Indian series provides gripping viewing
A host of high-octane Indian series is currently offering some edge-of-your seat viewing on Netflix. Here’s a look at three of our favourite picks, with some of them starring familiar faces from the Indian cinema scene, writes Latoya Newman
SACRED GAMES:
THIS show, starring Saif Ali Khan, sees a policeman, a criminal overlord, a Bollywood film star, politicians, cultists, spies and terrorists come under the spotlight in this modern-day Mumbai set series.
The lives of the privileged, the famous, the wretched and the bloodthirsty interweave with cataclysmic consequences amid the chaos of the bustling city.
The series is based on the criticallyacclaimed best-selling novel Sacred
Games by author Vikram Chandra. The story focuses on Sartaj Singh (Ali Khan), a seasoned and cynical Bombay police officer, summoned by an anonymous tip one morning, a voice which promises him an opportunity to capture the powerful Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), criminal overlord of the G-Company.
As the stakes mount and Singh seeks knowledge of his prey, it becomes clear that the game the two players thought they were engaged in is, in fact, part of a much larger scenario, one that expands beyond their city. Sacred Games is Netflix’s first original Indian series.
An array of Indian media regarded the detective thriller as a major boost for Ali Khan’s career.
In fact, this series is now in Season 2 and definitely worth a binge session. Director Shivam Gupta told the Hindustan Times that Ali Khan and Siddiqui would “blow your minds” in season 2.
POWDER:
It is based on the fight against drug abuse in India. Usmaan Ali Malik heads a team of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officers to take on drug pedlars, led by drug baron Naved Ahmed Ansari, head on.
Now this one is not a Netflix original. It was aired on Indian TV in 2010 and pulled due to poor ratings.
Netflix seemed to see something in this series and resurrected it on their channel – a good move at that.
Starring Pankaj Tripathi, Rasika Dugal, Manish Choudhary, and Geetika Tyagi, you will find this one easy to get hooked on.
Pulling on themes of slum life and the allure of drug money, and of course all the drama and action in between, you’ll find this is also a highly relatable and universally-themed series considering the similar issues we face in our communities at home.
GHOUL:
I’ve never been a fan of the horror genre, but they have become popular on streaming services. After taking a peep at the trailer of Ghoul, I’d say fans of this genre would definitely enjoy this one, especially considering that it’s from the makers of the American films Insidious and Get Out, which were major hits on the thriller and horror front.
Based on the Arab folklore monster, ghoul, this web series is the second Netflix original from India.
Ghoul is a chilling series about a prisoner who arrives at a remote military interrogation centre and turns the tables on his interrogators, exposing their most shameful secrets.
Judging from the trailer, the series explores some out-of-this-world darkness.
Radhika Apte plays the main character, supported by the likes of Manav Kaul, Ratnabali Bhattacharjee and Mallhar Goenka.
The series is written and directed by Patrick Graham and jointly produced by Jason Blum and Bolly’s Anurag Kashyap among others.