Netflix-binging sums up most of 2020, particularly for Indians who found themselves glued to the countless series and movies the OTT platform dished out. We look back at some of the most-watched and most-loved content of 2020. By Bayar Jain
2020 has brought with it a flood of tears, smiles, rage, and drama—both, onscreen and off! In a year full of distances, however, Netflix helped us all get together—through its stories, characters, and virtual parties.
As we bid adieu to the roller-coaster year, we look back at some of India’s favourites on the platform.
Favourite Films
Estimates by the streaming platform note that over 80 per cent members in India watched a film every week, of which the Bollywood thriller Raat Akeli Hai clinched most streams. Among the action films, Chris Hemsworth-starrer Extraction, Mohit Suri-directed Malang, and comic book-based The Old Guard had many lovers, while dark comedy crime film Ludo found admirers in the comedy category. Ala Vaikunthapurramuloo (Telugu), Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal (Tamil), Kappela (Malayalam), and Uma Maheswara Ugra Roopasya (Telugu) are among the other films that featured in India’s Top 10 row.
Ladies We Loved
Meek female leads are a thing of the past, as is evident by some of these strong female leads which won our hearts. As per Netflix, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl was the most popular drama film in 2020. Guilty, Masaba Masaba, Bulbbul, She, Miss India, Never Have I Ever, and Emily In Paris were some of India’s other favourites with strong female leads.
Keeping It Real
As per the OTT platform, non-fiction and documentaries saw a huge surge of admirers in 2020—approximately a 250 per cent rise compared to the previous year! The California-headquartered company notes that among all the reality-based content available, Indians were most hooked onto Too Hot to Handle, Indian Matchmaking and the recently released Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives.
It further states that Bad Boy Billionaires, The Social Dilemma and Money Heist: The Phenomenon were the most popular documentaries in India.
Romantics At Heart
Noting a 250 per cent rise in romantic content viewers, Netflix India has chalked out some of the most popular ones in this category. Clinching top spot this year are, Love Aaj Kal, Ginny Weds Sunny and Mismatched.
Noteworthy Performances
Underscoring all the web-space content was a string of noteworthy performances. Indians fell in love with the new faces of Jamtara: Sabka Number Aayega, while also rooting for Ayyan Mani in Serious Men.
Fun fact: Jamtara cemented its position in India’s Top 10 row the longest compared to any other show or film this year!
World Cinema
The German series Dark got Indian audiences hooked, while the Spanish series Money Heist took us on tours to Tokyo, Berlin, and more. In fact, the two featured on India’s Top 10 row for 95 and 170 days, respectively! In the fantasy genre, Turkish series The Protector went on to become India’s most viewed non-Indian, non-English show. On the other hand, Pokémon: Mewtwo Strikes Back-Evolution, Blood of Zeus and One-Punch Man (season two) were the most popular anime titles, states Netflix.
The Rise of K-Drama
The OTT platform has noticed a whopping 370 per cent rise in K-drama viewing in India, of which The King: Eternal Monarch, Kingdom (season two), It’s Okay to Not Be Okay and Start-up won the most hearts.
Younger Audiences
Netflix has noted a 100 per cent rise in the kid’s titles as well, of which Over The Moon grabbed most eyeballs. Their younger viewers also loved watching The Willoughbys, Boss Baby: Back in Business (season four) and Feel the Beat.
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