Beyond Bollywood, India’s television industry continues to quietly do some of the country’s most interesting work. In 2025, a handful of series cut through with stories that were bold, intimate or unsettling.
Whether its hard-hitting true crime, noir thrillers set in remote towns or sharp-edged spy games, here are seven shows of note.
1. Delhi Crime, season three (Netflix)
Anchored by Shefali Shah’s commanding turn as a police chief in the Indian capital, this gritty anthology follows a pursuit of justice that often blurs into something personal, for better and for worse. Each season draws on real-life crimes, and season three ventures into the murky world of human trafficking, as Shah’s DCP Vartika Chaturvedi and her team attempt to dismantle a violent network that lures young women with false job offers before forcing them into marriage and prostitution.
The show’s clear-eyed engagement with true crime, coupled with strong performances by Shah, Huma Qureshi and Rasika Dugal helped it impress audiences beyond borders, pushing Delhi Crime into Netflix’s Global Top 10 (non-English TV) rankings.
2. The Great Indian Kapil Show, season four (Netflix)
A long-running staple of Indian television, The Great Indian Kapil Show moved to Netflix early last year, introducing the popular comedian‘s blend of celebrity interviews, sketch comedy and crowd work to global audiences.
Built around topical humour, improvisation and celebrity guests, the show leans heavily on cultural familiarity and performance-led comedy. That combination helped it break into Netflix’s Global Top 10 (non-English TV) rankings, underlining how the formats, and an A-list cast of famous guests, can resonate beyond India.
Guests this year included Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Bollywood stars Salman Khan, Akshay Kumar and Janhvi Kapoor, as well as cricketers Yuzvendra Chahal, Rishabh Pant and Gautam Gambhir.
3. Dabba Cartel (Netflix)
Set in the Mumbai suburb of Thane, this crime drama revolves around five middle-class women running a traditional lunch box service who become involved in a drug operation using their network. But success comes with a price as dangerous criminals, as well as law enforcement officers, get involved as the bodies pile up.
Top-notch performances by Shabana Azmi, Jyothika, Shalini Pandey, Nimisha Sajayan and Anjali Anand, whose easy camaraderie is one of the highlights of the show, helped take it to Netflix’s global non-English chart.
4. The Ba****ds of Bollywood (Netflix)
Marking the directorial debut of Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood megastar Shah Rukh Khan, The Ba****ds of Bollywood largely lived up to its pre-release hype, attracting plenty of buzz and attention on arrival. A satirical, tongue-in-cheek take on the Hindi film industry, the series follows aspiring actor Aasmaan Singh (played by Lakshya Lalwani), who falls for the daughter of a powerful Bollywood figure and finds himself navigating repeated attempts to derail his career.
Packed with the familiar pleasures of a classic “masala” entertainer, the show features everything from fast-paced action, over-the-top dialogue and dramatic twists, offering a self-aware spin on the very industry it sets out to skewer – making it to Netflix’s global non-English list soon after its release.
5. Pataal Lok, season two (Prime Video)
Since its debut in 2020, the neo-noir thriller Pataal Lok has earned plaudits for its gritty, unflinching examination of contemporary India’s socio-economic hierarchies, inspiring a wave of similarly dark, politically charged storytelling. Its return five years later expands that ambition, shifting the action to the politically fragile north-east, a region rarely explored with such depth in mainstream film or television.
Jaideep Ahlawat reprises his role as police inspector Hathi Ram Chaudhary, joined by Ishwak Singh as his junior, as the pair investigate the disappearance of a migrant worker. Their search leads them to Nagaland, where entrenched political interests, powerful businessmen and simmering tensions threaten to unravel a hard-won peace.
When the second season was released in January, it emerged as one of Prime Video’s most-watched Indian titles, drawing strong viewership and attention beyond borders – proof that its blend of crime, politics and social commentary continues to resonate well outside its immediate setting.
6. The Family Man, season three (Prime Video)
Prime Video’s most-watched Indian show of 2025 arrived late in the year with the third season deemed one of the platform’s most successful franchises.
