New Delhi: 2022 has indeed been an amazing year for OTT with good content flowing in from all corners.
From drama to action, from romance to thrillers, shows/series on OTT platforms offered the best of entertainment to viewers and kept them hooked to the screens.
With only a few days to bid this ‘entertaining year’ a goodbye, here’s a look back at the top seven series that ruled hearts that dominated OTT platforms like Netflix, Zee5, Disney + Hotstar, MX Player and others.
1) Panchayat Season 2 (Prime Video):
After a successful first season, Prime Video delighted viewers with Panchayat Season 2 earlier this year. Starring Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, Faisal Malik and Chandan Roy, the series surpassed expectations with its strong storyline, screenplay, direction, dialogues and powerful performances by the actors. The second season saw Abhishek (Jitendra) taking more interest in village politics while also preparing for his CAT exams. Season 2 proved to be the perfect mix of drama, emotions and laughter, and gained a strong IMDb rating of 8.9+ rating.
2) Aashram Season 3 (MX Player):
The highly-anticipated third installment of Prakash Jha’s popular series Aashram left the viewers surprised with unexpected plot and twists and turns. Aashram follows the exploits of Baba Nirala (Bobby Deol), a godman/conman who has built a political/criminal empire in the guise of a spiritual enterprise. The third season took off from the last season when one of Baba’s disciples Pammi (Aaditi Pohankar) escaped his clutches after being sexually abused by him and is now out for revenge.
In the background was a multitude of characters and plot lines about Baba’s lust for power and women and the changing political fortunes of the state where his ashram is. With a stellar cast including Bobby Deol, Chandan Roy Sanyal, and Aaditi Pohankar, Ek Badnaam...Aashram aired on 3rd June 2022 and received an overwhelming response from critics and viewers alike. With an amazing 7+ rating on IMDb, the series is streaming for free on MX Player.
3) Delhi Crime 2 (Netflix):
One of Netflix’s popular properties, Delhi Crime starring Shefali Shah, Rajesh Tailang and Rasika Dugal returned with season 2 this year. Season 2 revolved around a fictionalized version of a real crime that happened in 2012, where serial killers viciously murdered elderly people in the city. But, despite the rise in death rates, the police were unable to identify the culprit. Putting an end to this horrendous series of murders will be a challenge for Vartika's team. While the sequel was more brutal and graphic, it managed to retain enough sensitivity and finesse, grabbing eyeballs all across.
4) Gullak Season 3 (SonyLIV):
One of the most-loved slice-of-life series, Sony Liv's Gullak managed to keep a rare feat with Season this year and it only got better. The Mishra’s got back to share their kisse-kahaniya about a middle-class family struggling to make ends meet, who are as real as everyone else. Starring Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Jameel Khan and Harsh Mayar in pivotal roles, Season 3 saw the grown-up version of the Mishra brothers. While Aman’s dreams grow bigger, Annu’s desires try to expand but he thinks it’s better to sacrifice them for the sake of the family. The family dramedy hit it out of the park with flawless performances propped up by good writing.
5) Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach Season 3 (Disney+ Hotstar):
Disney+ Hotstar’s appreciated series Criminal Justice, returned with Season 3 this year. With Pankaj Tripathi yet again donning the lawyer’s coat as Madhav Mishra, the latest season focuses on the mysterious death of Zara Ahuja (Deshna Dugad), a popular teenage celebrity. Her step-brother Mukul (Aaditya Gupta), the prime suspect in this case gets arrested, and Madhav Mishra is brought to his rescue. An engaging screenplay and top-notch acting made this eight-episode season an instant hit.
6) Dharavi Bank (MX Player):
One of MX Player’s most anticipated flagship properties, Dharavi Bank released on November 19, 2022. Marking the digital debut of Suniel Shetty, the series is touted to be one of the best revenge dramas in recent times with a phenomenal 9+ rating on IMDb. Set in the slums of Mumbai’s Dharavi, the show features the fight for power between Dharavi’s dreaded gangster Thalaivan which has reached the deepest roots of the slum and Chief Minister Janvi Surve and Joint Commissioner of Police Jayant Gavaskar.
From high-octane action to drama, from emotions to thrilling performances, Dharavi Bank caught viewers' attention and now they’re eagerly waiting for Season 2. Directed by Samit Kakkad, the series boasts a stellar cast of Suniel Shetty, Vivek Oberoi, Sonali Kulkarni, Luke Kenny and Freddy Daruwala among others, and is now streaming for free on MX Player.
7) Saas Bahu Aur Achaar Pvt Ltd (Zee5):
Featuring Yamini Das, Amruta Subhash, Manu Bisht and Anjana Sukhani in pivotal roles, Saas Bahu Aur Achaar Pvt Ltd is one of the best drama series in 2022. The story revolves around a woman, who is struggling to set up her pickle business and earn money to get custody of her children from her ex-husband. She is helped by her ex-mother-in-law to market and sell her pickles while her children head towards the wrong path creating new challenges. It is a simple yet relatable series with a good message. The ease with which the drama portrays the bittersweet relationship between the characters is what makes this Zee5 content stand out.
If you haven’t watched them yet, worry not, you can still make the best use of your time till New Year rings in! (UNI)
