2018 Bollywood Top 5 web series

(1)Sacred Games :- is a critically acclaimed Indian web television series based on the novel of the same name by Vikram Chandra. The series is produced by Phantom Films and directed by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane. It premiered on Netflix on July 6, 2018, and has two seasons with a total of 16 episodes. Here are the full details of the series:

Plot: "Sacred Games" follows the story of Sartaj Singh, a Mumbai police officer who receives an anonymous tip-off about the whereabouts of a notorious criminal overlord, Ganesh Gaitonde. As Sartaj begins to investigate, he finds himself drawn into a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with Gaitonde, who has plans to take over the city's criminal underworld. As the two men face off, their paths become increasingly intertwined, revealing dark secrets about Mumbai's past and present.

Cast:

Saif Ali Khan as Sartaj Singh, a troubled Mumbai police officer

Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Ganesh Gaitonde, a notorious criminal overlord

Radhika Apte as Anjali Mathur, an intelligence officer

Neeraj Kabi as DCP Parulkar, Sartaj's boss

Jitendra Joshi as Constable Katekar, Sartaj's trusted colleague

Kubra Sait as Kukoo, Gaitonde's lover and confidante

Elnaaz Norouzi as Zoya Mirza, Gaitonde's mistress

Pankaj Tripathi as Guruji, a religious leader and Gaitonde's mentor

Ranvir Shorey as Shahid Khan, a terrorist

Kalki Koechlin as Batya Abelman, a member of Guruji's ashram

Episodes:

Season 1

Season 2:

Reception:

"Sacred Games" has received widespread critical acclaim for its writing, direction, and performances. The series has been praised for its complex and nuanced portrayal of Mumbai's criminal underworld, as well as its exploration of themes such as corruption, religion, and politics. The performances of Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Pankaj Tripathi have been particularly praised, with many critics calling them some of the best in their careers. The series has also been noted for its stylish visuals and atmospheric soundtrack. Overall, "Sacred Games" is widely considered to be one of the best Indian web series ever made, and a landmark moment in the history of Indian television.

(2)Mirzapur :- is a popular Indian crime thriller web series created by Puneet Krishna and directed by Karan Anshuman and Gurmmeet Singh. The first season was released on Amazon Prime Video on November 16, 2018, and the second season was released on October 23, 2020. Here are the full details of the series:

Plot: "Mirzapur" is set in the town of Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, India, and revolves around the illegal gun trade and drug trafficking operations run by two powerful families - the Tripathis and the Pandits. The series follows the story of a young college student named Guddu Pandit (played by Ali Fazal) and his brother Bablu (played by Vikrant Massey), who get embroiled in the world of crime and violence after they meet the local gangster Kaleen Bhaiya (played by Pankaj Tripathi) and his son Munna (played by Divyendu Sharma).

Cast:

• Pankaj Tripathi as Akhandanand Tripathi aka Kaleen Bhaiya, the powerful don of Mirzapur
• Ali Fazal as Guddu Pandit, a college student who gets involved in the world of crime
• Vikrant Massey as Bablu Pandit, Guddu's younger brother who also gets involved in the crime world
• Divyendu Sharma as Munna Tripathi, Kaleen Bhaiya's son and heir apparent
• Shweta Tripathi as Golu Gupta, a college student who becomes involved in the criminal underworld
• Rasika Dugal as Beena Tripathi, Kaleen Bhaiya's mistress and daughter-in-law
• Kulbhushan Kharbanda as Satyanand Tripathi, Kaleen Bhaiya's father and former don of Mirzapur
• Rajesh Tailang as Ramakant Pandit, Guddu and Bablu's father and a lawyer
• Sheeba Chaddha as Vasudha Pandit, Guddu and Bablu's mother
• Amit Sial as Senior Superintendent of Police Ram Sharan Maurya

Episodes:

The first season of "Mirzapur" has nine episodes, and the second season has ten episodes.

Season 1:

Season 2:

Reception:

"Mirzapur" has received generally positive reviews from critics and audiences alike. The series has been praised for its performances, writing, direction, and production values. It has also been criticized for its excessive violence and profanity. The series has been nominated for several awards, including the International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series in 2020.

Overall, "Mirzapur" is a gripping and intense crime thriller that offers a realistic portrayal of the dark underworld of Uttar Pradesh.

(3)Breathe :- is an Indian crime drama thriller web series created by Mayank Sharma and produced by Abundantia Entertainment. The first season of the series was released on Amazon Prime Video on January 26, 2018, and the second season was released on July 10, 2020. Here are the full details of the series:

Plot: "Breathe" revolves around the story of two desperate fathers - Danny Mascarenhas (played by Madhavan) and Kabir Sawant (played by Amit Sadh) - who are on opposite sides of the law but are brought together by a common goal. Danny's son is suffering from a terminal lung disease, and he needs an urgent organ transplant. Kabir is a tough cop who is investigating a series of murders committed by a mysterious organ donor. The two men form an unlikely alliance as Danny goes to great lengths to save his son's life.

