With the Delhi government shutting down movie halls and coronavirus looking like it’s here to stay for a while, it seems like we might have a few dull Fridays ahead. While nothing can replace our inexplicable love of cold popcorn and overpriced nachos, all is not lost. Here’s a list of the freshest shows you can watch on TV or stream online.
Mentalhood (Alt Balaji): A show for, by and of mothers, Mentalhood is Karisma Kapoor’s comeback in front of the camera. Directed by Karishma Kohli, who assisted director Kabir Khan on Bajrangi Bhaijaan and Tubelight, it is a welcome break from seeing the perfect all-sacrificing mother trope that’s usually served up by Indian content creators. A progressive take on motherhood, Mentalhood perfectly captures the dilemmas, competitiveness and exhaustion that come with being a mother in today’s times.
Taj Mahal 1989 (Netflix): Set in 1989 Lucknow, this is the story of two polar opposites, Akhtar (Neeraj Kabi), a mushaira-loving philosophy professor, and his colleague Sarita (Geetanjali Kulkarni), a Bollywood buff. They have been in love with each other for a long time, but now might be falling out of it. The highs and lows of their romance are punctuated with a younger love story centred on three students — Rashmi (Anshul Chauhan), Dharam (Paras Priyadarshan) and Angad (Angad Singh Dhaka) — who happen to study at the same university where the older couple teach.
Shukranu (Zee 5): Set in the Emergency era, Shukranu (literally, sperm) tells the story of Inder (played by Dibyendu Sharma), a man who was abducted and forcefully sterilised on the way to his wedding. After doctors tell him that sterilisation has nothing to do with sexual performance, he finally consummates his marriage, and later finds out his wife is pregnant. What follows is a complete laugh riot.
Class of 2020 (Alt Balaji): The coming-of-age show is a sequel to the successful Class of 2017 and one of the very few Indian teen dramas available to stream. Come on, you’ve probably watched Gossip Girl twice already! Give this new show a fair chance, xoxo.
Shobdo Jobdo (Hoichoi): Even if you don’t understand Bengali, put on the subtitles and give this web series a shot. Starring Rajat Kapoor in the lead, it is a gripping narrative that explores the darkness of its protagonist Sougata Sinha, a best-selling author with a twisted past who has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
Barrister Babu (Colors): Another show that tackles social evil head on, Barrister Babu on Colors, a Viacom 18 channel that rose to fame with shows like Balika Vadhu and Na Aana Iss Des Meri Laado, starts an important conversation on the prejudices against women in Indian society. Set in the pre-independence era, it is the journey of eight-year-old Bondita, who’s getting married to a much older man. In a bid to save her, a liberal, London-returned lawyer Anirudh marries her instead, and starts teaching her to become a barrister. The innocent yet hard-hitting questions on society’s treatment of women will make every viewer uncomfortable, as they should.
Dil Jaise Dhadke, Dhadakne Do (Star Plus): Co-created by Mahesh Bhatt and Guroudev Bhalla, Dil Jaise Dhadke, Dhadakne Do is not your usual Indian soap opera. Based in Allahabad (now Prayagraj), it is the story of Devguru (Rahil Azam), a doctor who has renounced all worldly pleasures and awaits his death until he spots Devi (Hirva Trivedi), a child he believes to be a godwoman. The child is dealing with the trauma of losing her mother to a car crash a year ago and has since stopped speaking. Also in the picture is her friend Yug (Jared Savaille), who will do anything in his power to restore her voice.
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