but is unable to take flight. The South African government confines the extra-terrestrials found on the ship to District 9; a camp located just outside the capital.

The film takes place 28 years later, after consistent conflict between the aliens and the locals, a private military company is hired to relocate the aliens to a new internment camp.

The Raid: Redemption

A SWAT team become trapped in a high rise apartment block run by a crime boss and populated with a small army of well-trained thugs and have to fight their way out.

A relatively straightforward plot but the film wasn’t looking to break any new ground in storytelling; what It did do was revolutionise the action film genre in terms of combat.

The Raid features rapid, breathtaking, seamless and brutal fight choreography and cinematography. The likes of which had never been viewed on the silver screen.

This style has since been adopted and replicated, and rightfully so, in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Daredevil and Ninja Turtles to name a few.

Daughters of Mother India         

Daughters of Mother India is an Indian documentary film by Vibha Bakshi on the aftermath of the 2012 Delhi gang rape.

A 23-year-old female physiotherapy intern, Jyoti Singh, was beaten, raped and tortured by six men on a bus, including the driver. She died from her injuries after two days in hospital.

The incident generated gender consciousness and extraordinary solidarity by ordinary citizens like never before.

The film has become a tool for social change and it’s having unprecedented impact in India by transforming attitudes on women’s rights.

Master of None

Actor and comedian Aziz Ansari entertains viewers with his 10 episode Netflix Original, Master of None.

Master of None is one of the few American TV shows to take South Asian stereotyping and drop it on its head.

Ansari plays Dev; an aspiring Desi American actor based in New York.

The TV show is a refreshing take on the NRI Desis living in the west. Dev is just a normal guy with normal problems.

The show even scored Ansari an Emmy nomination, making him one of the few actors of South Asian descent to be nominated.

Peaky Blinders

Peaky Blinders is a local gang story that wowed audiences across the world. A must watch, it stars Cillian Murphy, Sam Neill and Helen McCrory.

The BBC show, which just aired its third series, is now available to watch in India. It continues the riveting story of crime boss Thomas Shelby and his family who hail from a working class family.

No strangers to theft and murder, the Shelby’s are determined to make a better life for themselves, at whatever cost.

A thrilling crime caper, all three seasons of Peaky Blinders will keep you glued to your TV screens.

Aside from the excellent screenplay and cast, the production values and musical score of the show make it a classic that will be remembered for years to come.

All of these films and shows are a great introduction to the immersive world that is Netflix India. And with an initial price of Rs. 500 each month, you really can’t go wrong.

May the chill be with you.