With India being a diverse country with multiple languages and cultures, viewers are looking for content that caters to their specific preferences. OTT platforms have been quick to recognize this trend and have started producing more regional language content to cater to the demand. In the midst of the pandemic, indoor fun activities with family, TV, and OTT became stress busters. As more and more people gain access to the internet, they are turning to stream services as a convenient and affordable way to access a wide range of content.
The thriller web series has proven very popular with viewers among the various genres. These shows deliver the ideal balance of drama, mystery, and suspense to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The emotions they evoke in their audiences—heightened sensations of suspense, excitement, surprise, anticipation, and anxiety—are what distinguish and define thrillers. And certain Hindi web series sure do capture this feeling in the most accurate way. Hold on to the edge of your seat as we list our favourite Hindi thriller shows:
Farzi (2023)
In this fast-paced, edgy, one-of-a-kind thriller directed by Krishna DK and Raj Nidimoru, two characters—an artist who is drawn into the murky high stakes of a con operation and a fiery task force officer on the mission to rid the country of his threats—face off against one another. Shahid Kapoor’s character Sunny, a sketch artist, suffers a financial catastrophe and is unable to protect his grandfather’s Kranti newspaper press. As a result, he and his friend make the questionable decision to employ their unique, divinely-endowed talent and started producing false money. As they found the link for disseminating the fake money, it immediately began to circulate around the city. Law enforcement official Vijay Sethupathi, played by Michael, is on a mission to purge the city of all fake corruption. He is looking for the main source of the distributor. Whether or whether he was destroyed, as well as how he was destroyed, is the focus of the remaining narrative of the series.
The Night Manager (2023)
The Night Manager is one of the few adaptations of popular worldwide franchises that successfully combines flair and substance to produce an engaging viewing experience. The Night Manager, adapted by Sridhar Raghavan from John Le Carre’s novel, is the Indian adaptation of David Farr’s popular series. It begins in our eastern Bangladeshi neighbourhood, which has been dealing with the forced migration of Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar. Former navy lieutenant Shaan Sengupta (Aditya Roy Kapur), who works as the night manager at a posh hotel in Dhaka, is at the centre of this story of espionage, love, and betrayal. Shaan is hired a few years later to spy on the man whose evil plans allegedly led to the girl’s death after seeing the murder of a young girl in Dhaka who he had the chance to save. This man is Shelly Rungta, a notorious arms dealer and “merchant of death,” who is portrayed wonderfully by national treasure Anil Kapoor.
Rudra: The Edge of Darkness (2022)
South Mumbai serves as the setting for the Hindi adaption of the British television series Luther by Rajesh Mapuskar. In Rudra: The Edge of Darkness, Ajay Devgn plays the title character, a policeman who works in the special crimes team and is more reliant on his intelligence than his physical prowess. He is notorious for never carrying a gun and for solving graphic murders with logic puzzles. South Mumbai’s streets and ancient buildings may have been scrubbed clean for the six-episode series, but its dark lanes and warehouses still harbour horrible murders. The cases that Rudra gets to choose from include those involving serial killers, kidnappings, more killings, and stealing. The shadow of a criminal who has been haunting him for a very long time hangs over Rudra because of his unusual techniques. His marriage to Shaila has failed as a result of his character defects and methods of accomplishing things.
Mumbai Diaries 26/11 (2021)
Mumbai Diaries, a compelling blend of a medical drama and a suspenseful thriller, is set amid the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The distinctive aspect, however, is that this series examines the events from the perspective of a government hospital and current front-line personnel who were involved in crisis management throughout the catastrophe, as opposed to other programs that cover the problem from the beginning. Another highlight is the ensemble cast, which includes Mohit Raina and Konkana Sen Sharma. The series depicts a grim yet compelling representation of attacks while striking a delicate balance between fragile emotions and hard-hitting objectivity.
Criminal Justice (2019)
Criminal Justice combines a courtroom drama with a crime thriller. Based on the identical BBC programme from 2008, the Hotstar original. Tigmanshu Dhulia and Vishal Furia are the directors of the adaptation for the Indian market, which was adapted by Sridhar Raghavan. Ben Whishaw’s original character of the cab driver is played by Vikrant Massey in the Hindi drama. You’ll be hooked to the screen the entire time you watch Criminal Justice. Having a number of the best actors in Bollywood at the present undoubtedly raises the bar. Every actor captures the menacing, brooding atmosphere of a crime that isn’t as straightforward as it first appears. But what really distinguishes the show is the presence of Vikrant Massey and Pankaj Tripathi. The way they represent their characters is what keeps the audience intrigued about what will happen next. Even though it has some clichés that we have become accustomed to seeing in Bollywood for years, it is still worth your time to see.
The Fame Game (2022)
The Fame Game, which features none other than the stunning Madhuri Dixit in the title role, is about the struggles of becoming a Bollywood star and the baggage that comes with it. The most well-known actress in India goes missing, shattering the perfect façade of her life and family and exposing sad realities in the process. The drama-thriller centres on a dysfunctional family and examines how they handle the challenges they face over the course of its six episodes. Sanjay Kapoor and Madhuri Dixit are a treat to watch on screen together, and both performers are excellent at portraying their characters. Despite the show’s gradual build-up, viewers remain glued to the screen. Nonetheless, the cliffhanger finale has us eagerly anticipating a second season!
