Indian dramas are about more than singing and dancing, a stereotype big Bollywood blockbusters have become synonymous with across the world. As streaming platforms seek content to represent their growing global audience, Indian productions have benefited, too. Often backed by big budgets, captivating storytelling and outstanding acting, there are plenty that have come to the fore.
Here, The National recommends seven series from the Indian subcontinent available on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. While there is lots of worthy content across genres, the titles on this list offer an authentic representation of the second-most populous country in the world, and will best appeal to an international audience.
'Sacred Games' (Netflix)
This gritty crime drama was the first big-budget Netflix Original series from India. It scored 92 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes after the first season was released in 2018. The story is based on Vikram Chandra’s 2006 novel of the same name, and is set in Mumbai in the 1980s and 1990s. It all starts when the city’s most-wanted gangster, Ganesh Gaitonde, played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui, calls police officer Sartaj Singh, portrayed by Saif Ali Khan, telling him he must save the city from being destroyed in 25 days.
What ensues is a manhunt for the notorious criminal and the uncovering of a nuclear attack. Season one mainly focuses on Gaitonde's rise in the underworld, and tells of a time when Mumbai was overrun by gangsters. Season two unravels how and why the attack was planned, as Sartaj steps up to undo his past failings. Plot twists and Siddiqui's extraordinary acting make Sacred Games an engaging watch.
'Made in Heaven' (Amazon Prime Video)
This show is an entertaining, shrewd and emotional depiction of what goes into organising a "big fat Indian wedding". The team behind Made in Heaven are known to produce sophisticated Indian cinema, having made films such as Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara and Dil Dhadakne Do (both available on Prime). With this series, they succeed in accurately capturing the complexities of a modern Indian society where the rich and poor co-exist with not much social distance, and how a desire to be accepted by society can sometimes make people blindly immoral.
The leads, Tara Khanna (Sobhita Dhulipala) and Karan Mehra (Arjun Mathur), run a high-profile wedding-planning company in the capital, New Delhi. Apart from fulfilling whimsical demands, they also offer private investigation services. In each episode, they manage a different wedding and encounter the many prevalent social issues of dowry, dogmatic traditions and loveless unions. The grand scale of the weddings make for good aesthetics and the stories offer a cultural insight into the Indian way of life. Season two is reportedly in the works.
'Delhi Crime' (Netflix)
India was shaken by a heinous gang rape in Delhi in December 2012, which also made headlines around the world. Delhi Crime is based on the police files from that case. It is a gripping drama that also scores 92 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes. The story is told from the perspective of the police, led by a female commissioner, Vartika Chaturvedi (Shefali Shah), who works around the clock to track down the suspects within five short days.
While the incident was gruesome, Canadian director Richie Mehta skilfully uses dialogue and emotions to portray the brutality without relying on graphic representations or gore. The case received intense media coverage, but Mehta has said the commendable investigation and the circumstances that led to the crime were the stories that needed to be told. Delhi Crime offers a peek into the struggles of the poor and the challenges of implementing law and order in one of the densest cities in the world. It's worth a binge-watch.
'Mirzapur' (Amazon Prime)
This is the Indian equivalent of gang-war entertainment show Narcos. After its 2018 release, the new season has been eagerly awaited. Politics in India perplexes many and Mirzapur acts as a thrilling crash course on how small-town leaders can hold so much influence. Of course, it is a tad dramatised.
After a chance encounter with the powerful Akhanand Tripathi (Pankaj Tripathi), two brothers, Guddu (Ali Fazal) and Bablu (Vikrant Massey), sons of an upright lawyer, start managing Tripathi's illegal arms business. Bablu's sharp mind and Guddu's muscle power achieve for Tripathi what his incompetent heir cannot, but this sparks deceit and violence. While heavy on the gore and foul language, the acting makes Mirzapur noteworthy.
'Little Things' (Netflix)
The first season of romantic drama Little Things was a successful web series that was released on YouTube. It went on to be picked up by Netflix for its second season. The everyday love story between an urban Indian couple, with its relatable tender moments, is what won the hearts of viewers.
