From the Sacred Games to Stories by Rabindranath Tagore, Here are the 10 Best Indian Series on Netflix in 2019

Netflix is a popular online video content provider that possesses a worldwide customer base spanning across 190 countries. It was founded in the year 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph. Netflix comprises of a network of internet streaming TV shows and online movies. The company operates on a subscription-based model where users can access via a monthly subscription plan. Moreover, the movies can be viewed on various internet-connected devices including computers, TVs and mobile phones. According to data, Netflix has over 154 million users worldwide and around 148 million paid users.

In 2016, the founders unveiled their plan to extend the video streaming service across various countries as a part of its expansion plan. As promised, it made a buzz in the Indian online entertainment platform. It offered shows on the go and had offered it free of cost for the first month. It captured the Indian audience by giving out attractive plans starting from Rs.500 onwards. Due to its large population, the country seemed to be a lucrative market. Moreover, the younger generation influenced by western consumers wanted some variety. As internet service providers increased internet bandwidth, the users had access to the internet via smartphones. According to a survey, it was discovered that 46 percent of all internet usage came from watching videos.

Initially, Netflix had limited streaming content available when it was launched. On the other hand, the collection of Indian TV shows and movies were also insignificant. During its launch, it had only around 7 percent of the content of its US collection. However, as time progressed the streaming giant penetrated the Indian market by offering Hollywood hit shows such as Game of Thrones (GoT), House of Cards and Big Bang Theory. Many Indian directors cashed in on the trend by directing novel hit series that cater to the pulse of the Indian generation. Initially, the company produced the new Netflix original series based on the famous novel Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra.

Netflix is a digital streaming device that has numerous fans around the world. Moreover, it has changed the TV viewing habits of the people by leaps and bounds.

Netflix offers four types of subscription plans for the India audience – Mobile, Basic, Standard, and Premium.

One can choose a subscription plan according to their preference. To avail the Netflix service, one has signed in to the desired devices such as smart TV, mobile phone and tablets. Moreover, you can also go online and sign in using the Netflix website. The following are the devices through which you can access Netflix.

Thanks to Netflix, Indian series have grown to be a source of inspiration for aspiring actors and directors. These series are spread over a wide genre and users can choose the show they want to watch with the help of the respective genre.

Sacred Games is an Indian series that airs on Netflix, it is based on a novel by Vikram Chandra. It also takes pride in being declared as the first Indian series produced by Netflix. The story revolves around a troubled officer in Mumbai who receives a strange call from a gangster. The gangster challenges him to save the city in 25 days. The police officer takes up the challenges and the series is a sequence of event that leads up to the same. It stars Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Radhika Apte. The series comprising of eight episodes premiered on June 2018 and received positive reviews from critics and fans. Season 2 of the series is expected to premiere on 15th August 2019.

The series is a crime thriller that revolves a millionaire Akhandanand Tripathi made millions exporting carpets. Subsequently, he goes on to become the mafia boss of a place called Mirzapur. The millionaire’s power-hungry sung stops at nothing to continue his father’s legacy and become the next don. On a fateful day, he crosses paths with an upright lawyer and his sons. The story revolves around drugs, weapons, and lawlessness. However, it opened to positive reviews and it season 1 comprised of 9 episodes.

Starring the famous actor R Madhavan, revolves around the stories of two men who face unexpected situations that life throws at them. One is a talented and shrewd police officer who is assembling pieces of unrelated death all over the city. He is hell-bent on nailing the culprit who is suspected to have committed the murders. On the other hand, the suspect is a simple football coach who is trying to save his ailing son. What happens if these two meet?

It is an Indian web series that involves the aftermath of the 2012 Delhi gang rape. The story revolves around the aftermath of the shocking events. A female Deputy Police Commissioner is tasked to nail the culprits behind the hideous crime which resulted in the death of the female victim. The series portrays how the Delhi cops can zero in on the culprits with accurate precision though facing lots of hiccups along the way. The series was received well by critics and received widespread recognition for the script and acting. The series was premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019 and later aired on Netflix. The show is expected to come back for Season 2.

Smoke is a crime mystery thriller that happens in the state of Goa and features famous actors. The story circles around two drug cartels who illegally supply and purchase drugs from Russia to Goa. However, the party city and the drug cartels are shaken up with a series of double murders that happen abroad. The murder affects the drug cartels and their leaders who fear of being exposed as police and media attention turns towards them. An Assistant Commissioner of Police is tasked to clean the state and get rid of the drug cartel that thrives in secret. The series boasts of a star cast comprising of Kalki Koechlin, Mandira Bedi, and others.

The series is an anthology that consists of four stories woven together. Each story is directed in a different direction. The series explores the relationship of four women with the desire for love, affection, and intimacy. The series has broken stereotypes and captures the lives of four normal women. The series was also praised by critics for their portrayal of women and exploration of their sexuality that was a lesser-explored subject in Indian cinema. The subject was well-handled without a crude portrayal and was praised for the impressive performance by the female protagonists.

Little things is a sweet love story that revolves around a couple of Dhruv and Kavya who is in a live-in relationship. The series captures the dilemmas and joys of a modern-day couple and their relationship. The couple word hard to create a perfect work-life balance and how they manage their finances. The series takes a hilarious and thoughtful take on how the couple carries on their daily lives and how little things are crucial for a relationship.

Bose: Dead or Alive is an Indian biographical web series based on the life story of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose. Bose is a well-known freedom fighter and leader in India who was instrumental in India gaining its Independence. The series captures the aftermath of Bose’s alleged death in a plane crash. His family believes that he is alive based on input from Mahatma Gandhi.

It is an Indian horror web series based on Arab folklore monster named Ghoul. The story is set in India in a dystopian future, and the story's main plot is the interrogation of a dreaded terrorist Ali Saeed. The terrorist is held in a secret government internment camp that ignites a series of horrifying and supernatural events in the aftermath. Radhika Apte plays an interrogator who has secrets and is shocked to discover that the dreaded terrorist is a monster.

The short stories are classic masterpieces written by the Bengali writer and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. The story is set in the state of Bengal in the 1920s, it focuses on relationships which were coloured by human shortcomings and idiosyncrasies. Confident women were the protagonists of his stories who were strong in their stead and defiant in nature while cocooned in a conservative Indian society. In a culture where adultery, rebellion, sorrow and death were a taboo, Tagore’s stories were progressive and brought a shift in the mindset of traditional Indian values.