Goodbye 2021: The 5 best Hindi web-series in the second year of the pandemic

For the second year in a row after the COVID-19 pandemic reared its ugly head, web-series have dominated the cultural discourse. The majority of this year's top entries feature familiar characters whom audiences had come to know and love way before 2021 began, such as the competent but beleaguered intelligence officer Srikant Tiwari and the fierce matriarch Aarya Sareen as well as the determined students of Kota and the middle-class Mishras. SonyLIV's terrific Tabbar, directed by Ajitpal Singh, is the only brand-new series to break into the top five.

This was a busy year and a host of digital films and shows again vied for our attention. And while not every one of them has made the main list, we couldn't ignore memorable shows such as Maharani, Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story and Candy, which also entertained us along the way.

So here then are our top shows of 2021, followed by those that are deserving of at least a mention.

1. Kota Factory (Season 2) — Netflix

The critically acclaimed The Viral Fever show about IIT aspirants studying in Kota, Rajasthan, returned for a stellar second round that continued to expose a brutal education system that wears students down in the name of learning.

Mayur More plays the relatable central character Vaibhav Pandey who is now part of the more elite Maheshwari Classes but continues to maintain his friendships and ties with his previous batch, Prodigy. Fan favourite Jeetu Bhaiya, played by Jitendra Kumar, opens his own institute and realizes the complexities of running such an operation.

In the second season, director Raghav Subbu, writers Abhishek Yadav, Manoj Kalwani, Puneet Batra and creator Saurabh Khanna nail the complex balance of wit and feeling while detailing the obstacles and daily lives of these youngsters in the admissions rat race. Presented in black and white, the show lets us in on their frustrations (of which there are plenty) and small moments of happiness as they struggle towards their hopefully promising futures. The young cast members perfectly convey the conflict their characters experience at this critical stage of their lives.

The key reason why this campus drama continues to work is that at its heart, it is sincere when depicting the ordinary world of students. To a sizeable demographic, Kota Factory is an accurate reflection of their reality.

Kota Factory (Season 2) review: Heartfelt drama is back for a satisfying second year

2. The Family Man (Season 2) — Amazon Prime Video

It is rare for the second season of a successful show to reach greater heights than its predecessor. Amazon Prime Video’s The Family Man is one such. The second season focuses on a partnership between Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence and a group of Tamil rebels from Sri Lanka and their conspiracy to execute an attack on India.

A guilt-ridden Srikant (Manoj Bajpayee), who had quit the fictional Threat Analysis and Surveillance Cell (TASC) agency, re-joins the organization and accompanies best friend JK (Sharib Hashmi) on a mission to foil the dastardly plan. This time, their main enemy is the fanatical and menacing Raji (Samantha).

The writing by Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK and Suman Kumar is thoroughly entertaining. It has quite a few subplots playing out, but despite this, the narrative unfolds smoothly. The series grips the viewer from the first episode and doesn't let up until the explosive finale.

Bajpayee and Hashmi are reliable as always. But The Family Man (Season 2) belongs to Samantha and her thoroughly effective performance.

The Family Man 2 review: More complex, ambitious and better than Season 1

3. Tabbar — SonyLIV

Ajitpal Singh's thrilling SonyLIV drama is an absorbing depiction of a man's determination to protect his family, come what may. This costs him his own principles and the trust of his children at times. A nuanced storyline, sharp script and powerful performances elevate this series.

A cast comprising Pavan Malhotra, Supriya Pathak and Ranvir Shorey can be trusted to provide the pyrotechnics. But their skill is compounded by the complex moral dilemmas and arcs of their characters.

The series is backed by impressive production values and shines on the technical front. Director Ajitpal Singh holds the multiple narrative threads together with the glue provided by Sneha Khanwalkar's fantastic soundtrack and evocative performances by the players. While it is difficult to condone the actions of the Tabbar (clan), it is harder to condemn it for them. Its philosophical nature and cinematic brilliance make the series one of the year's best.

Tabbar review: Pavan Malhotra leads this thrilling tale of morality, crime and familial bonds

4. Aarya (Season 2) — Disney+ Hotstar

After the nightmare of losing her husband (Chandrachur Singh) and facing betrayal from her family, Aarya Sareen (Sushmita Sen) must confront her kin as she returns to testify against them in the second season of the show, which has been adapted from the Dutch series, Penoza.

Series creator Ram Madhvani and his co-directors Vinod Rawat and Kapil Sharma put the character through the wringer with foes such as Russian drug lords and grieving rival Uday Shekhawat (Akash Khurana) posing a threat.

The wily but wary Aarya emerges strong yet again as she deals with her children's fragile mental states, hostile lawyers and police, and the possibility of being gunned down at every step. The makers dial up the tension as Aarya gains unlikely allies and steels herself as she stops struggling against the inevitable.

Aided by a strong supporting cast that includes Ankur Bhatia, Vikas Kumar, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Maya Sarao, Sugandha Garg, Sikandar Kher and Vishwajeet Pradhan, the follow-up to the first season is thrilling, to say the least. But something tells us this story isn't over yet.

