I don't even know how to describe this show. It's out of the world"
ALTBalaji is one of the world’s leading online platforms when it comes to Indian web series.
It has bought the audience many shows, which entertain, dazzle, and connect with viewers.
IndianTelevision.com cites the platform as they reveal their growth in viewership:
“AltBalaji added almost 22K subscribers per day, taking active subscribers at the end of December 2020.”
In 2021, ALTBalaji released a variety of exciting new programmes. Some are fresh additions to the viewing selection, with others being a continuation in the form of further seasons.
The major question is which ones to watch. DESIblitz presents the different Indian web series to look out for in 2021.
Gandii Baat (Season 6)
Gandii Baat premiered on ALTBalaji in 2018 to great acclaim and filled with several erotic scenes.
The sixth season began on January 21, 2021. The first episode features Keval Dasani (Diwarkar) and Mahima Gupta (Sarika).
Episode one features a mysterious death of a wife during Holi. A friend of the wife is called Malti (Alisha Khan).
Malti receives peculiar phone calls about a box she knows nothing about.
This is just the story of the first episode. The audience will have to watch the series to see how the story unfolds.
Gandii Baat has many bold scenes, giving viewers an immensely pleasurable watch.
The South Asian entertainment market has also been growing more liberal when it comes to taboo and sexual content.
It is becoming as acceptable as discussing mental health among youth.
If nothing else, Gandii Baat is a step forward in the representations of sensitive topics. The sixth season should at least be given a chance for the history of the show.
Bang Baang: The Sound of Crimes
Bang Baang: The Sound of Crimes is an action-thriller Indian web series, which had its premiere on January 25, 2021.
The first season kicks off with the murder of Ramona (Shreya Gupto). The discovery of a scarf on her dead body leads to Raghu (Faisal Shaikh) becoming one of the suspects.
Meera (Ruhi Singh), who finds the scarf, gets kidnapped along with Raghu. Their kidnapper is called Monisha (Gurpreet Bedi).
Monisha is also killed, leading to a chain of unsettling and dramatic events. They all coil together to form a dark and gripping series.
Whilst IndiaForums is critical of the series it praises the action:
“Some action sequences are smartly choreographed and exhibits the swagger fans would love to see.”
They also talk positively about Ruhi’s performance:
‘[Ruhi] is indeed the best part about the series.”
For any programme, different consumers will have different reactions. If fans want to witness an action-packed, adventurous Indian web series, Bang Baang delivers both those elements in spades.
Bang Baang: The Sound of Crimes is a ten-episode Indian web series.
Hello Jee
Helllo Jee has made its debut, diving into the ALTBalaji platform on February 1, 2021. It is a romance thriller and a must-watch Indian web series.
In the first episode of a ten-part season, Chaman (Nitin Rao) tracks down Angelina (Nyra Banerjee). However, Angelina escapes to her friend Saroj (Mrinalini Tyagi).
The show explores themes of jealousy, bankruptcy, and phone sex.
Angelina later comes to terms with Saroj wanting to participate in digital intimacy. She allows a business of it but it upholds on the foundations of danger and great risk.
Ashish from India explains his thoughts about the programme on IMDB. He praises it for being a one-of-a-kind and thought-provoking serial:
“There are a very few movies/series which can really affect you and profoundly change the way you think of life and people.”
These comments from Ashish display the positive thinking Helllo Jee has had on its audience. They are appreciating the boldness and bravery of the content.
LSD – Love, Scandal, Doctors
The precinct for LSD – Love, Scandal, Doctors is a reputable hospital called KMRC. The internship of five people gets hindered by a riveting murder investigation.
The lives of the five interns intertwine as they make their way through a journey of sex, enmity, and distrust.
The interns include Dr Kartik Rana (Ishaan A Khanna), Dr Vikramjeet Bedi (Siddharth Mennon), and Dr Sara Borade (Tanaya Sachdeva).
Dr Rahimaa Mansuri (Srishti Rindhani), and Dr Kabir (Ayush Shrivastava) also appear as the remaining two interns.
Former best friends Kartik and Sara find themselves hating each other due to revealing secrets.
The victim of the murder is Aasif Mansuri (Pulkit Makol). He is the abusive husband of Dr Mansuri.
This adds another clever and intriguing story strand as the series questions if Rahima is the murderer.
Dr Kabir also gets his moment of glory and meaty material. It is revealed that he is Aasif’s cocaine dealer.