Cast:

• R. Madhavan as Danny Mascarenhas, a desperate father trying to save his son's life
• Amit Sadh as Senior Inspector Kabir Sawant, a tough cop investigating a series of murders
• Sapna Pabbi as Ria Ganguly, Danny's wife and the mother of their son
• Atharva Vishwakarma as Josh Mascarenhas, Danny and Ria's son who suffers from a terminal lung disease
• Neena Kulkarni as Juliet Mascarenhas, Danny's mother
• Hrishikesh Joshi as Inspector Prakash Kamble, Kabir's colleague
• Shriswara as Dr. Aruna Sharma, a doctor involved in the organ transplant racket
• Shrikant Verma as Malwankar, a corrupt government official involved in the organ transplant racket
• Plabita Borthakur as Meghna Verma, a journalist investigating the organ transplant racket

Episodes:

The first season of "Breathe" has eight episodes, and the second season has twelve episodes.

Season 1

Season 2

Reception:

"Breathe" has received positive reviews from critics and audiences. The series has been praised for its performances, writing, direction, and production values. It has also been noted for its sensitive handling of the medical and ethical issues surrounding organ transplantation. The second season, however, received mixed reviews, with some critics finding the storyline convoluted and the pacing slow. Despite this, "Breathe" remains a well-crafted and gripping crime thriller that explores the lengths to which a desperate father will go to save his son's life.

(4)Selection Day :- is an Indian Netflix Original sports web television series based on the novel of the same name by Aravind Adiga. The series is directed by Udayan Prasad and produced by Anil Kapoor and Anand Tucker. It premiered on Netflix on December 28, 2018, and has one season with a total of 12 episodes. Here are the full details of the series:

Plot: "Selection Day" follows the story of two brothers, Radha and Manju Kumar, who are raised by their strict and demanding father to become star cricket players. As the boys struggle to meet their father's high expectations, they must also navigate the corrupt and cutthroat world of Indian cricket, where talent alone is often not enough to succeed. Along the way, they face numerous challenges and setbacks, but must ultimately learn to find their own path and follow their own dreams.

Cast:

• Mohammad Samad as Manju Kumar, a talented but reluctant cricket player
• Yash Dholye as Radha Kumar, Manju's older brother and a gifted cricket player
• Rajesh Tailang as Mohan Kumar, the boys' father and a former cricket player
• Mahesh Manjrekar as Tommy Sir, a cricket coach
• Ratna Pathak Shah as Nellie, a school principal
• Shiv Pandit as Lord Subramanya, a cricket agent
• Karanvir Malhotra as Javed Ansari, a rival cricket player

Episodes:

1. "Part One: Preparation Day"
2. "Part Two: Decisions Day"
3. "Part Three: Countermeasures"
4. "Part Four: Welcome to Mumbai"
5. "Part Five: New Team, Old Ghosts"
6. "Part Six: The Selection Day"
7. "Part Seven: The Off-Side Rule"
8. "Part Eight: The Edge"
9. "Part Nine: Homecoming"
10. "Part Ten: Secrets and Lies"
11. "Part Eleven: The Final Match"
12. "Part Twelve: The Aftermath"

Reception:

The series received mixed reviews, with some critics praising the performances of the cast, particularly Mohammad Samad and Yash Dholye, and the show's realistic portrayal of the competitive world of Indian cricket. However, others criticized the show for its slow pace and lack of depth in character development. Despite the mixed reviews, "Selection Day" remains a notable addition to the growing number of Indian web series and is popular among fans of the sports genre.

(5)Rangbaaz :- is an Indian crime thriller web television series produced by JAR Pictures and directed by Bhav Dhulia. It premiered on ZEE5 on December 22, 2018, and has one season with a total of 9 episodes. Here are the full details of the series:

Plot: "Rangbaaz" is based on the true story of a notorious criminal, Shiv Prakash Shukla, who operated in the city of Gorakhpur in the 1990s. The series follows the rise of Shiv Prakash from a young boy in a small village to a feared gangster and the various people he encounters along the way, including politicians, police officers, and fellow criminals. Through his rise to power, Shiv Prakash must navigate a dangerous web of corruption, violence, and betrayal to establish himself as the ultimate "Rangbaaz" (outlaw).

Cast:

• Saqib Saleem as Shiv Prakash Shukla, the main protagonist and a notorious criminal
• Tigmanshu Dhulia as Ram Shankar Tiwari, a corrupt police officer
• Ranvir Shorey as Siddharth Pandey, a tough cop and Shiv Prakash's nemesis
• Ravi Kishan as Chandrabhan Singh, a politician
• Aahana Kumra as Babita, Shiv Prakash's love interest
• Saurabh Goyal as Sushant, Shiv Prakash's friend and partner in crime
• Rituraj Singh as Shiv Prakash's father

Episodes:

1. "Gangster ka Mobile"
2. "Coming of Age"
3. "Bhaagdaaud"
4. "Naam Hai Ram Shankar Tiwari"
5. "Family ka Ulgulan"
6. "Jungle Raj"
7. "Shuddhikaran"
8. "Chakravyuh"
9. "Kanpuria Se Kashmiri"

Reception:

"Rangbaaz" was well-received by audiences and critics alike for its engaging storyline and powerful performances by the cast. The series was praised for its realistic portrayal of the criminal underworld and the corrupt system that perpetuates it. The series also highlighted the socio-political issues of the time and how they influenced the rise of the underworld in the 1990s. The success of the series led to the production of a second season, "Rangbaaz Phirse," which premiered on ZEE5 in 2019.