We all know how Ekta Kapoor was an absolute game-changer for Indian television in the early 00’s. Naturally, it’s super exciting to witness her churning out some kickass content online at the moment. Keeping up with today’s digital generation, her streaming app – ALTBalaji has a vivid range of shows from different genres.
Be it a romantic saga or an intense thriller – it’s all sitting there in their library for your consumption! Irrespective of whether you are in your teens or your late 40s or somewhere in between – the portal has something to keep all of you glued to you screens for binge marathons.
Amidst a diverse range of 35 interesting shows, here’s a low-down on our most favourite ones:
(PS: I promise they’ll keep you entertained in case you don’t have plans this long weekend!)
1. Puncchbeat
Created by Vikas Gupta, Puncch Beat revolves around Rosewood High – a state-of-the-art high school. Starring some popular faces like Harshita Gaur, Priyank Sharma, Sidharth Sharma as Divyanka, Rahat and Ranbir respectively – this show is the perfect window into the lives of today’s rebellious young generation. I am a sucker for high-school shows. So it’s obvious that I was quite excited about this one. There’s a love triangle, a love-hate equation, some action (Priyank and Sidharth look SO hot when they pack those punches!), some dance and dollops of drama!
Pretty sure the 20-something millennials will be hooked once they check out one episode. Just pop some corn and binge away!
2. Bose: Dead/Alive
Bose: Dead/Alive is unarguably one of the best shows amidst the array of incredible stories that ALTBalaji has to offer. And a major chunk of its credit goes to Rajkummar Rao and his acting chops. Unlike what the name suggests, Bose: Dead/Alive isn’t a historical drama. It’s a nail-biting thriller based on one of the biggest conspiracy theories – the alleged death of freedom fighter, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
This national hero’s tragic death has various myths surrounding it. The show has covered it all in great detail and I bet it will keep you on the edge of your seats. It also sheds light on other aspects of Bose’s life – how he brokered deals with Adolf Hitler, raised an army of Indian prisoners of war, and had spies trailing his each and every movement.
The show will definitely leave you questioning the authenticity of everything we’ve been reading about him in history lessons. Did Bose actually die in the plane crash or was it all a big cover-up by our country to take away the credit from one of our greatest freedom fighters? Mind-boggling, right? Watch it and you will be in for way more!
3. Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain
Kudos to Ekta for creating a show based on mature, modern-day relationships where everything is real, relatable and NOT hunky dory. The show is one of the pioneers in changing the mindset of an average Indian without compromising on the values which are so deeply innate in us – which is why millions of women are hooked on to it.
The storyline is progressive enough to immerse everyone from a 20-something youngster to a middle-aged housewife to a man facing mid-life crisis. I don’t want to give away any details about the plot but it’s a story of a man torn between two women. And don’t worry, it’s not the regular gheesa-pita tale about a married man’s affair. Like I’ve already mentioned, this one’s as real as it gets and all the characters have a lot of layers to them. I mean, you can’t help but get invested in them!
Season 2 just wrapped up, so you can catch up on all the episodes this weekend. Go on a roller-coaster of emotions crawled up in your bed!
4. Broken But Beautiful
Vikrant Massey. ‘Nuff said!
But if we still must shed more light, the show stars Harleen Sethi as Samara opposite Vikrant who plays Veer. Both of them have completely distinct personalities but their chance encounters keep bringing them face-to-face. Both of them are seen pining for their former partners and like me, you will also find yourself slightly teary-eyed while watching this show.
If you think the show is just another run-off-the-mill love story, you couldn’t be more wrong. This one’s about love giving you a second chance and how self-love is the first step towards healing. Also, I was totally rooting for Veer and Samara to be together!
Broken will connect with the youth because of its relevance to the relationships these days. It has some exceptionally heart-touching dialogues which will stay with you long after you have finished watching it. If you are looking for a different love story with substance, your search ends here.
Oh, not to forget, the show has some BEAUTIFUL, melodious songs. Check out one of them here:
5. Gandii Baat
Gandii Baat is perhaps unlike any other show you have watched on an Indian platform. The show has an anthology format; and each episode features an erotic story from rural India replete with drama, suspense and above all, a super gripping storyline. It’s a revolutionary show with incredible performances by some familiar and some new faces.
Moreover, the Indian audience hasn’t been much subjected to such a bold genre, which is reason enough for you to give it a watch. There are two seasons with a bunch of episodes so far, plus the makers just released a special episode too. So it will make for a quick weekend watch, leaving you with ample amount of time for another show. #DoubleWin. Just note that it’s NSFW, so stream it in the comfort of your own room!
6. Apharan
Last but not the least, Apharan has all the ingredients of a gritty gripping thriller. If you loved Sacred Games and Mirzapur, you CANNOT afford to miss out on Apharan. It has kidnapping, suspense, mystery and more, dotted with some comedy and action sequences.
Everything right from the quirky dialogues to the noteworthy performances by the incredibly talented star cast – make it an interesting watch. Featuring Arunoday Singh, Mahie Gill and Nidhi Singh in lead roles, Apharan is one of ALTBalaji’s most popular shows and we can see why!
Trust us on this one, you WILL watch this series in one go. If you enjoy rugged, raw thriller drama (see, you need so many adjectives to describe a show like this!), this needs to be on your weekend watch list.
As ALTBalaji celebrates its second anniversary, they continue to churn out entertaining content which keeps us engrossed. It’s your perfect companion to make an otherwise boring weekend an interesting one. So go ahead, bookmark them all and make your weekend an interesting one! Don’t forget to subscribe to them here.
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This is in partnership with ALTBalaji.