7 Indian Web Series Critics and Viewers Love, and Where to Stream Them

Evenings are getting longer, the first winter rain is on its way, and the festive season means family time on the sofa. If you're wondering what to watch, Indian streaming has rarely been stronger. These are the series that critics praised and viewers rated highest, with a mix of laughter, crime, history and heart.

We've noted where each one streams and who it suits, so you can choose something for a solo binge, a family night, or for introducing Cypriot friends to Indian storytelling (all have English subtitles).

1. Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story

SonyLIV · financial drama · grown-up viewing

The rise and fall of the Mumbai stockbroker who shook India's markets, told with style and a terrific lead performance by Pratik Gandhi. No Indian series scored higher with IMDb users in 2020, and for a while it even sat in IMDb's global top 250 for television.

2. Panchayat

Prime Video · gentle comedy-drama · whole family

An engineering graduate takes a low-paid job as secretary of a village council in Uttar Pradesh, and slowly falls for village life. Warm, funny and quietly moving, it ranked second on IMDb's 2020 list and was still among India's most-watched series in 2025. A fifth season is expected in 2026.

3. Kota Factory

Netflix · coming-of-age drama · teens and parents

Shot mostly in black and white, it follows students cramming for engineering entrance exams in Kota, with a much-loved teacher, "Jeetu Bhaiya", at its centre. In 2019 it came out on top in the IMDb user ratings for Indian shows. A must for any family with a teenager facing exams.

4. Delhi Crime

Netflix · police procedural · mature themes

Shefali Shah leads a Delhi police team through hard, real-life-inspired cases. Its first season made history in 2020 as the first Indian series to win the International Emmy for Best Drama, and a third season arrived in November 2025.

5. Paatal Lok

Prime Video · crime thriller · mature themes

Jaideep Ahlawat plays a weary Delhi cop pulled into cases that expose the country's underbelly. The second season, released in January 2025 and set partly in Nagaland, drew strong reviews, with The Hollywood Reporter India calling it a world-class sequel.

6. The Family Man

Prime Video · spy action-comedy · teens and up

Manoj Bajpayee is a secret intelligence officer juggling terror plots with school fees and a sceptical family. Fans waited four years for season 3, released in November 2025; reactions were more mixed than for the first two, but the series remains one of India's best-loved shows.

7. Rocket Boys

SonyLIV · historical drama · whole family

The friendship and rivalry of Homi Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai, the scientists behind India's nuclear and space programmes. Jim Sarbh (as Bhabha) and Ishwak Singh (as Sarabhai) won warm reviews for season one, and it's a fine pick after this year's space milestones.

What this means for you

• Netflix and Prime Video work in Cyprus. Five of our seven picks are on these two. Catalogues differ by country, so search the title in the app before you settle in.
• SonyLIV is less certain. Its availability outside India varies by country. Check the app store before paying, and avoid shortcuts that break a service's terms.
• Turn on subtitles to share these with Cypriot friends or colleagues. Panchayat and Rocket Boys are easy first picks.
• Check age ratings. Delhi Crime, Paatal Lok and Scam 1992 deal with violence or adult themes. Panchayat, Kota Factory and Rocket Boys suit most families.

Ratings and rankings change over time, so treat any list, ours included, as a starting point. Tell us your favourites and we'll add a reader picks list.

Read also: Drishyam 3 Review: Vijay Salgaonkar Outsmarts Us One Last Time

Sources: Onmanorama (IMDb 2020 list), afaqs (IMDb 2019 list), Siasat (IMDb 2025 list), Digit, Netflix, What's on Netflix, The Hollywood Reporter India (Paatal Lok), The Hollywood Reporter India (The Family Man), IANS