Joginder Tuteja from Rediff.com is complimentary of the character arcs and their motives for the murder:
“Here, everyone appears to be having a motive to kill, but they also believe that she/he is actually responsible for the death of the victim. This is what makes it different.
“It keeps you engrossed right through, with the needle of suspicion move to every character in the story.”
With so much captivating material adorning LSD, viewers may definitely want to catch up with this dramatic Indian web series.
Releasing on February 5, 2021, LSD has fifteen episodes in total.
Crashh
Crashh divulges into the pain of sibling separation. The series features Jashn/Rahim Ansari (Rohan Mehra) and Jia/Alia Mehra (Anushka Sen).
Kajal Seghal (Aditi Sharma) and Rishav Sachdev (Zain Imam) complete this bond of brother and sister.
A tragic accident forces the siblings apart. The show presents their lives colliding again after adoption.
The highlights of this Indian web series are vengeance, love, and emotion. When the family meets again in adulthood, the audience feels the dilemma the characters are set to face.
Jashn gets involved in illegal activities, which leads to a rift between Kajal and Jia. This only increases the poignancy of the ending realisation and subsequent reunion.
Srividya Rajesh from IMWBuzz writes highly about the expressions and emotions depicted in Crashh:
“The sentiments conveyed are top-notch. The scenes of depression and sorrow coming out of Kajal and Rishabh are good to watch.
“Their scene sitting in the bar, boozing away to glory is nicely captured.”
She also wastes no words in shedding positivity on the performances of the stars:
“Aditi, Anushka, Rohan and Zain have been in their top form.
“Special mention to Aditi as she has had the majority of the sorrowful expressions and loneliness to display.”
Indian television holds a penchant for stories of long-lost family reuniting. This fact alone makes Crashh worth the time of the audience.
Crashh is a ten-part Indian web series, which came out on February 16, 2021.
Dev DD (Season 2)
Dev DD is a modern Devdas, which involves themes of racism, homophobia and feminism.
The story focuses on the alcohol and sex-loving Devika ‘Vicky’ Dwivedi (Asheema Vardaan). In the first season, she has her father’s affection despite being labelled as a slut.
She falls in love with Parth (Akhil Kapoor), who later breaks her heart. Vicky then subsequently seeks solace with Anurag (Sanjay Suri).
The second season showcases Anurag destroying Vicky again. Though no longer craving alcohol, she now yearns for true love.
Her journey takes her on a path of acceptance. This includes her experiences with the LGBT community and finding her inner strength.
It is refreshing to see the beloved tale of Devdas in a modern setting and from a female perspective.
Bollywoodlife speaks warmly of Asheema’s performance:
“Asheema does a really good job of playing an aggressive feminist and a modern girl who does as she wishes.”
They also highlight the relatability of the themes portrayed in the show:
“You will also relate to a few social stigmas you literally face even in your house on a day-to-day basis.”
In 2021, it is so important to raise awareness of social stigmas and taboos. Dev DD does that perfectly.
Available from February 20, 2021, season 2 of Dev DD is lengthy, with seventeen episodes.
The Married Woman
The Married Woman is a romantic drama, which delves into the lives of two contrasting women.
Astha (Ridhi Dogra) is a dutiful housewife who sets out on a journey of self-discovery. En route, she meets the vivacious Peeplika (Monica Dogra).
Peeplika is an itinerant artist with whom Astha forms a deep personal connection. This is all set against the backdrop of the 90s bombings in India.
There is a scene involving Astha and her mother, with the latter disapproving of her friendship with the carefree Peeplika:
“What kind of friend is this?”
To this, Astha profoundly responds:
“Maa, she has taught me a very special thing. To live for myself.”
Sweta Kaushal from Hindustan Times mentions that the performances from the stars are a treat in The Married Woman:
“If you plan on spending nearly eleven hours to watch the show, you may count on some good acting.”
Ridhi and Monica share electrifying chemistry that strengthens the power of this Indian web series.
Season one of the series, consisting of eleven episodes was available on the ALTBalaji platform from March 8, 2021.
Bekaaboo 2
Bekaaboo is a heart-stopping Indian web series, which made a return for a second series on ALTBalaji.
Bekaboo 2 spins an intoxicating revenge tale. A novelist called Anaysha (Madhussneha Upadhyay) has a peaceful life with her friends Kashti (Priya Banerjee) and Natasha (Trishna Mukherjee).
What the girls are blissfully unaware of is that their past finds a way of sneaking back upon them.
Former author Kiyaan (Rajeev Siddhartha) wants revenge on the girls for a devastating secret that only the four know about.
