The Indian entertainment industry has always been fond of remakes and adaptations, especially in Bollywood. In recent years, several foreign television shows have been adapted to cater to the Indian audience by adding a desi twist to the plot. Many Indian filmmakers have remade foreign shows in Hindi, making them relevant to the Indian context. This trend has been widely accepted by the Indian audience, and many such web series have become popular. If you’re looking to binge-watch some of these shows, here are the top 11 Indian web series adapted from foreign shows.
1. Aarya [Adapted from Penoza]
Adapted from Penoza and streaming on Disney+ Hotstar, Aarya is a crime thriller drama series that follows Aarya, a strong-willed woman who joins a mafia organization to exact revenge on those who killed her husband while trying to protect her family. The show has also been nominated for Best Drama Series at the International Emmy Awards.
2. Criminal Justice [Adapted from Criminal Justice]
Based on the British television series of the same name, Criminal Justice is a crime thriller legal drama web series streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. The show captures people’s lives as they fight for justice, enduring the heartbreaking criminal court system.
3. Call My Agent: Bollywood [Adapted from Call My Agent]
Based on the French TV series Call My Agent!, Call My Agent: Bollywood is an Indian drama web series streaming on Netflix. The show revolves around four Mumbai talent agents as they work hard to save their failing business. Their jobs involve not only getting the right person for the right job but also soothing celebrity egos and putting up with their tantrums.
4. Duranga [Adapted from Flower Of Evil]
Duranga premiered on August 19, 2022 and can be streamed on Zee5. This show is an adaptation of the Korean drama Flower of Evil, and stars Gulshan Devaiah and Drashti Dhami in lead roles. Sammit Patel (Gulshan) is a loving husband and father with a dark past that his wife, Ira (Drashti), is unaware of. When a murder case arises and Ira suspects her husband, Sammit goes to great lengths to keep his true identity hidden.
5. The Night Manager [Adapted from The Night Manager]
Based on John Le Carre’s novel, The Night Manager, The Night Manager is a crime thriller series adapted from the British television series of the same name. Created by Sandeep Modi, the series follows Shaan Sengupta, an ex-soldier who must enter an arms dealer’s inner circle to bring down his war-making business. The show is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
6. The Office [Adapted from The Office]
The Office was released on June 28, 2019 and is available for streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. This series is an adaptation of the British series of the same name, but with a closer resemblance to the American version. It portrays the daily grind of a 9-to-5 office, where the boss, Jagdeep Chadda, struggles to keep the staff morale high. However, his attempts at humor and friendliness fall flat with his colleagues who find him boring.
7. Rana Naidu [Adapted from Ray Donovan]
Based on Ray Donovan, Rana Naidu is an action crime drama series that will be streaming on Netflix. The show centers on Rana Naidu, who can solve any problem in Bollywood. But, when his father is released from prison, he can’t handle his own mess.
8. Hostages [Adapted from Hostages]
A remake of the Israeli series of the same name, Hostages is a crime thriller directed by Sudhir Mishra. The show follows a doctor whose family gets taken hostage and will only be spared if she kills her patient, a well-known politician. The show is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar.
9. Rudra: The Edge Of Darkness [Adapted from Luther]
Adapted from Luther, Rudra: The Edge of Darkness is a psychological crime thriller series streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. The show focuses on DCP Rudraveer Pratap Singh, also known as “Rudra,” who uses his ability to understand the mind of psychopaths and solve infamous crimes.
10. Your Honor [Adapted from Kvodo]
“Your Honor,” directed by Eeshwar Nivas under Applause Entertainment, is a nail-biting drama series based on Kvodo. With an incredible cast including Jimmy Shergill, Pulkit Makol, Mita Vashisht, Yashpal Sharma, and Parul Gulati, the show follows the story of a judge who goes to extreme lengths to protect his son. Don’t miss this gripping series, streaming now on Sony LIV!
11. Tanaav [Adapted from Fauda]
Adapted from Fauda, Tanaav is an action thriller series directed by Sudhir Mishra and Sachin Krishn. The sociopolitical drama, which takes place in 2017, is focused on the struggle in the Kashmir Valley between the state-run Special Task (STG) and militants with ties to Pakistan.
These are some of the top Indian web series adapted from foreign shows. Have you watched any of these yet? Let us know!