Netflix India turns 10 today, marking a decade that has redefined how India consumes stories.
Over ten years, not only has Netflix India shaped culture, challenged conventions and sparked conversations with its streaming content, the platform has also empowered new creators to bring bold, original narratives to the forefront.
From crime thrillers to documentaries, dark comedies to human dramas, here’s to 10 years of Netflix reshaping entertainment habits and elevating local talent in India.
To celebrate this milestone, here are 10 Netflix originals that stand out for their storytelling, performances, and cultural impact.
Sacred Games
Netflix India’s first big original series 2018’s Sacred Games set the benchmark for local streaming content. Adapted from Vikram Chandra’s 2006 novel, it blends crime, politics and mythology across Mumbai’s sprawling backdrop.
Saif Ali Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui deliver layered performances that delve into the city’s dark underbelly, while director Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane balance the tension of a thriller with the depth of character-driven drama. Its unflinching treatment of violence, corruption and existential crises changed the stakes for Indian web series.
Scoop
This 2023 Hindi-language crime drama draws from the real-life story of former journalist Jigna Vora and her fight to prove her innocence after being accused of the murder of mid-day reporter Jyotirmoy Dey.
Based on Vora’s biographical memoir Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison, the series created and directed by Hansal Mehta and Mrunmayee Lagoo Waikul sees Karishma Tanna essaying the role of Jagruti Pathak – a fictitious version of Vora – unfolding her journey from a confident, competitive journalist to a victim facing unimaginable trauma. The series also starred Harman Baweja in an impressive comeback performance.
An engaging drama dives into the cutthroat world of journalism and the pitfalls of chasing exclusivity, Scoop is gritty and heartwrenching all at once.
The Ba***ds of Bollywood
The Bads of Bollywood is a satirical, action-packed take on the often-romanticized Hindi film industry. Released in September 2025, it marked Aryan Khan’s directorial debut and followed an ambitious outsider navigating Bollywood’s high-stakes, glamorous world.
Bobby Deol, Lakshya Lalwani, and Sahher lead the cast, while multiple celebrity cameos, including Amir Khan, SS Rajamouli and Shah Rukh Khan himself, play exaggerated versions of themselves.
With a tongue-in-cheek approach that exposes the industry’s darker side, the tightly-paced show blends comedy, drama and retro-glam visuals as it turns Bollywood clichés into a witty, engaging ride rather than simple parody.
Delhi Crime
Delhi Crime earned critical acclaim for its restrained yet powerful dramatization of the 2012 Delhi gang rape investigation. Instead of sensationalizing the tragedy, the series foregrounds empathy, responsibility and the lived realities of the women involved, handling an extremely painful subject with care and gravity.
Shefali Shah leads the series as DCP Vartika Chaturvedi, delivering a commanding performance that grounds the procedural in emotional truth. Her portrayal blends urgency with quiet strength, while the show examines justice, gender, and institutional accountability without easy answers.
Across subsequent seasons, Delhi Crime continues to tackle complex cases with the same intensity and sensitivity. It’s this fearless commitment to difficult stories, told with dignity and depth, that makes Delhi Crime one of Netflix India’s most defining originals.
Killer Soup
Killer Soup is a Hindi black comedy crime thriller directed by and co-written by Abhishek Chaubey along with Harshad Nalawade. Starring Konkona Sen Sharma and Manoj Bajpayee delivers the perfect blend crisp writing and alluring performances
Following Swathi, an aspiring yet talentless nurse-turned-home chef who conspires to replace her husband Prabhakar Shetty with a doppelgänger lover is as witty as it is cunning.
Swathi’s recipes might be atrocious, but Killer Soup is the perfect serving of devious hilarity for anyone who enjoys dark humour.
Single Papa
Starring Kunal Khemu, this Hindi comedy drama dives into a journey of unexpected fatherhood with humour and warmth.
A feel-good yet thoughtful series created by Neeraj Udhwani and Ishita Moitra explores themes of familial conflict and personal growth with a lighthearted flourish. Its popularity also has seen it be renewed for a second season.
Following Gaurav Gehlot, a divorced man who adopts a baby and embarks on fatherhood, Single Papa is emotional yet simple as it unfolds the character’s trials and errors as a new, confused yet lovable father.
Guns and Gulaabs
Guns and Gulaabs combines dark comedy and gangster drama with a distinctly Indian flavor. Raj & DK infuse the series with nostalgia with retro aesthetics, old-school music, period details and a quirky, unpredictable energy that keeps every episode engaging.
Rajkummar Rao shines as the mischievous Paana Tipu, while Dulquer Salmaan makes a memorable web debut alongside an ensemble cast bringing high stakes drama together a dose of humour.
With multiple side stories tied seamlessly into the plot, clever twists, sharp comedic beats and stylish visuals, the series depicts Netflix India’s willingness to experiment with tone and genre.
Mismatched
Based on Sandhya Menon’s 2017 novel When Dimple Met Rishi, this coming-of-age romantic drama was well-loved among audiences particularly for the chemistry between the leads Prajakta Koli and Rohit Saraf.
The series adapted by Gazal Dhaliwal and directed by Akarsh Khurana and Nipun Dharmadhikari, follows die-hard romantic Rishi (Saraf) and his romance with gamer Dimple (Koli), drawing us into the world of adolescent love without stripping it of complexity.
Led by alluring soundtrack, sizzling chemistry and a simple yet heartfelt story, Mismatched found enough popularity to be renewed for four seasons – with the final season set to release this year – becoming the first Indian Netflix Original Series to achieve this feat.
The Railway Men
The Railway Men shines a light on the unsung heroes of India’s railways, telling a gripping human story set against the Bhopal gas tragedy. Instead of centering only on the catastrophe, the series focuses on the quiet courage of railway workers who risked everything to save countless lives. It turns an overlooked human perspective into its greatest strength.
Actor KK Menon anchors the series with a deeply restrained performance, supported powerfully by Babil Khan, Dibyendu Sharma and R. Madhavan. Together, they bring urgency, empathy, emotional weight, and selflessness of ordinary individuals caught in an unimaginable crisis.
Tense, immersive, and free of melodrama, The Railway Men is one of Netflix India’s most emotionally resonant originals its blend of humanity, bravery, teamwork and sacrifice echoing in you long after the final episode.
Dabba Cartel
Following the intriguing story of a group of women running a drug cartel under the guise of a food delivery company, Dabba Cartel takes a unique route to women empowerment.
Directed by Hitesh Bhatia and led by a stellar cast including Shabana Azmi, Jyothika, Shalini Pandey, Nimisha Sajayan, and Anjali Anand, this unconventional crime drama created by Shibani Dandekar Akhtar is driven by electrifying performances and fast-paced storytelling.
Laden with wit, power and danger, Dabba Cartel is as menacing as it is hilarious keeping us engaged and engrossed.
Words by Malvika Padin and Khushboo Malhotra
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