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Do you remember the good old days? When we used to be glued to those awesome US and UK TV shows! Like “The Vampire Diaries” for teen girls, “Heroes” for the comic book geeks, “How I Met Your Mother” for the hopeless romantics, and “24” for the thrill-seekers. But man, we were stuck with dial-up before we had super-fast internet. Watching a show meant catching it live or waiting for a rerun or the DVD release. It was a totally different vibe growing up back then, you know?
And let’s talk about India, where TV serials ruled the roost, airing every day instead of once a week like in the West. Sure, folks used to clown them for being mass-produced junk, but they were our bread and butter back then. Then came the internet boom, bringing with it streaming giants like Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, and Hotstar, dishing out a buffet of content, especially in Hindi. But down South, we lagged behind a bit. The first Malayalam web series only hit Hotstar last year, nearly a decade after everyone else. But hey, better late than never, ain’t it? So, let’s check out the top 5 South Indian TV series making a splash in the digital world these days.
1. Kerala Crime files
- Genres: crime, investigation, thriller
- Available on: Disney+ Hotstar
- Original language: Malayalam
- Dubbed languages: Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Bengali, and Marathi
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Let me break it down for you: this ain’t your typical series; it’s more like a full-length Malayalam movie chopped into six half-hour chunks. We’re diving into a gripping murder investigation thriller helmed by Ahammed Khabeer and scripted by Ashiq Aimar. And let me tell you, Aju Varghese and Lal bring their A-game as the main leads, delivering some seriously commendable acting. The storyline? It’s a rollercoaster of thrills and excitement, keeping you hooked from start to finish. Oh, and here’s the kicker: it’s the very first Malayalam web series to hit a streaming platform other than YouTube. Now, how’s that for a game-changer?
Alright, buckle up ’cause this story’s set back in 2011. It kicks off when the receptionist at this local lodge stumbles upon a dead sex worker in one of the rooms. Leading the charge are Circle Inspector Kurian Avaran, played by Lal, and Sub-inspector Manoj Sreedharan, portrayed by Aju Varghese, straight outta the Ernakulam North Police Station. They round up their crew, dead set on nabbing the culprit. But here’s the kicker: all they got to go on is a name, “Shiju,” and some bogus address, “Parayil Veedu, Neendakara,” the suspect dropped at the lodge. Tough break, right?
2. The Village
- Genres: Horror, Mystery, Thriller
- Available on: Prime Video
- Original language: Tamil
- Dubbed languages: Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Deutsch, Español, French, Italian, Polski, Portuguese, Turkish, and Japanese
Picture this: it’s like a mashup of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, with enough suspense to leave you hanging for a season 2. So, Dr. Gautham Subramanian, rollin’ with his wife Neha and little Maya, hits a snag when their wheels give up in the ghost town of Kattiyal, cruisin’ from Chennai to Thoothukudi. But hold up, ain’t no regular breakdown – turns out, this village is crawling with bloodthirsty mutants. And to add to the chaos, there’s a crew of mercenaries and eggheads sent by the same bigwigs who cooked up the serum, turnin’ folks into freaks. They’re on a mission to snatch back that serum for more experiments, and they ain’t playin’ excellent – especially with their big-shot boss in a wheelchair callin’ the shots.
While certain scenes, like the jungle setting with artificial lighting resembling tasteless decorative lights, may miss the mark, Arya’s performance shines through with top-notch acting. The quality of other sets varies, ranging from satisfactory to commendable. The portrayal of mutants is acceptable within the context of the storyline. Overall, the supporting cast delivers a solid performance, contributing to the production’s overall success.
3. Dhootha
- Genres: Drama, Thriller
- Available on: prime video
- Original language: Telugu
- Dubbed languages: Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Hindi
Get ready to dive headfirst into an adrenaline-fueled adventure alongside journalist Sagar as he plunges deep into the shadowy mysteries concealed within eerie newspaper clippings foreshadowing imminent doom. Suddenly thrust into the limelight as the prime suspect in a murder case, Sagar races against time to clear his name, unlock the secrets shrouding him, and confront the treacherous twists lurking around every corner. Directed by the visionary Vikram Kumar, this electrifying saga features an ensemble cast including Naga Chaitanya, Parvathy Thiruvothu, Prachi Desai, Gnaneswari Kandregula, Anish Kuruvilla, Tharun Bhascker, Rohini, Tanikella Bharani, Priya Bhavani Shankar, and Pasupathy, each delivering stellar performances that promise to take you on a riveting rollercoaster ride packed with unexpected thrills and surprises.
4. Master Peace
- Genres: Comedy, Drama
- Available on: Disney Plus Hotstar
- Original Language: Malayalam
- Dubbed languages: Tamil, Bengali, Kannada, Marathi, Telugu, Hindi
“Master Peace” isn’t your run-of-the-mill show—it’s got its own vibe. With just a handful of spots across its 5 episodes, 96% of the scenes go down indoors. It’s all about the ups and downs of married life, but with a dose of humor. Written by Praveen S and directed by Sreejith N, this series, cooked up by Mathew George under Central Advertising, packs a punch with its cast including Nithya Menen, Sharaf U Dheen, Renji Panicker, Parvathi T., Ashokan, and Shanthi Krishna. The plot centers on Binoy, a hustling marketing manager at an underwear company, and Ria, a boss lady entrepreneur who doesn’t budge. As the story unfolds, it sheds light on how even the smallest squabbles can blow up, especially when the folks get in the mix.
5. Vadhandhi: The Fable of Velonie
- Genres: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
- Available on: Prime Video
- Original language: Tamil
- Dubbed languages: Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada
The plot centers around the murder of a young girl, seen through the Rashomon-esque viewpoints of Vivek (S. J. Suryah), a cop dead set on his mission, a writer smitten by her allure, and a sharp news editor seizing every opportunity. This series dives deep into various societal vibes and layers. Cooked up by Andrew Louis and spearheaded by Louis himself, it’s packed with top-notch talent, including S. J. Suryah, Laila, Nassar, Sanjana Krishnamoorthy, Smruthi Venkat, Vivek Prasanna, Kumaran Thangarajan, Vaibhav Murugesan, Vikky Aadithya, and Hareesh Peradi.
In today’s milieu, the very essence of truth can sometimes be crystal clear. Facts get twisted, hyped up, or fabricated to serve vested interests or cater to society’s appetite for rumors and gossip. In Tamil, ‘Vadhandhi’ translates to ‘rumors,’ this series explores this intricate phenomenon from diverse angles. Entrusted with investigating the tragic murder of the vibrant young Velonie, Vivek, a devoted police officer, rises to the challenge. Amidst the swirling rumors engulfing Velonie posthumously, threatening to stain her reputation irreparably, Vivek embarks on a labyrinthine journey through half-truths and tangled leads in his relentless pursuit of uncovering the truth behind her demise.
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