Suggested Topics :
2025 in Indian Streaming: A Year of Mixed Triumphs, Bold Beginnings and Stalling Sequels
As we head into the new year, it’s not a race against time. It’s still safe to say that the cream of Hindi cinema is found in the long-format space. The movies may be faltering and stuck in a herd-mentality loop, but the shows keep the flag flying — whatever that flag may look like today.
Of the many actors that have found acceptance and acclaim in the OTT space, Huma Qureshi is a name that’s gone under the radar. Post-Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and Dedh Ishqiya (2014), mainstream Hindi cinema sort of fumbled her, which is why it’s been refreshing to see her have one streaming moment after another over the years.
This last month has been one of those moments; every format has had a Huma Qureshi release. There have been the films — a scene-stealing role in Jolly LLB 3, the headlining of the surprisingly solid Single Salma, and the Toronto-premiering indie Bayaan. And, of course, the very popular shows. Qureshi has grown from strength to strength as the star of the Sony LIV hit Maharani; it’s not often a female-led political drama is renewed year after year, both on screen and off it.
Her depiction of Bihar Chief Minister Rani Bharti, who now enters the realm of national politics, has slowly become its own entity. What started as a patchy inspired-by-real-events and spot-the-minister journey is now a world driven by Qureshi and her conviction in the flashy material. Her screen presence is an under-appreciated weapon, and she employs it to elevate the show’s mid-budget aesthetic. And then there’s her victim-and-monster-of-system act as a Haryanvi trafficking kingpin in Season 3 of Delhi Crime. She resists the temptation of overcooking the character, despite the writing that often leans into villain-coded gimmicks.
Qureshi nails the balance between lover and hustler, oppressor and survivor, as if she’s allowing two different versions of the same woman to compete with each other. It’s a smart and culturally interpretative performance, and one of the few bright spots of a crime series that struggles to live up to its own legacy.
When Sequels Stumble
That’s been one of the themes in this streaming year. It’s been an outstanding time for new, original shows and opening salvos — first (and hopefully not the last) seasons of Black Warrant, Khauf, The Hunt and Black, White & Gray have left an indelible mark in terms of expanding the boundaries of storytelling. And that was just the first half of the year. But it’s the franchises — shows that started with a similar bang — that have yielded mixed results. While Paatal Lok Season 2 and The Family Man Season 3 were crafty and watchable, you can tell that they are creaking under the pressure of their own high bars and templates; it doesn’t help that both seasons have eerily similar settings (North-East India) and plots, and the actor who plays the protagonist of one show is the antagonist in the next. Regardless of the results, this shared-universe syndrome is a sign of how most Indian cop and spy thrillers are finding it difficult to explore new political and social ground in 2025.
They tend to say the same thing in different ways and with different brushes; it’s not the fault of the creators of course. We’re finally seeing a direct effect on originality and expression, given the sensitive and censored times we live in.
This is most visible in a show like Delhi Crime. Season three runs out of ideas before it begins, and there’s a subtle shift in ideology and tone — veering more towards glorification than humanisation of the cops — this time around. In isolation, it’s a middling and functional watch: solid in parts, convoluted in others. But it doesn’t have the advantage that something like The Family Man does: levity. The relentless intensity and gender expression of Delhi Crime is both its strength and weakness. But it has no new things to say, which is why there’s an emphasis on the moral fibre of its characters rather than the ‘adaptation’ of the tragedies it’s inspired by.
Ditto for Panchayat Season 4, that bittersweet social comedy that’s lost steam and painted itself into a privatised corner. These two were arguably the most anticipated Indian shows of 2025. And it says something that neither would make a year-ender of the finest Hindi web series alone. After all, you either die a hero or live long enough to become intellectual property and content.
With Kohrra Season 2 coming soon, one can only hope for the bucking of this trend. As we head into the new year, it’s not a race against time. It’s still safe to say that the cream of Hindi cinema is found in the long-format space. The movies may be faltering and stuck in a herd-mentality loop, but the shows keep the flag flying — whatever that flag may look like today.
The inversely proportional relationship between the two formats has been the case since 2019. Having seen the landscape evolve, plateau, search, flounder and thrive for the last 10 years, however, I can confirm that Bollywood’s loss is always going to be streaming’s gain.
To read more exclusive stories from The Hollywood Reporter India's December 2025 print issue, pick up a copy of the magazine from your nearest book store or newspaper stand.
To buy the digital issue of the magazine, please click here.