The second round of Bekaaboo is unique and tops on the show’s first season. It is based on the book, Black Suits You (2016) by Novoneel Chakraborty.
Farhan Khan from TellyChakkar shares that the series has done a great job in terms of bringing the script to light visually:
“The highlight of the show is the screenplay, right from the beginning of the show it manages to grab your attention.
“Every thrilling scene is very well designed and manages to keep you hooked and booked to your seat.”
Farhan also appreciates Priya’s work in the Indian web series:
“Priya Banerjee will surely make your interest high with her performance in the show.”
Daring scenes add to the selling points of Bekaaboo. Even if fans did not necessarily enjoy the first season, Season 2 is different and ensnaring.
Main Hero Boll Raha Hoon
Set in Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, India, Main Hero Boll Raha Hoon is about Nawab (Parth Samthaan).
Nawab is also known as Hero. Circumstances force him to flee his home and he turns to underworld boss Lala (Arslan Goni).
Life becomes a struggle for survival as Nawab finds himself in a swirling circle of drugs and smuggling.
After a failed relationship with Manasvi (Arshin Mehta), he finds love with Laila (Patralekha Paul).
However, the predicament is that Laila, an aspiring actress, has no idea about Nawab’s true identity. Laila feels devastated when she learns who Nawab really is and about the threats he faces.
Despite her despondency, the audience can relate to these characters when Laila helps Nawab destroy Lala.
Parth and Patralekha share magnificent chemistry. RepublicWorld shares the views of Twitter users as they heap kind words about Parth’s performance. One user writes:
“I am speechless right now. I don’t even know how to describe this show. It’s out of the world.”
Main Hero Boll Raha Hoon is an absolute watch for thrilling action and gratifying relationships. Emotion and moral puzzlement are the keys to this charismatic Indian web series.
This series which has thirteen episodes began streaming on April 20, 2021.
His Storyy
His Storyy is an Indian web series that tackles homosexuality, a topic which some people unfortunately still frown upon.
The focus of this subject matter are married restaurant owners Kunal (Satyadeep Mishra) and Sakshi (Priyamani).
The couple has two sons called Shivaay (Nitin Bhatia) and Shlok (Mikhail Gandhi).
Sakshi is distraught when she discovers that Kunal has been having an affair with a man called Preet (Mrinal Dutt).
To make matters more discomforting, Shivaay is homophobic and therefore struggles to accept his father’s identity.
Priyamani portrays the sadness of Sakshi impeccably. Priyamani is at her best when she berates what she considers her husband’s perversion.
This is combatted nicely when she stands up for Kunal against Shivaay.
In the end, Kunal bravely realises that he should walk out of his sham marriage. Although this destroys the sentiments of the audience, they see that it is the right thing to do.
Scroll.in applauds His Storyy for the show’s honest depiction of homosexuality:
“His Storyy sheds light on an important conversation and shines its torch on still-taboo subjects with sincerity and sensitivity.”
The web show demonstrates that sometimes oceans of happiness can only spring from streams of melancholy.
His Storyy is one of ALTBalaji’s finest shows, breaking silence via its themes and plots. The eleven-part series has a running time of 24 minutes per episode.
His Storry was released via the digital platform on April 25, 2021.
Hai Taubba
The first season of Hai Taubba connects four storylines centring on different characters with their own beliefs.
Ankit (Abhishek Singh) is desperate to keep his wife happy. That may even involve him allowing another man into her life.
A homosexual Amit (Akshay Neb) must choose between Nitin (Gagan Anand) and Pooja (Kirandeep Kaur). Furthermore, Aminesh (Sachin Khurana) must battle with his past.
Sonal (Bhakti D Maniar) also deals with the fact that she is a lesbian.
All of these ideas are brave and fascinating. This creates an intriguing watch in the form of Hai Taubba.
Bhakti, in particular, relates to her character. She reveals how:
“I resonated a lot with Sonal’s bravery and the fighter attitude she had in her; she was a true stereotype breaker.”
What Hai Taubba does magnificently well is breaking away from norms by involving taboo subjects in the show.
The series does not brush such issues underneath the carpet. For that, it is compelling and praiseworthy.
The performances are credible in the show. Each actor gets their moment to shine. People can sympathise with Ankit’s devotion to his wife as well as the self-doubt of Sonal and Amit.
Hai Taubba has some great ingredients that make an alluring dish.
Hai Taubba (Chapter 2)
Like the first season, the second series of Hai Taubba forms a nucleus of four stories.
