Web series to look forward to in 2017

If you have not seen one or more Indian web series last year, you have been living under a rock. Tired of the same old saas-bahu sagas and dull content on the small screen, viewers discovered that the digital space offered them content that was fresh, original and youth-oriented. The good news is that this trend is here to stay. Not only are many production houses coming up with their own digital platforms to launch web series, but they are also roping in reputed directors to helm their projects. Film actors such as Ali Fazal, Swara Bhaskar and theatre veterans such as Rajit Kapoor and Shernaz Patel lent their names to them last year and many more are expected to make their debut in the digital space this year as well. 2017 will see many web series, offering a variety of content. Here’s a sneak peek at some...

Y-Films is doing a reboot of the cult movie Darr and has a five part mini-series Darr 2.0 coming up. Darr 2.0 will feature the characters of Rahul, Kiran and Sunil from the original but in an entirely new milieu, weaved in a modern, original tale of obsession and fear in the age of cyber stalking and digital crimes. Apart from this series, YRF Films will also come out with second seasons of their shows such as Man’s World, Bang Baaja Baraat, Ladies Room, Sex Chat with Pappu and Papa.

Made in Heaven 

Filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti have stepped into the digital space with their production company called Tiger Baby. Their first venture will be a web series called Made In Heaven, a series about wedding planners for Amazon Prime. They aren’t revealing yet, but Farhan Akhtar might just make a cameo appearance in it!

Shows by TVF

Naveen, Yogi, Jitu and Mandal managed to get funding for their start-up idea in the first season of the much-loved TVF Pitchers, and everyone has been waiting to see what the four entrepreneurs will have up their sleeve in the second season of the show. Says TVF creator Arunabh Kumar, “Pitchers 2 will continue the story of four underdogs who are trying to chase the Great Indian Dream of starting their own business, amidst currency ban, cut-throat competition and uncertain global economy, which will be the backdrop along with human relationships.” Pitchers 2 is expected to come out in the second half of the year. But before that, there’s a lot in store from the TVF stable.

Next month, one can see BishtPlease, writer Biswapati Sarkar’s directorial debut, with Nidhi Bisht in the lead. The show is about an average girl with an average job and her everyday struggles in life — an out and out comedy. Two more shows in the comedy drama genre, the first on co-working office spaces and the other, a family show will follow soon after. TVF will also come up with a crime thriller this year, an entirely new genre for them.

ALT Balaji shows

With ALT Balaji, Ekta Kapoor is making her foray into the digital entertainment world. And there is a wide variety of web series she has in store for the audience. Nimrat Kaur will be seen playing an army officer, in a yet untitled series to be directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. Another series, Romil and Jugal, is a twist on William Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet, with this being a quirky romance between a Punjabi boy and a Tam-Brahm boy! Another twist in the tale will be with the classic Devdas, with the protagonist being a female. Dev DD will trace the journey of a young and rebellious Devika and her journey through life with love, passion, heartbreak, sex, self-destruction and redemption. Yudhishtir Urs aka Yudi is all also set to make his debut on the digital platform. He will be seen in the web series, Once Upon A Night, Whey They Met which also stars Dipannita Sharma and Samir Soni. The talented Rajkummar Rao will be seen playing the role of freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in a yet untitled series, trying to unravel the larger mystery around his life. Kehtein Hain Opposites Attract brings together the much-loved jodi of Ram Kapoor and Sakshi Tanwar in this contemporary take on how two people can fall in love anywhere and anytime.

Untag

Voot’s six episode original series, is light-hearted look at the lives of six characters, each dealing with their imposed tags, trying to become much more than what the world has labelled them. The series celebrates friendship, love and their uniqueness. Directed by Mere Dad Ki Maruti director Ashima Chibber, Untag boasts of a strong star cast including Meiyang Chang, VJ Andy, Dipannita Sharma, Shiv Pandit, Anjali Anand and Naveen Polishetty and is a story about losing the tags, the hate, the labels, the fear and most importantly the shame.

Bro-Court

Sri Adhikari Brothers Group’s digital initiative Happii-Fi has roped in Bhuvan Bam of BB Ki Vines for a series called Bro-Court. In a world where justice is difficult and judicial system fails from time to time, what would you do if you need justice in an engineering college hostel with loads of testosterone and no sense? When the Bro-Code gets violated, then one heads to the Bro-Court.