The year that was

Akshay Oberoi TabbarThe digital space has upped the content game leading to a renaissance of sorts in Hindi cinema And there is no greater example of what I mean than Tabbar It tells the story of a Punjabi family but there are no ldquosarson ke khetrdquo in the show In fact there is nothing conventional about Tabbar It is subdued menacing and authentic I hope more people watch this absolute gem The director was also the associate director on Gurgaon but the bias aside I feel the it is the best show of the year thanks to taut direction writing and brilliant performancesTanuj Virwani EthosEthos is great It is part drama and part thriller that is set in Istanbul where different characters mostly women cross paths The cinematography is reminiscent of the Japanese style of Kazuo Miyagawa The dialogues are great there is good banter between characters and the storyline is consistently gripping I donrsquot remember how I came across the show this year but it is definitely something people should watchMaanvi Gagroo I May Destroy YouThe show though released in 2020 is underrated and something that everyone should watch Especially if yoursquore single living the urban life juggling an active dating life and a hectic professional front It is meant for adults and not suited for a family audience but if you are someone who finds woke terminology confusing or is still struggling with understanding consent in relationships this show is for you It also represents gender and sexual fluidity well The normalised onscreen representation is refreshingVijayendra Kumeria House of Secrets The Burari DeathsThe docuseries has only three episodes It is based on a true story about what happened in Burari in 2018 when 11 members of a family were found dead It goes beyond what we know about this case from media reports House of Secrets will make you realise that talking about mental health is important and how the stigma leads to such tragediesAmol Parashar JojiI loved the ingenuity of the film made during the lockdown in and around one house with the members of one family The characters are relatable the humour is dark and quirky The performances are topnotch Precisely the kind of film I would have loved to be a part ofRaj Singh Arora Normal People and Scenes from a MarriageNormal People released in 2020 is based on the Sally Rooney book of the same name She is a postmillennial author who has written three books I am on the third one right now Her most popular book was Normal People which she turned into a series with BBC It dropped on Lionsplay in India Normal People is one of the rare instances where the show is better than the book Interestingly Rooney is also the creative writer on the show While it discusses sex and relationships it beautifully captures deep silences and explains the complexities of young love My other pick is the HBO series Scenes from a Marriage It is inspired by the 1973 Ingmar Bergman film Bergman had made a sixhour television show in Sweden called Scenes from a Marriage By the second episode it is traumatic universal and realistic exploration of a marriage or a relationship between a man and a woman People who havenrsquot seen this show will be shell shocked by the fiveepisode series starring gems like Oscar Issac and Jessica ChastainKaran Patel The WireThis is one series which doesnrsquot lose its clarity and vision It starts small to cover the broader plot For those who love reading this series plays out like a novel so beautifully captured frame to frame and depicted elegantly by actors so apt for the role The cinematography and script is breathtaking for someone who is impatient like me Written by David Simon it is one of the most critically appreciated series released in 2002 ever And it is also one of Barack Obamarsquos favouritesNaveen Kasturia MaidThe last show that I really loved was Maid I donrsquot know if itrsquos popular in India or not But I quite liked it The series is real engaging but also disturbing I love survival stories And this is a survival story in a way Acting of the cast is top notchSsumier Pasricha MaidI would recommend people to watch Maid on Netflix The series demonstrates how emotional abuse looks feels and can affect you Over 10 episodes we see the protagonistrsquos struggle to survive anchored only by her lowpaid job as a housemaid and her fierce love for her daughter It may not have the same bloody thrills as the megahit Squid Game but Maid is a visceral heartwrenching drama about the true struggles of poverty and motherhood Itrsquos not an easy watch but worth your time