Indiatimes Binge Polls are back! Vote for your favorite web series, OTT stars and more
It’s that time of year when we sit back and reflect on the past year.
The year 2023 was particularly phenomenal for show business. Theaters have taken on a new lease of life after a long dull phase brought about by the pandemic. With movies like Javan, Pataan, Gadar 2, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani And while others have grown their box office numbers, even the OTT world has upped its game and delivered some eye-catching titles in the form of spectacular web series and web movies.
Indiatimes is back with its annual ritual Binge Polls – where we celebrate and remember art and artists who have given it their all and therefore deserve the limelight just as much as mainstream movies and celebrities.
Various shows and films took center stage this year, addressing different sections of society. From historical, thriller, murder-mystery, real-life stories, documentaries to GenZ related content, the wide selection of titles kept us all thoroughly entertained.
On the one hand, we had a similar show Railway men Which brought to light the contribution of railway workers in saving several lives during the biggest industrial disaster of 1984, the Bhopal gas tragedy. On the other hand, we have had similar retro shows Bombay Mary Jaan which was a retelling of the terrifying tale of the underworld and its impact on Mumbai and Guns and rosesA fictional story about gang wars and the illegal opium trade.
Many A-League Bollywood actors have tried their hand at OTT – like this one Shahid Kapoor, Kajol, Dimple Kapadia, Anil Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Kareena Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur Incidentally, 2023 was seen showcasing their acting skills in a web series.
The range of variety was so great that whenever we wanted a break from heavy shows, we were treated to light hours. Temptation Island, Takeshi Castle, Coffee with Karan and Playing with Squid: The Challenge among others.
There’s something for everyone at OTT. You name it and they have it – a personalized ending, the same story with multiple perspectives, the freedom to choose how to watch a particular story, be it in the form of a movie or a TV series – this year brought new innovations to the world of entertainment.
To lighten the load, we decided to dig deeper and leave it to the viewers to pick their hot favourites.
Indiatimes Binge is where we live and breathe OTT content and empower viewers to decide and vote for the shows and movies they like. It’s a final encore that will pay tribute to the shows and movies that have touched our hearts.
Have you started voting yet?
2023 Breakthrough Performance (Female)
This year we have seen various shows and movies on OTT with phenomenal female performers taking charge. Some didn’t even have the main roles, but that didn’t stop them from giving their best. As they say, hard work rarely goes unnoticed, it’s time to celebrate these very performers and recognize and appreciate their hard work in all its glory.
Nominations
1. Kritika Kamra – Bambai Meri Jaan
2. Tabu- Khufia
3. Karishma Tanna – Scoop
4. Mona Singh – Made In Heaven 2
5. Sushmita Sen – Taali/Aarya 3
6. Dimple Kapadia – Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo
7. Sobhita Dulipala – The Night Manager/Made in Heaven 2
8. Tilotamma Shome – Lust Stories 2
2023 Breakthrough Performance (Male)
OTT proved that an actor doesn’t have to have a six-pack and a certain look to impress the audience. A hero is someone who intrigues the audience with their uniqueness and personality. This year, we were introduced to the OTT landscape with some such powerful characters that left us in awe. Some have become so memorable that they will be remembered for years. Let’s take a look at the performances that stood out from the rest.
Nominations
1. Manoj Bajpayee – Sirf Ek Bandaa Hi Kaafi Hai
2. Jaideep Ahlawat – Jaane Jaan
3. Abhay Deol Trial By Fire
4. Barun Sobti – Assur 2/Kohra
5. Rana Dagubat – Rana Naidu
6. Amey Wagh – Kaala Paan
7. Saurabh Sachdeva – Bambai Meri Jaan/ Jaane Jaan/ Haddi/ Vadh
8. Avinash Tiwari – Bambai Meri Jaan/Kaala
9. Babil Khan – Railway Men
10. Kay Kay Menon – The Railway Men
11. Diviendu – Railway men
12. Vijay Varma – Dahad/Calcutta
13. Adarsh Gourav – Guns and roses
14. Suvinder Vicky – Kohra
The best theatrical release that has done wonders on OTT
The new norm is that every filmmaker aims to make it big not just in theaters but also in OTT. Most films look at a digital release after their run at the box office. It’s a whole new ball game because digital audiences have diverse tastes and it’s hard to impress that segment of viewers. The number of streaming minutes and views decide the fate of these movies in the world of OTTs. With such amazing offerings on the silver screen in 2023, the competition in the digital realm is also fierce. With massive money makers like Jawaan, Gadar 2, Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani, Pathaan, Leo, Mark Antony, Jailer, Iraivan and others, the competition is as tough as it gets.
