An impressive line-up of shows and the debuts of big-ticket stars, there is a lot to savour on OTT this year

Mona

OTT has captured the imagination of content consumers and how! Going strong for the last couple of years, 2023 seems to be on the same path — some new shows, more sequels; right from Srikant Tiwari to Akhandanand Tripathi aka Kaleen bhaiya are set to return. Here are the OTT shows that are being eagerly awaited.

Star debuts

Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor and South Indian star Vijay Sethupathi are set for an OTT debut with The Family Man-fame directors Raj and DK’s highly anticipated crime series Farzi. It will release on February 10 on Amazon Prime Video. Shahid will be seen as a painter and other actors in pivotal roles are Kay Kay Menon, Raashi Khanna, Amol Palekar, Regina Cassandra and Bhuvan Arora.

Another big entry is Rohit Shetty’s popular cop universe taking an OTT turn via Indian Police Force. It will premiere on Prime Video although no specific date has been announced. Starring Sidharth Malhotra, Vivek Oberoi and Shilpa Shetty, the shooting began in May, 2022. Shilpa and Sidharth will be making their digital debuts with this one.

On the other hand, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is collaborating with Netflix for his first web series Heeramandi, which launches Sonakshi Sinha into the OTT space. People will also witness the return of veteran actress Mumtaz after 45 years.

Aditya Roy Kapur will be registering his presence on the digital medium through Sandeep Modi’s Captain, which is an adaptation of The Night Manager. It’s being made for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. Anil Kapoor and Sobhita Dhulipala will also be seen in this one.

Kajol will headline an Indian web series version of American courtroom drama The Good Wife towards the end of 2023. Kareena will be making her OTT debut with Sujoy Ghosh’s adaptation of 2005 Japanese novel, The Devotion of Suspect X, by author Keigo Higashino. It’s a Netflix original film that also stars Vijay Varma and Jaideep Ahlawat.

Busy bee

The hit series of 2020, Scam 1992, made Pratik Gandhi a household name. Following its success, director Hansal Mehta had announced a sequel, which brings to the fore the story of Abdul Karim Telgi, who built an empire on the basis of counterfeit stamp paper. Ever since people have been waiting with bated breath for the sequel titled, Scam 2003: The Telgi Story which will air on Sony LIV. Theatre actor Gagan Dev Riar will essay the lead role.

Mehta will shoot another series for Netflix titled Scoop, which is based on crime journalist Jagruti Pathak’s life. It’s inspired by Jigna Vora’s biographical book, Behind The Bars In Byculla: My Days in Prison. Also there’s a web series, Gandhi, starring Pratik Gandhi, which will be made on an epic scale by Hansal and release by the end of 2023.

Thrillers all the way

Mirzapur Season 3 is due for its third outing on Amazon Prime in 2023. Srikant Tiwari aka actor Manoj Bajpayee and his team are due for another intriguing outing in The Family Man Season 3. Another crime suspense thriller, Asur Season 2 will premiere this year on Voot. Not to forget, Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein, starring Shweta Tripathi, Tahir Raj Bhasin, and Arunoday Singh, gets a second instalment on Netflix this year.

Game of seasons

Jim Sarbh and Ishwak Singh will reprise their respective roles of Homi Jehangir Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai in Rocket Boys 2. After many hiccups, Zoya Akhtar’s successful show Made in Heaven’s Season 2 will be out this year. The director is also geared up for Netflix musical The Archies, starring Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor and Agastya Nada.

Comedy drama

While thrillers may dominate the digital scene, there’s a You Tuber Bhuvan Bam’s comedy drama Taaza Khabar that released on Disney+ Hotstar on January 6 (Friday). It marked Bhuvan’s official OTT debut. Prime Video is likely to bring season three of its hit show Panchayat to the audiences this year. There’s also Raj and DK’s much-anticipated Guns & Gulaabs, due on Netflix. This comedy meets crime drama has an impressive star cast, including Rajkummar Rao, Dulquer Salmaan, Adarsh Gourav, Gulshan Devaiah and TJ Bhanu.

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