The internet is the next big thing, and web based shows are taking the world by storm. Bollywood stars, who were earlier skeptical about acting in television, are much more open to acting in web series, as they know that these shows are watched by the millennials, and it can only boost their movie careers by appealing to a younger audience. This edition, we look at Bollywood Stars who have starred in web based shows
Priyanka Chopra will be turning producer and possibly starring in a web series based on Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit’s life. New York-based writer Sri Rao has penned the comedy series about a Bollywood star who settles down in the suburbs of America with her bi-cultural family. This show will be made for American audiences but with an Indian appeal. The idea seems promising, and only time will tell how it will pan out.
Saif Ali Khan has been roped in by US-based on-demand streaming website Netflix in its upcoming original series Sacred Games. The series, based on the critically acclaimed Indian author Vikram Chandra’s novel of the same name, is set in Mumbai, and delves into the city’s intricate web of organised crime, corruption, politics and espionage that lies beneath India’s economic renaissance. It is an epic masterwork of exceptional richness and power that interweaves the lives of the privileged, the famous, the wretched and the bloodthirsty. Saif will star as Sartaj Singh, the protagonist of the show. Netflix is not just planning to release the series in India, but it is planning a global premiere with subtitles, much like it’s hit show Narcos, which is popular the world over, despite being in Spanish.
Imagine the scenario where a miracle happens, and there's an exchange of gender roles —men get into the shoes of women and vice-versa...interesting, right? Featuring Bollywood celeb Parineeti Chopra, Man's World is a story of a male chauvinist—Kiran, who feels the world is unfair to men, and voila! One day, he wakes up finding his father's handling household chores, girls are eve-teasing boys on streets and he has to face gender discrimination at work. The series is a satire and an interesting way to highlight misogyny in society.
Within just a few days of its launch in July, Amazon’s web series Inside Edge, focusing on the dark nexus between bookies and cricketers, became the most watched web series in India and even began trending worldwide on social media. The entire star cast received applause, but the one singled out the most was Vivek Oberoi, for his turn as the villainous businessman, Vikrant Dhawan. In fact, Vivek Oberoi has received more popularity from the web series than he has from his recent forgettable films like Bank Chor and Great Grand Masti. The success of Inside Edge proves that India is now ready for mature content beyond saas-bahu shows, and that big stars are not shying from dipping their toes in web only series These shows can be watched on Youtube, Amazon Prime video and Netflix
By Neeraj Varty
