Netflix in India: Here’s a list of shows you should be watching right now and a list of shows you can’t

Yes, the unthinkable has happened. Netflix has come to India.

Now, all you South Delhi and South Bombay people (and anyone else I might have missed with an inclination to showoff) can finally use the term Netflix and Chill with a purpose other than establishing your alliance with the West and telling yourself every day that you’re ‘one’ of them and not a citizen of a country that bans beef and censors a kiss in a James Bond movie.

But, incase you happen to be a couch potato whose life revolves around TV shows and who’s willing to shell out Rs 500/Rs 650 or Rs 800 instead of downloading shows from torrents (illegally), we at Business Insider are here to be your own personal TV guide with two very different lists.

To start with, cancel all your plans and appointments for at least the next month, because you have a lot of catching up to do, my friend.

2015 has been an insane year for TV enthusiasts and here are the top five shows you should be streaming right now. Work emails can wait.

1. Master of None: If you’ve been following Parks and Recreation, chances are you also love Tom Haverford, portrayed by Aziz Ansari himself. He’s not just the king of comedy but also the king of facial expressions and his stand-up acts are hilarious. Just when you thought he couldn’t get any better, Ansari created Master of None, a 10 episode breezy take on Indian immigrants and how it is for them to fit in. Heartfelt, light and oh so relatable, this is one show you should absolutely not miss!

2. Narcos: A gripping, goose bumps inducing take on the life and times of Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar, Narcos despite being a Netflix original climbed the popularity charts due to its brilliant cinematography and taut storytelling. The show chronicles Escobar’s journey of selling cocaine from the small towns in South America to pretty much all of the United States, during the late 80s and early 90s.

3. Daredevil: Don’t write Daredevil off as just ‘another Superhero show’ because it is so much more than that. Apart from the superhero angle, that is its lead character Matt Murdock, who is a visually impaired lawyer by day but fights crime by night, the show scores on its high production value, exciting storyline and it’s fast pace. Trust us, you won’t have enough of this!

4. Making a Murderer: Filmed over a 10-year period, Making a Murderer is an unprecedented real-life thriller that documents the life of Steven Avery, a DNA exoneree, who finds himself the suspect of a grisly new crime, while in the midst of exposing corruption in local law enforcement. The American series first streamed on Netflix on December 18 and has been leaving watchers mind blown ever since. Join the club!

5. Grace and Frankie: The synopsis for Grace and Frankie reads like this- ‘What happens when two elder women’s husbands declare their love for one another, and the women are forced to make a life together?’ Yes, you’re right. Hilarity ensues. And, what more? It stars Jane Fonda, Martin Sheen and Sam Waterson. This is going to be one joyride tackling the themes of age and sexuality with aplomb. Don’t miss!


Unfortunately, this is where the good part ends.

Even though Netflix has come to India, it still isn’t in the same avatar as it is in the West- simply because there are whole list of shows Indians can’t watch.

We roundup five shows that Netflix isn’t too kind to allow India to watch. But, hey, if you’ve still not managed to watch these shows, you’re to blame.

1. House of Cards
2. Breaking Bad
3. Parks and Recreation
4. New Girl
5. Agents of Shield

What are you waiting for? Get, set, torrent them!

P.S- Remember if Netflix was truly Indian, it would look something like this

Netflix and Sanskaar, presented to you by comedy group, All India Bakchod
Image credit: Screengrabs from Netflix