Beyond stars & hype, well-made web shows with rooted Indian stories shine on OTT, most recent being Kohrra

This year, Indian movie stars have made debuts on web series, leading commissioned remakes of international shows or homegrown originals. Shahid Kapoor and Kajol have made their presence felt with Farzi and The Trial. Aditya Roy Kapur and Anil Kapoor have won praise for their work in the cinematic remake, The Night Manager. Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra are going to make their OTT debut soon.

While having a movie star super-sizes the marketing and promotions of a series, eventually, a show’s success with the audience is tied to its story and making. Like The Trial, a remake of the super hit 6 seasons old, multi-layered drama The Good Wife, Kajol delivers a kick-ass performance alongside Sheeba Chaddha, but the writing and direction don’t match up in quality. This is a good time to compare the success of a series starring an established star versus one with a strong, easy-to-relate story. Along with Kajol’s show, Kohrra, a multi-layered crime drama, opened on Netflix with Barun Sobti and Suvinder Vicky. It has gotten more attention and a positive response from viewers, despite The Trial getting media coverage and publicity.

On the long-format storytelling medium, quality stands over hype. Kohrra has a story rooted in Punjab, resonant through Indian experiences, and authentic in tone. It assimilates class divide, age-old prejudice, gender bias, and a raging drug abuse issue in Punjab. Co-written by Sudip Sharma, Diggi Sisodia, and Gunjit Chopra, Kohrra brings Punjab as it is, sans the standard Bollywood glamour trumped up around this state’s culture and music. Co-writer and co-creator Chopra helps bring context to its raw and unfiltered approach. “We wanted to show the diversity of Punjabi as a language with changes that occur once you change regions….. The myriad dialects that exist and intonations change within short distances. Most characters have shades of real-life people that I’ve met and known…. For the past 15 years, I have experienced all that has happened in the lives of real people in Punjab. (While researching), these people have welcomed me in their lives- be it cops, social workers, drug addicts, or artists.”

Chopra worked with Sharma on Pataal Lok before this, which remains a benchmark for Indian OTT originals. Its casting is bang-on with actors that take to the Punjabi dialect effortlessly and feel like real people. “ The opportunity to explore characters and cast for characters is a greater possibility (in web series). Pataal Lok didn’t have mega stars but it connected with audiences. We have attempted to come up with a story and characters that audiences can relate to.” Chopra explains.

Also an alumnus of Pataal Lok, Avinash Arun has directed School of Lies, on Disney + Hotstar. Along with co-writer Ishani Bannerjee, and a team, this series captures the tense happenings around a posh boarding school when a student goes missing. The seemingly harmless lies of kids add up to mislead the investigation to find this boy, opening up multiple uncomfortable truths about the people in this school. This show never judges its characters. Instead, it un-packs what made them into who they are, tying up their choices to their evolution. Aamir Bashir and Nimrat Kaur lead a cast of young kids in this well-scripted drama. Both actors are known for their acting prowess. School Of Lies has worked well with both critics and viewers on a platform that is populated with star-led content in the web series space.

Also based on the growing-up experiences of a posh boarding school is the horror-drama Adhura on Prime Video. Building a fictional horror around this makes this story intriguing. This series looks at bullying and its lasting impact on both victims and perpetrators. Beyond jump scares, horror movies often tend to have paper-thin plots. Director Gauravv K Chawla has drawn from personal experience to develop its story. “The idea was to use the horror genre to juxtapose a ‘horror’ of society…We built upon the human emotions of guilt, rejection, and redemption .…. The endeavor was to keep the atmosphere eerie but refrain from unnecessary gore and jump scares so it becomes palatable to more people.”

Adhura features Rasika Duggal and Ishwak Singh along with an efficient cast of actors that make each character play a part in taking the story forward. The universe of a boarding school in the remote hills of India presents a visually captivating space and provides room to focus on common evils that go unaddressed in such institutions. Chawla explains, “I’ve studied in a boarding school and have seen the culture (of bullying) first-hand. Everyday bullying has a far-reaching impact not just in schools or hostels but in everyday life. Be it in offices or online, people face it everywhere…In our society, it is prevalent to push the weak into a corner. We need to create an atmosphere where everyone can thrive without prejudice in schools, colleges, and society as a whole.”

As an influx of movie stars, high budgets, and expensive production have entered Indian OTT, the hold of a homegrown or relatable Indian story is heartwarming. Be it Trial by Fire, Scoop, Class (remake of Elite), or the wrap on Rocket Boys with season 2, their success validates that talent- both on and off camera- can win over stardom. It also levels the playing field for those without film lineages, star power, or family connections in an insular industry. Validation from an audience proves that above all else, a good story matters the most.