Nominations:
1. Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani
2. Gadar 2
3. Tu Jhoothi Main Makkar
4. Ms. Chatterjee v. Norway
5. Javan
6. Pataan
7. Cheetah
8. Kannaur Squad
9. Satya Prem Ki Kata
10. The lion
11. Tiger Nageshwara Rao
12. Mission Raniganj
13. King of Kota
14. Prison guard
15. Iraivian
16. Mark Antony
17. Varisso
18. Skanda
Best Desi OTT Web Series
2023 was an interesting year as there was no shortage of long-form content. A number of web series have been released that catered to different audience groups. We’ve seen mainstream film stars take the plunge and make their OTT debuts this year – be it Shahid Kapoor in Farzi or Kajol in The Trial: Pyaar, Kanoon, Dhokha. While the fictional world has seen a creative explosion, even series inspired by true stories have left a huge impact. It’s safe to say that the race to be the best won’t be easy because it’s hard to pick just one!
Nominations:
1. Night manager 1 and 2
2. Passion stories 2
3. Rocket Boys 2
4. Aria 3
5. Trial by fire
6. Taaza Khabar
7. Rana Naidu
8. Taj: Divided by blood
9. Farz
10. Railway men
11. Anniversary
12. Dahad
13. Scoop
14. Assyria 2
15. Calcutta
16. Kohra
17. Made in Heaven 2
18. Chona
19. Arms and roses
20. Taal
21. Bombay Mary Jaan
22. Fraud 2003
23. Kaala Paan
24. Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo.
Best True Crime Documentary
Many people are fascinated by true crime stories. When creative filmmakers take a common incident and make a well-researched and well-shot documentary about it, the end result is nothing short of phenomenal. This year saw some jaw-dropping documentaries that became the talk of the town at the end of the day. Take a look at these nominations, because choosing the best will take a lot of judging.
Nominations
1. Mumbai mafia
2. Veerappan Hunt
3. Victim/Suspect
4. Ice Cold: Murder, Coffee and Jessica Wongso
5. Dance on the grave
6. Kashmir Files: Unreported
7. The Murdow murders
8. Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street
This is just the beginning! Be a part of India’s largest consumer based survey on OTTs.
Best web movie with strong female leads
Although women cast in theatrical films remains a topic of controversy, the world of OTT has provided a wonderful opportunity for female artistes to showcase their acting prowess. This year was no different. A good series and digital movies with strong female leads have grabbed many eyeballs. Some of them were so noticeable that we are sure they will remain in our memory for years. Check them out for yourself:
Nominations
1. Kareena Kapoor – Jaan Jaan
2. Yami Gautam – Missing
3. Neena Gupta – Wadh
4. Sharmila Tagore – Gulmohar
5. Radhika Apte – Undercover
6. Huma Bay – Tharla
7. Tabu – Khufia
8. Sanya Malhotra – Cathal
Best OTT Movie (Global)
With so much desi content available, Indian audiences are spoiled for choice. Haven’t we spent hours deciding what to watch from such a long list of options? Even on a global level, content generation has been plentiful this year. In fact, we witnessed Alia Bhatt making her Hollywood and OTT debut with Heart Of Stone opposite Wonderwoman Gal Gadot.
Nominations
1. Pain Hustlers
2. A heart of stone
3. Fair play
4. Mother
5. Reptile
6. Extraction 2
7. The killer
8. Birdbox Barcelona.
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(To read more such stories related to OTT movies and shows, keep reading Indiatimes BINGE)
