The turmoil of the global pandemic continued in 2021. The silver screen went dark for a large part of the year, restablishing the fact that Over The Top (OTT) platforms are here to stay. Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, TVF, Voot, MX Player, Zee5, and Amazon Prime came out with series and movies that kept viewers enthralled. There were new shows, sequels to already acclaimed shows, and even prequels. As it’s the end of 2021, we have curated a list of top Indian and international TV shows that have garnered much love and attention.
Here are the top 10 shows that made us forget blinking in 2021:
Squid Game
The Hwang Dong-hyuk-directed Korean series kept everyone glued to the edge of their seats with every episode. The show became a global phenomenon within days of its release in September. The popularity of Squid Game is undeniable as the nine-episode series clinched an 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The gripping story with a twist of Korean childhood games turned intense and horrifying as the game gradually reached the finale. Squid Game currently holds the record of Netflix’s biggest original series launch of all time.
Lupin
The French mystery thriller based on the classic story of the world-famous gentleman thief (played by Omar Sy) was a big hit with audiences. There are already two parts to this series which have received 98% and 96% on the Tomatometer respectively. Head straight to Netflix to see this espionage thriller, and stay tuned for Part 3 because you can never get enough of this series.
Money Heist: From Tokyo to Berlin
Among the most popular shows of 2021, Money Heist rose to Netflix’s Global top 10 list. Season 5 of the Spanish crime drama which revolved around the travails of a group of robbers was loved by the audience. The plot of Money Heist gets fascinating with the addition of Berlin’s parallel storyline giving it much anticipated gripping twists and turns.
Mare Of Easttown
The series starring Kate Winslet, Julianne Nicholson, and Jean Smart got a 8.5/10 rating on IMDB. The plot revolves around a detective (played by Kate Winslet) in a small town in Pennsylvania who investigates a local murder case with attempts to keep her life from falling apart.
WandaVision
The drama sitcom is pure bliss to Marvel fans. The story revolves around the lives of Maximoff/Scarlet Witch and Vision (played by Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bellany) who enjoy suburban happiness despite things not being as they seem. The show won rave reviews from audiences for its cinematic classic style direction with the twists of MCU. IMDb rated the show 8.0.
Aspirants
Aspirants is a multiple star cast series starring Naveen Kasturia, Shivankit Singh Parihar, Abhilash Thapliyal, Sunny Hinduja, and Namita Dubey. Directed by Apoorv Singh Karki, Aspirants ranks among the most popular Indian series of 2021 with a rating of 9.7/10 on IMDb. It released on 7th April and spun across five episodes. The plot revolves around three civil services aspirants as they embark on the journey to becoming IAS officers while going through an array of emotions like friendship, ambition, and struggles.
The Family Man 2
Headlined by actor Manoj Bajpayee who reprises his role as intelligence officer Srikant Tiwari, the second season of Family Man 2 beautifully takes off from where the first one ended and delivers a nail biting thriller which will keep you glued to your seats till the very end. Samantha Akkineni is a welcome addition to the team and excels in her portrayal of Raji, a Sri Lankan Tamil exiled in India who is out to seek revenge from the Sri Lankan army for killing her family. The serial has a lot to root for in terms of its gripping storyline, superb characterisation, and fast-paced plot.
Aarya 2
The second instalment of Aarya brings about a storyline filled with challenges for the female protagonist who wishes to seek revenge for her dead husband and attempts to keep her family alive. Aarya 2, starring Sushmita Sen, has also been nominated in the Best Drama category at the internationally-acclaimed Emmy Awards. Catch the epic journey of Aarya to Aarya 2 on Disney+ Hotstar.
Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story
With an IMDb rating of 8.5/10, the Neeraj Pandey-directed serial tells the story of intelligence officer Himmat Singh, starring Kay Kay Menon in the lead role. The show had set a record for the highest first-day viewership as viewers tuned in to witness the spy drama.
Ray
This Netflix series has four short stories based on the works of the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray. Ranging from satire to psychological thriller, Ray leaves no stones unturned with its epic way of storytelling and leaving room for interpretations for the audiences.