In season one, Dhruv (Dhruv Sehgal, star and writer of the show) and Kavya (Mithila Palkar) are a young couple in a relationship, and at the start of their careers. They don’t experience any life-changing drama as they soak in the simple pleasures of being young and in love. However, season two brings the challenges of adult responsibilities, as well as an understanding of how love fits in with trying to make sense of life.
'Ghoul' (Netflix)
The name of this horror fantasy comes from the Arabic folkloric word used to describe an evil demon, and it’s a surprising mini-series from India, where the genre can be unimaginative and almost funny. Actress Radhika Apte, who is a favourite of Netflix in India, leads this story set in a military detention centre.
When a new prisoner arrives, eerie events start to spook the officers and the others detained. People's dark pasts are unravelled and the culmination of events is explosive. Directed by British filmmaker Patrick Graham, Ghoul has ample jumpy moments to satisfy those who enjoy scary stories.
'Paatal Lok' (Amazon Prime)
Another crime drama with a police officer as the lead character, this show was released last month and has won rave reviews and also invited controversy.
Paatal Lok is loosely based on 2009 book The Story of My Assassins by Indian journalist Tarun Tejpal, and is named after what is described as the "world of inferior beings" in old Indian scriptures. The layered plot deals with the issues of law and order, corruption, fake news and bigotry.
A botched murder contract with unexpected media attention lands Hathi Ram Chaudhary (Jaideep Ahlawat) his first high-profile case. But all his good field work seems to fail him and gets him suspended. Convinced that all is not as it seems, Chaudhary and his partner Imran Ansari (Ishwak Singh) take risks to solve a puzzle that gets murkier with every piece of information that's uncovered.
Paatal Lok's ability to keep storylines tight and characters as close to real life as possible makes it exceptional TV. With no lines, the sinister, silent murderer, Hathora (which translates to hammer) Tyagi, is one of TV's finest villains.
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh via Yangon from Dh2,700 return including taxes. Cambodia Bayon Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air offer return flights from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap from Dh250 return including taxes. The flight takes about 45 minutes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Raffles Le Royal in Phnom Penh cost from $225 (Dh826) per night including taxes. Rooms at the Grand Hotel d'Angkor cost from $261 (Dh960) per night including taxes.
The tours
A cyclo architecture tour of Phnom Penh costs from $20 (Dh75) per person for about three hours, with Khmer Architecture Tours. Tailor-made tours of all of Cambodia, or sites like Angkor alone, can be arranged by About Asia Travel. Emirates Holidays also offers packages.
UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
Titanium Escrow profile
Started: December 2016
Founder: Ibrahim Kamalmaz
Based: UAE
Sector: Finance / legal
Size: 3 employees, pre-revenue
Stage: Early stage
Investors: Founder's friends and Family
How much sugar is in chocolate Easter eggs?
- The 169g Crunchie egg has 15.9g of sugar per 25g serving, working out at around 107g of sugar per egg
- The 190g Maltesers Teasers egg contains 58g of sugar per 100g for the egg and 19.6g of sugar in each of the two Teasers bars that come with it
- The 188g Smarties egg has 113g of sugar per egg and 22.8g in the tube of Smarties it contains
- The Milky Bar white chocolate Egg Hunt Pack contains eight eggs at 7.7g of sugar per egg
- The Cadbury Creme Egg contains 26g of sugar per 40g egg
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Afghanistan Premier League - at a glance
Venue: Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Fixtures:
Tue, Oct 16, 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Kabul Zwanan; Wed, Oct 17, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Nangarhar Leopards; 8pm: Kandahar Knights v Paktia Panthers; Thu, Oct 18, 4pm: Balkh Legends v Kandahar Knights; 8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers; Fri, Oct 19, 8pm: First semi-final; Sat, Oct 20, 8pm: Second semi-final; Sun, Oct 21, 8pm: final
Table:
1. Balkh Legends 6 5 1 10
2. Paktia Panthers 6 4 2 8
3. Kabul Zwanan 6 3 3 6
4. Nagarhar Leopards 7 2 5 4
5. Kandahar Knights 5 1 4 2
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Tips to keep your car cool
- Place a sun reflector in your windshield when not driving
- Park in shaded or covered areas
- Add tint to windows
- Wrap your car to change the exterior colour
- Pick light interiors - choose colours such as beige and cream for seats and dashboard furniture
- Avoid leather interiors as these absorb more heat
CABINET%20OF%20CURIOSITIES%20EPISODE%201%3A%20LOT%2036
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EGuillermo%20del%20Toro%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Tim%20Blake%20Nelson%2C%20Sebastian%20Roche%2C%20Elpidia%20Carrillo%3Cbr%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
About Karol Nawrocki
• Supports military aid for Ukraine, unlike other eurosceptic leaders, but he will oppose its membership in western alliances.
