Streamlined Guides: Indian Web Series Writers & Showrunners
A vast amount of investment has flowed into Indian streaming content with more than 1,500 original titles released across various platforms between 2016 and 2023, according to local analysts Ormax Media. Netflix and Amazon Prime Video have both prioritised India in their local-language content drives, while several other India-based platforms, including Disney+ Hotstar, JioCinema, SonyLIV and ZEE5, are also producing a large volume of original content.
This investment has enabled new genres, formats and modes of expression for Indian writers and directors who were previously restrained by the formulas of mainstream film and long-running television dramas and soap operas. While the volume of OTT films and unscripted shows is also growing, premium series have become one of the most exciting spaces in Indian storytelling, with shows including Delhi Crime, Paatal Lok, Rocket Boys, The Family Man and Made In Heaven winning international acclaim. India has still not had a breakout show at the level of Korea’s Squid Game, but with the amount of talent and creativity in this country, we believe it’s only a matter of time.
While the concept of a showrunner is still nascent in India, many series have been created by directors who are well known in the feature film space and work with a team of writers, along similar lines to a writers room. The streamers are churning out so much content that nearly every major Indian director has already been approached to create a series. Some of the most successful – those who moved away from Bollywood tropes and contributed to the reinvention of Indian drama – include Hansal Mehta (Scam series, Scoop, Lootere, upcoming Gandhi), Vikramaditya Motwane (Sacred Games, Jubilee) and Ram Madhvani (Aarya, upcoming Waking Of A Nation).
However, for this report we decided to shine a spotlight on talents who are primarily writers working in the Hindi-language space with the proven ability to create a standout series and who have established themselves either through multiple shows and seasons, or through a single highly-acclaimed series that is undeniable in its cultural impact. Some of these writers have also worked in a showrunner capacity, although it’s rare for writers to do so in India.
