18 Best Shows to Watch : Sonyliv & Zee5

This is the gold standard of Indian web series—a masterclass in storytelling, direction, and performance that elevated OTT content to cinematic heights. Hansal Mehta's direction combined with Pratik Gandhi's career-defining performance brings the true story of the 1992 stock market scam to life with such authenticity and narrative drive that even viewers familiar with the outcome remain riveted. The series excels at making complex financial mechanisms accessible without oversimplifying, showing how Harshad Mehta exploited banking loopholes to manipulate the stock market and create one of India's biggest financial scandals.

Set in the quaint bylanes of a middle-class neighborhood, Gullak is a collection of disarmingly relatable tales of the Mishra family—father Santosh (a government school teacher), mother Shanti (homemaker navigating household politics), and sons Annu and Aman (navigating teenage years and college life). What makes Gullak extraordinary is its ability to find profound emotion and gentle humor in the mundane rhythms of everyday life: family dinners, financial anxieties, sibling rivalries, neighbor interactions, and the small victories and defeats that define middle-class existence.

Inspired by real events from Bihar politics, Maharani follows Rani Bharti—a woman with minimal formal education who suddenly becomes Chief Minister when her husband, the incumbent CM, nominates her from his hospital bed. The series chronicles her evolution from a homemaker overwhelmed by political machinations to a shrewd leader who learns to navigate the ruthless patriarchal power structures of Indian politics. Huma Qureshi delivers a powerhouse performance, showing Rani's transformation without losing the authenticity of her humble origins.

Tabbar charts the journey of a retired police constable Omkar Singh (Pawan Malhotra) who pushes every moral boundary to save his family from the consequences of an unfortunate incident. When his son accidentally kills someone, what begins as a cover-up snowballs into a complex web of lies, blackmail, and increasingly desperate choices. The series excels at creating an atmosphere of sustained dread—you know the house of cards will collapse, but the question is when and how catastrophically.

Set in post-independence India, Rocket Boys tells the extraordinary story of Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai—two visionaries who laid the foundation for India's nuclear and space programs despite limited resources, bureaucratic hurdles, and international skepticism. The series beautifully humanizes these scientific icons, showing their personal struggles, professional conflicts, and unwavering conviction that India deserved to stand among global scientific powers. The period recreation spans the 1940s-60s with attention to historical detail and emotional authenticity.

Undekhi begins with a murder during a wedding at a resort owned by a powerful mafia family in Himachal Pradesh. What should be a simple crime investigation becomes impossible when the perpetrator is the son of a ruthless patriarch (Dibyendu Bhattacharya) who controls local police, politicians, and judiciary. The series follows multiple characters—witnesses trying to survive, an honest cop seeking justice, and the crime family protecting their own—as the situation spirals into increasingly complex moral territory.

Bishan Khosla (Jimmy Sheirgill) is an upright judge whose moral world collapses when his son commits a hit-and-run that kills a gang lord's son. Caught between his judicial principles and paternal instinct, Bishan chooses to protect his son by manipulating the very justice system he has served with integrity for decades. The series becomes a cat-and-mouse thriller as Bishan tries to outsmart investigators while the victim's father (Pulkit Makol) seeks revenge, all while presiding over the same case in court.

When a plane crashes in the mountains of West Bengal, CBI officer Shantanu (Abhay Deol) discovers something impossible—the plane is JL50, which went missing 35 years ago in 1984, yet the wreckage appears fresh and one passenger is found alive. As Shantanu investigates, he uncovers connections between the crash, a brilliant but reclusive scientist, and government secrets involving time travel experiments. The compact 4-episode series blends sci-fi concepts with thriller pacing and emotional depth.

Based on true events from 1980s Mumbai, Ek Thi Begum tells the story of Ashraf Bhatkar (Anuja Sathe), a simple woman whose husband is killed by gangster Maqsood in police custody. Unable to get justice through legal channels, Ashraf transforms herself into a force to be reckoned with, navigating the dangerous male-dominated underworld to avenge her husband's murder. The series chronicles her evolution from grieving widow to someone who understands and manipulates criminal power structures.

This Marathi series explores the concept of "peaceful revolution"—how ordinary citizens in a Mumbai colony attempt to bring about social change through non-violent collective action. When their neighborhood faces issues ranging from water scarcity to political corruption, a diverse group of residents decides to stand up against systemic failures. The series beautifully captures the challenges of grassroots activism, the conflicts between idealism and pragmatism, and the power of community organizing.

Four friends decide to quit their corporate jobs and pursue their startup dream, navigating the chaotic world of entrepreneurship with limited resources, relationship pressures, and the constant fear of failure. TVF Pitchers became a cultural phenomenon when it released in 2015, inspiring countless young Indians to take the entrepreneurial plunge. Season 2, released years later, shows the same characters dealing with the realities of running an established startup—investor pressures, team dynamics, competition, and the question of whether success changes who you are.

Veer and Sameera are two broken souls trying to heal from past relationships who find unexpected connection with each other. Unlike typical romance shows that rush to couple-formation, Broken But Beautiful takes its time exploring how damaged people learn to trust again, how past traumas affect present choices, and whether two people who understand brokenness can build something whole together. The series spans three seasons with different relationship dynamics while maintaining emotional authenticity throughout.

Set during the 1965 Indo-Pak war, Mukhbir follows an Indian spy who must infiltrate Pakistan to prevent a major attack. The series combines real historical events with gripping narrative, highlighting the constant danger and psychological pressure faced by undercover agents operating in enemy territory. Unlike flashy spy thrillers, Mukhbir focuses on the emotional and mental toll of espionage—the loneliness, paranoia, moral compromises, and the knowledge that one mistake means death or worse.

Set in the high-pressure world of television news, The Broken News contrasts two competing channels—one prioritizing TRP-driven sensationalism, the other committed to ethical journalism. Through parallel storylines following journalists at both organizations, the series explores questions about media responsibility, commercial pressures, political interference, and the personal cost of maintaining integrity in an industry increasingly driven by clickbait and breaking news culture.

This documentary series explores real cases of honeymoon murders in India—marriages that began with celebration but ended in tragedy during what should have been romantic getaways. Through reenactments combined with interviews with journalists, investigators, and witnesses, the series examines how control, betrayal, power imbalances, and emotional abuse can lurk beneath the surface of seemingly normal relationships, sometimes culminating in violence.

Based on the novel "Chaurasi" by Satya Vyas, Grahan tells parallel stories—one set during the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, the other in 2016 when IPS officer Amrita Singh investigates a case that uncovers her father's dark past connected to those riots. As Amrita digs deeper, she must confront uncomfortable truths about her beloved father's involvement in communal violence, forcing her to choose between filial loyalty and justice.

Based on the true story of Major Deep Singh, a Special Forces officer who sustained severe injuries during a mission and was told he would never walk again. Refusing to accept this fate, Deep embarks on an extraordinary journey of rehabilitation, eventually returning to active duty through sheer willpower and determination. The series chronicles his physical and mental struggle against medical odds, showing what human determination can achieve when backed by unwavering resolve.

Imperfect follows the lives of Chintan and Ira, a married couple navigating the realities of a long-term relationship with all its mundane conflicts, unspoken expectations, and gradual drift. The series doesn't present marriage as either fairy tale or nightmare but as something in between—filled with small irritations, comfortable silences, persistent love despite growing differences, and the question of whether "good enough" is enough. It's about two imperfect people trying to build something together while dealing with their own insecurities and changing life goals.