• A nationalist, his campaign slogan was Poland First. "Let's help others, but let's take care of our own citizens first," he said on social media in April.
• Cultivates tough-guy image, posting videos of himself at shooting ranges and in boxing rings.
• Met Donald Trump at the White House and received his backing.
If%20you%20go
%3Cp%3EThere%20are%20regular%20flights%20from%20Dubai%20to%20Kathmandu.%20Fares%20with%20Air%20Arabia%20and%20flydubai%20start%20at%20Dh1%2C265.%3Cbr%3EIn%20Kathmandu%2C%20rooms%20at%20the%20Oasis%20Kathmandu%20Hotel%20start%20at%20Dh195%20and%20Dh120%20at%20Hotel%20Ganesh%20Himal.%3Cbr%3EThird%20Rock%20Adventures%20offers%20professionally%20run%20group%20and%20individual%20treks%20and%20tours%20using%20highly%20experienced%20guides%20throughout%20Nepal%2C%20Bhutan%20and%20other%20parts%20of%20the%20Himalayas.%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
The bio
Studied up to grade 12 in Vatanappally, a village in India’s southern Thrissur district
Was a middle distance state athletics champion in school
Enjoys driving to Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah with family
His dream is to continue working as a social worker and help people
Has seven diaries in which he has jotted down notes about his work and money he earned
Keeps the diaries in his car to remember his journey in the Emirates
Essentials
The flights: You can fly from the UAE to Iceland with one stop in Europe with a variety of airlines. Return flights with Emirates from Dubai to Stockholm, then Icelandair to Reykjavik, cost from Dh4,153 return. The whole trip takes 11 hours. British Airways flies from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Reykjavik, via London, with return flights taking 12 hours and costing from Dh2,490 return, including taxes.
The activities: A half-day Silfra snorkelling trip costs 14,990 Icelandic kronur (Dh544) with Dive.is. Inside the Volcano also takes half a day and costs 42,000 kronur (Dh1,524). The Jokulsarlon small-boat cruise lasts about an hour and costs 9,800 kronur (Dh356). Into the Glacier costs 19,500 kronur (Dh708). It lasts three to four hours.
The tours: It’s often better to book a tailor-made trip through a specialist operator. UK-based Discover the World offers seven nights, self-driving, across the island from £892 (Dh4,505) per person. This includes three nights’ accommodation at Hotel Husafell near Into the Glacier, two nights at Hotel Ranga and two nights at the Icelandair Hotel Klaustur. It includes car rental, plus an iPad with itinerary and tourist information pre-loaded onto it, while activities can be booked as optional extras. More information inspiredbyiceland.com
BIGGEST CYBER SECURITY INCIDENTS IN RECENT TIMES
SolarWinds supply chain attack: Came to light in December 2020 but had taken root for several months, compromising major tech companies, governments and its entities
Microsoft Exchange server exploitation: March 2021; attackers used a vulnerability to steal emails
Kaseya attack: July 2021; ransomware hit perpetrated REvil, resulting in severe downtime for more than 1,000 companies
Log4j breach: December 2021; attackers exploited the Java-written code to inflitrate businesses and governments
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
