Farzi, Bawaal, Citadel top list of most-watched OTT shows and films

Popular Indian actor Shahid Kapoor starring first web thriller "Farzi", Varun Dhawan-Janhvi Kapoor starrer "Bawal" and Priyanka Chopra featuring series "Citadel" secured the top ranks in the list of the most-watched Indian and international shows in India 2023, as per a new report by Ormax Media.

The report titled "Streaming Originals in India: The 2023 Story", focused on their evaluation of original content — both films and shows — across Hindi and international languages on the basis of views, marketing buzz, and content strength, according to a report by The Telegraph India.

Following are the shows and films that topped the list

Farzi burns bright among OTT web-series

Crime thriller "Farzi", which is currently streaming on Prime Video, has secured its position as the most-viewed Hindi web-series with an impressive 37.1 million views. Being the only show to cross the 30-million viewership mark last year, the series has been named the most-watched subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) series in India of all time.

Other shows such as "The Night Manager", "Asur" (Season 2), "Taali", "Aarya" (Season 3), and "Scam (2003) - The Telgi Story" have also garnered high rankings on counts of viewership, marketing buzz and content strength.

Interestingly, few other popular shows like YRF's maiden OTT venture "The Railway Men", "Guns & Gulaabs", and "Kaala Paani" — all the Netflix shows — have failed to secure spots on the most-watched list despite having high buzz scores and viewer ratings.

On the contrary, "Made in Heaven" (Season 2), "Mumbai Diaries" (Season 2), and "Bambai Meri Jaan" have claimed spots among the most-viewed shows, although they did not generate the same level of interest or positive feedback as other contenders.

"Bawaal" dominant among OTT movies

Among direct-to-OTT Hindi films, Prime Video's "Bawaal", starring Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor, made it to the top. Hot on its heels is JioCinema's Shahid Kapoor-starrer "Bloody Daddy", which also gained significant viewership and claimed the top spot.

The action thriller "Mission Majnu", starring Sidharth Malhotra and Rashmika Mandanna, turned out to be the most-liked film based on viewer ratings. Thriller movies ("Apurva", "Gaslight", "Jaane Jaan", "Blind", "Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai", "Khufiya") and slice-of-life films ("Tumse Na Ho Payega" and "Kho Gaye Hum Kahan") came out with flying colours on the list, which saw "Kho Gaye Hum Kahan" topping the most-viewed and most-buzzing categories within a month of its release.

"Bigg Boss OTT Season 2" reigns supreme among reality shows

In the unscripted Indian streaming shows category, the Ormax report confirmed the expected dominance of reality TV, with "Bigg Boss OTT Season 2" claiming the top spot with a staggering 19.5 million views. "Koffee with Karan" closely followed with 15.4 million views.

"The Romantics", a docu-series based on the legacy of Yash Chopra, stood out for its introspective conversations about the world of Hindi cinema. The report highlighted a diverse range of non-fiction content, indicating an expansion in the breadth of offerings compared to previous years.

MCU continues to win hearts among international shows

While Hindi films continue to dominate the list, the report noted the significant viewership garnered by international shows, especially Marvel Cinematic Universe franchises like "Loki 2", "What if…?", "I am Groot" (Season 2) and "Secret Invasion". Despite critical panning, "Citadel", starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Richard Madden, took the lead with 17 million views and top rankings in buzz.

Read more

A glimpse of Chinese New Year in Dhaka