New Delhi: Mirzapur has remained one of India’s most popular web series since the release of its first season in 2018. According to a 10 Years of Streaming in India Report by IMDb, Mirzapur led all Indian web series with nine appearances on the platform’s Top 10 Most Popular Indian Series list, charting every single year since its debut.
The report examines the activity of more than 250 million users on IMDb between 2016 and 2026. It ranks the 10 biggest Indian series each year, accounting for 110 positions across the decade, occupied by 64 different shows.
Scam 1992, released in 2020, is the only series to have appeared in the annual rankings five times on the strength of a single season. Other recurring titles include The Family Man, Panchayat, Criminal Justice, Paatal Lok and Taaza Khabar.
According to a report by Variety, crime and thriller series dominated the rankings, accounting for 48 of the 110 positions. However, horror, romance, comedy and drama gained ground in the later years, reflecting the growing diversity of India’s streaming landscape.
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India’s streaming landscape
Among the platforms, Prime Video and Amazon MX Player together accounted for 34 positions across 17 different series, more than any other streaming service. Netflix recorded 21 positions across 18 series, giving it the widest range of distinct titles among the platforms highlighted in the report.
The Viral Fever emerged as one of the most consistent production houses in the rankings, with nine different series accounting for 17 positions across the annual top 10 lists. This represents nearly one in every six entries, with shows such as TVF Pitchers, Permanent Roommates, Tripling, Kota Factory, Aspirants and Sapne Vs Everyone.
YouTube also emerged as a launchpad for streaming content. Thirteen of the 64 series featured in the rankings originated on the platform, with 11 acquired by streaming services.
The report by Variety identifies Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Vikrant Massey, Jitendra Kumar, Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover as some of the most prominent performers in India’s streaming landscape, associating their popularity with recurring franchises and successful series.
While audience interest in Indian series has increased, the number of new shows and seasons commissioned has fallen for two consecutive years. According to the report, commissions peaked at 202 in 2023 before declining to 169 in 2024 and 145 in 2025.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)