The rift between friends only deepens at a reunion. A social media influencer is willing to sell her body to increase her popularity.
Further episodes showcase two aspiring filmmakers at loggerheads with their cast. Meanwhile, two gay men form a close bond.
All these plots make for a spellbinding narrative. It is good to see the second chapter of Hai Taubba build upon its bravery in presenting hard-hitting issues.
The second part of Hai Taubba is all about consent, acceptance, and conflict. The show inspects these three areas in depth through various scenes.
The scene where two homosexuals strike a chord is impressive. The emotions are filled with warmth and sentiment.
If the first season of the show begun to cement the show on ALTBalaji, the second chapter binds it in.
In an official review, Binged.com remarks that the show is a positive advancement in the Indian digital world. It also notices its sincere intentions:
“Hai Taubba: Chapter 2 is a step in the right direction for AltBalaji. The sincerity in the intentions deserves applause.”
Hai Taubba 2 deserves a watch for its earnest attempts at unconventional storytelling. It is a brave Indian web series that will leave viewers with a lump in their necks.
Broken But Beautiful (Season 3)
The third season of Broken But Beautiful is all about unrequited love.
The star attractions here are an alcoholic theatre personality called Agastya (Sidharth Shukla) and the spoilt Rumi (Sonia Rathee).
Agastya loves Rumi, but cannot win her affections. He is shattered when Rumi marries her childhood crush, Ishaan Rana (Ehan Bhatt).
All this changes two years later. Ishaan and Rumi are trapped in a loveless marriage, while Agastya is a successful playwright. Rumi meets Agastya and falls in love with him.
However, Agastya does not wish to have a relationship, saying he has moved on. A pregnant Rumi divorces Ishaan and bids farewell to Agastya. She wishes to hold on to their good memories.
The expressions of Sonia and Sidharth sprinkle this tragic scene with pain and complexity.
It is stimulating not to see the easy route of joining the two characters together for another typical happy ending.
Times of India makes a tremendous shout-out to the performances in this Indian web series:
“Sidharth Shukla uses his swag and attitude to play the arrogant Agastya, who is often too blunt for no adequate reason. Ehan Bhatt is charming as the suave Ishaan and is very convincing in his role.”
They also pat Sonia on the back:
“It’s Sonia Rathee, who makes Rumi, the life of the show. Drop-dead gorgeous and confident, Sonia plays her unnecessarily complex character with ease.”
Quality performances are essential for such a subject in season 3 for Broken But Beautiful.
That is what makes this Indian web series entertaining. The ten-episode web show began screening on ALTBalaji from May 29, 2021.
Puncch Beat (Season 2)
The popularity of Puncch Beat: Season 1 in 2019 motivated the show to return with a bang in 2021.
The second edition of Puncch Beat is a high-school drama. That alone is a suitable precinct for punches and growing up. Rosewood High school is the setting for this Indian web series.
The show follows the rivalry between students Rahat (Priyank Sharma) and Ranbir (Siddharth Sharma). The selection of Rahat as ‘Head Boy’ leads Ranbir to challenge him for a boxing match.
This tests their strength and character. Thrown into the mix is the effervescent adrenaline addict Meesha (Samyukhta Hegde). She helps Ranbir prepare for his match.
Amongst all this, a murder looms over Rosewood. This creates a gripping storyline that will popularise the show even further.
Priyank expresses his excitement about the series, detailing love for his character:
“Playing Rahat is like going through a whirlwind of emotions.
“There’s anger, regret, happiness, sadness and a strong fire in the gut to deliver the ultimate punch in the ring.”
BulletNews write highly of the performances by Siddharth and Priyank:
“Both Priyank Sharma and Siddharth Sharma shine in their roles.”
They also laud the realism of the second season, while also honouring the broad relevance of the show:
“Season 2 is more realistic and, thankfully, more covert. Most importantly, Puncch Beat: Season 2 highlights a significant and relevant point which is a good thing in a broader sense.”
Puncch Beat: Season 2 gives viewers a zestful time. Each character will floor viewers with their talent, both in the ring and outside it.
ALTBalaji is the platform where many Indian web series reach the stars. Each year, it shows unique programmes with entertainment bursting in each reel. 2021 is no different.
2021 is a year of appealing and dynamic storytelling, which demonstrates the power that the digital age holds.
These are unmissable shows that certainly enhance the reputation of ALTBalaji. The aforementioned increase in viewing figures is occurring for a reason. Each penny for a subscription is worth it.
Loading ...