If OTT was the toast of the year 2020, in 2021 it still remained the darling of content-diggers even as cinemas opened gates. Turning the world into a global community, Indian, English, Spanish and Korean shows engaged, enraged and entertained the audience. Here’s to the shows that created some sensation, and others that despite the interest they generated proved to be a damp squib.

Shipped to South Korea

The sensation of OTT in 2021 was the South Korean show, Squid Game, created by Hwang Dong-hyuk. A global hit, the show not just fuelled interest in learning the Korean language globally, but also sent people into nostalgic trips with childhood games. Despite all the violence and tragedy, and all the gory details, the triumph of human spirit, which the show captured, clicked with the viewers. A fantasy thriller, Yeon Sang-ho’s Hellbound, which painted a dystopian world, with its brilliant cinematography, unusual concept and technical finesses, delivered the message of humanity and hope. It too became a mega-hit.

The leading ladies

Women power made it to the fore with Alankrita Shrivastava’s Bombay Begums and Subhash Kapoor’s Maharani. On Netflix and SonyLiv, respectively, Pooja Bhatt and Huma Qureshi’s act was appreciated by the audience.

December also witnessed women-centric web series. While Sushmita Sen made a solid comeback with the second instalment of her digital debut series Aarya (streaming on Disney+ Hotstar), Raveena Tandon’s OTT debut in Netflix original Aranyak too enraptured viewers and scored an impressive 8.3 IMDb rating.

Stories from Punjab

Punjabi flavour made it to OTT as well. Two shows, Tabbar and Grahan, with Pavan Malhotra as the face of both, generated interest. The first was a family thriller set in Jalandhar and the other a period drama set in 1984. Another family thriller, Your Honor, starring Jimmy Shergill, dropped its second season, where Gulshan Grover made a digital debut.

Controversy corner

2021 was also the year of OTT controversies. If the most-anticipated Amazon Prime Video’s Tandav was marred in controversy for allegedly hurting religious sentiments, this Saif Ali Khan and Dimple Kapadia-starrer proved to be a disappointment.

Raj & DK’s The Family Man 2 also debuted with controversy, but the Manoj Bajpayee-led spy thriller managed to win critics and audiences alike with Srikant Tiwari’s measured act, amply supported by brilliant writing. Bombay Begums too landed in trouble with the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights objecting to scenes featuring a minor using drugs.

Magnum opus gone wrong

Nikkhil Advani’s ambitious project, The Empire on Disney+ Hotstar, failed to cut the ice with the audience. The series showcased the rise and fall of the Mughal dynasty, from Babur to Aurangzeb, and was based on the book Raiders from the North by Alex Rutherford from his novel series Empire of the Moghul. This historical fiction series made for a brave, but not so successful attempt considering the budget and ensemble cast it had.

Garnering applause

The year culminated with Part 2 of the fifth and final season of Money Heist, which was released on December 3. Although fans had waited enough for the series, it was a treat for them to watch their favourite Professor pull off the final heist. The Spanish crime drama with IMDb rating of 8.2 won critics and its audience alike with shocking twists and intensity. Marvel Cinematic Universe’s (MCU) mini-series WandaVision won the viewers’ applause at the beginning of year.

The much-awaited sequels managed to keep the masses hooked throughout the year. Special Ops 1.5, Neeraj Pandey’s action-espionage thriller’s prequel, showcased Kay Kay Menon’s superb acting skills in just four episodes. Kota Factory Season 2 paled in comparison to its first season. Disney+ Hotstar’s Out of Love and SonyLiv’s Your Honor’s second outings was also appreciated by the audience.

Retelling the past

Nikkhil Advani and Nikhil Gonsalves’ Mumbai Diaries 26/11 on Amazon Prime presented an engaging story. The oft-told tale showcased a different perspective, as to how the medical community dealt with the ghastly night. Humanity has the strength to overcome every challenge was the message that won the viewers over.

Beyond thrillers

2021 was also the season of anthologies and docu-series. If Ajeeb Daastaans, Ray, Unpaused and Feels Like Ishq offered a gamut of emotions; House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths in Delhi to Britney Spears’ conservatorship reassess —Framing Britney Spears and Britney Vs Spears, there were interesting peeks into lives that are not-so-ordinary. Leander Paes-Mahesh Bhupathi’s series Break Point on ZEE5 was a treat for sports lovers. — TNS