The Family Man centres on Manoj Bajpayee’s Srikant Tiwari, an intelligence officer who passes as an ordinary family man while secretly handling some of the country’s most sensitive counterterrorism operations. In season three, the action shifts to India’s north-east, echoing the expanded regional focus seen in Paatal Lok’s season two. There, Srikant and his team uncover a covert plan involving China’s attempts to extend its influence along the border, with tensions heightened by the presence of an international arms syndicate intent on fuelling chaos for profit.
Ahlawat also joins this season in a pivotal role, as a former drug dealer turned mercenary, a man driven solely by the mission he is paid to complete.
The Family Man season three emerged as the only Indian series to feature on Prime Video’s global viewership rankings, underscoring the franchise’s rare ability to combine local specificity with international appeal.
7. Special Ops, season two (Disney+ Hotstar)
Another espionage thriller, Special Ops follows Himmat Singh, played with steely restraint by Kay Kay Menon, a senior officer at India’s top intelligence agency. Working alongside a trusted team of five agents stationed across the globe, Singh operates in the shadows to neutralise threats before they reach home.
While the first season centred on unmasking the mastermind behind a major terrorist attack, season two shifts focus to the growing threat of cyberterrorism. As the team races to prevent a large-scale digital assault, they must also confront the possibility of a mole within their own ranks, raising the stakes in a battle that pits intelligence and loyalty against the looming spectre of cyber warfare.
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ENGLAND SQUAD
Team: 15 Mike Brown, 14 Anthony Watson, 13 Ben Te’o, 12 Owen Farrell, 11 Jonny May, 10 George Ford, 9 Ben Youngs, 1 Mako Vunipola, 2 Dylan Hartley, 3 Dan Cole, 4 Joe Launchbury, 5 Maro Itoje, 6 Courtney Lawes, 7 Chris Robshaw, 8 Sam Simmonds
Replacements 16 Jamie George, 17 Alec Hepburn, 18 Harry Williams, 19 George Kruis, 20 Sam Underhill, 21 Danny Care, 22 Jonathan Joseph, 23 Jack Nowell
MATCH INFO
Liverpool v Manchester City, Sunday, 8.30pm UAE
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Places to go for free coffee
Cherish Cafe Dubai, Dubai Investment Park, are giving away free coffees all day.
La Terrace, Four Points by Sheraton Bur Dubai, are serving their first 50 guests one coffee and four bite-sized cakes
Wild & The Moon will be giving away a free espresso with every purchase on International Coffee Day
Orange Wheels welcome parents are to sit, relax and enjoy goodies at ‘Café O’ along with a free coffee
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
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more from Janine di GiovanniOur family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
THE BIO
Favourite place to go to in the UAE: The desert sand dunes, just after some rain
Who inspires you: Anybody with new and smart ideas, challenging questions, an open mind and a positive attitude
Where would you like to retire: Most probably in my home country, Hungary, but with frequent returns to the UAE
Favorite book: A book by Transilvanian author, Albert Wass, entitled ‘Sword and Reap’ (Kard es Kasza) – not really known internationally
Favourite subjects in school: Mathematics and science
New process leads to panic among jobseekers
As a UAE-based travel agent who processes tourist visas from the Philippines, Jennifer Pacia Gado is fielding a lot of calls from concerned travellers just now. And they are all asking the same question.
“My clients are mostly Filipinos, and they [all want to know] about good conduct certificates,” says the 34-year-old Filipina, who has lived in the UAE for five years.
Ms Gado contacted the Philippines Embassy to get more information on the certificate so she can share it with her clients. She says many are worried about the process and associated costs – which could be as high as Dh500 to obtain and attest a good conduct certificate from the Philippines for jobseekers already living in the UAE.
“They are worried about this because when they arrive here without the NBI [National Bureau of Investigation] clearance, it is a hassle because it takes time,” she says.
“They need to go first to the embassy to apply for the application of the NBI clearance. After that they have go to the police station [in the UAE] for the fingerprints. And then they will apply for the special power of attorney so that someone can finish the process in the Philippines. So it is a long process and more expensive if you are doing it from here.”
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
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Living in…
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
RESULT
Norway 1 Spain 1
Norway: King (90 4′)
Spain: Niguez (47′)
Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos – a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as ‘the pride of victory’ – and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels – sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim – chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street – the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform’s annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
“We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country,” he said. “Quite why we’ve been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don’t know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat’s findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a “possible indicator of extremism” but it would not be banned.