Aarya (Season 2) review: Sushmita Sen is back to take the reins in this gripping, tense follow-up

5. Gullak (Season 2) — SonyLIV

When comedy as a genre had been hijacked by campus dramas revolving around the antics of college kids, Gullak came as a much-needed breath of fresh air. The second season reintroduced viewers to the Mishras, an average middle-class family from a generic North Indian city, and their small universe.

Led by the patriarch Santosh (Jameel Khan), the clan's interminable bickering about trivial issues like whether to attend a relative's wedding never ceases to amuse.

This five-episode series beautifully captures the essence of a typical Indian middle-class household. Geetanjali Kulkarni is excellent as a caring housewife who also doesn't miss taking jibes at her unemployed elder son Annu (Vaibhav Raj Gupta) and the underconfident younger boy Aman (Harsh Mayar) who is struggling academically. Gullak (Season 2) delivers a take on life that rides on familiarity, lively writing and superlative acting.

Gullak (Season 2) review: The Mishras continue to entertain us with their interminable bickering

Honourable mentions

Kathmandu Connection — SonyLIV

Crime dramas were the vogue in 2021, and Kathmandu Connection was an early contender for a spot on this list. Helmed by Sachin Pathak, the series has an intriguing story about a love triangle and crime. While the plot can be traced to the storytelling conventions of the Hindi cinema in the 1970s, it is the show's treatment, production and performances that set it apart from similar offerings. With Anshuman Pushkar, Amit Sial and Aksha Pardasany leading the way, the series makes a mark despite its flaws.

Maharani — SonyLIV

Inspired by real-life incidents, this gripping political drama shows the journey of Rani Bharti (Huma Qureshi) from regular unlettered woman in the Hindi heartland to canny and formidable political leader. Elevated by Qureshi's commendable performance, the show beautifully explores various issues such as caste discrimination and corruption that plague this country in the 21st century,

Grahan — Disney+ Hotstar

Ranjan Chandel's epic romance is set in the backdrop of the anti-Sikh pogrom of 1984. Among its strong points are the impeccably cinematic treatment of the story, its interesting character arcs and conflicts, and the brilliant score by Amit Trivedi. The series tells an emotionally resonant and impactful tale.

Dhoop Ki Deewar — Zee5

The Zee5 Zindagi original series Dhoop Ki Deewar succeeds in putting across a bold and heartwarming anti-war message via an unusual relationship between an Indian guy and a Pakistani girl; both have lost their respective fathers in the same battle in Kashmir. The realistic narrative is, thankfully, devoid of the melodrama that usually accompanies such undertakings, and the performances of Sajal Aly and Ahad Raza Mir are moving.

Mumbai Diaries 26/11 — Amazon Prime Video

The action and drama in Mumbai Diaries 26/11, a fictionalized account of the Mumbai terror attack of 26 November 2008, as experienced by staffers of a hospital and a luxury hotel, are of an unrelenting nature. While the writing gets a bit heavy-handed at times, the sheer emotional heft and sincerity of this Nikkhil Advani creation can't be ignored. Reminding us of the power of human endurance and compassion, this ambitious series pays rich tribute to real heroes.

Candy — Voot Select

Voot’s Candy, which has been directed by Ashish R Shukla, is initially about the search for two missing students from a school located in a hilly North Indian town. But what starts as a simple 'missing' case keeps getting complicated. The writing, which is packed with twists, and the picturesque visuals keep the viewer engaged. The show also boasts of fine performances from Ronit Roy, Richa Chadha, Riddhi Kumar, Manu Rishi Chadha, Gopal Datt and Vijayant Kohli.

Little Things (Season 4) — Netflix

After four seasons, we reluctantly bid adieu to the appealing couple Dhruv Vats (Dhruv Sehgal) and Kavya Kulkarni (Mithila Palkar) who cross some major milestones in the latest instalment. The charming twosome has grown by leaps and bounds since we first saw them in 2016, and while everything may not be as we hoped for, as life often shows us, there is always the promise of more. The show ends with a vibe that gives us hope that we just might reunite with them one day.

Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story — Disney+ Hotstar

In this bite-sized prequel, Neeraj Pandey and Shivam Nair trace Kay Kay Menon's character Himmat Singh's origin long before he attained legendary status in the world of espionage. The sharp, tight, engrossing and exhilarating miniseries keeps the viewer on the edge of the seat with its enthralling screenplay and constant twists and turns.

The Whistleblower — SonyLIV

Though it was among the last arrivals to the world of OTT in 2021, the inclusion of this series on this list was a foregone conclusion. Manoj Pillai's directorial debut, which stars Ritwik Bhowmik, Ravi Kishan and Ashish Varma, is an investigative drama where the lid is blown off a murky educational scam in which several medical institutions are embroiled. Steeped in conflict and intense emotion, the show also doesn't lack impactful performances.