Summary- This article examines five potent Indian anthology series that present complex, thought-provoking tales in condensed form. Every series—from Lust Stories to Modern Love Mumbai—captures unfiltered feelings and nuanced human experiences without going overboard.
There’s something deeply satisfying about stories that end before you expect them to. In a world where web series stretch across seasons and subplots, anthology series do the opposite. They get straight to the point and leave you thinking. Indian creators have started to experiment in this format for a while now. These stories might be short but their meaning behind is what hits hard. They cover everything from quiet heartbreak to complicated love, pandemic loneliness to personal rebellion — and they do it all without wasting a second. Here are 5 Indian anthology series that prove storytelling doesn’t need to be long to be powerful.
5. Lust Stories
This series forced Indian viewers to have uncomfortable but important conversations. Based on the title it is valid to expect a collection of stories which is filled with advances. However, all of the directors in this series have cleverly seeded educational topics for the wide range of audience. The stories are from a woman’s standpoint and how they explore desire in a conservative society. How often is it that a woman gets a chance to voice out their dissatisfaction in marriage? The answer may vary but mostly ‘never’. Through these different stories the audience got a front seat to learn something which they were never taught before. The stories were informational for both men and women.
4. Unpaused
This anthology series brings the stories from lockdown. When the world was shut down because of the pandemic there were small beginnings everybody was experiencing. Each story in here portrays a side of humanity which most can relate to. It was an era of isolation and loneliness for everyone around the globe. The stories are about various people such as the new friendship forming between an affluent woman and a rickshaw driver. Another one is that of a migrant family and the problems they face during the COVID-19. The episodes beautifully capture the reality of what people went through personally. The critics praised the series for being raw and authentic, making it eligible to look back when we talk about history.
3. Ajeeb Daastaans
These stories start off as ordinary: a dinner table, a marriage, a work conversation. But then, they go somewhere unexpected. The stories are intricate yet have a deep meaning hidden behind it. Each story is created in such a way that it resonates with the audience from all walks of life. The main theme which binds all the stories together is human desires. These desires can be of anything: love, money, or power. It is when you see the stories you realize how every individual regardless of their path in love has desires. The series has masterfully combined four such stories which keep the audience engaged.
2. Ray
This Series isn’t your typical homage. This anthology series is inspired by the works of the legendary filmmaker and writer Satyajit Ray. The series explores various twisted characters in the episodes. These characters are morally complex and have their own weaknesses. The episodic story shows their ego, obsession and will of revenge. They are tangled in their emotions so much that they don’t realize when their world collapses. The show is a great example to tell people that we are is because of what our choices in life are. There is consequences for every action in life and that is portrayed beautifully in each story of this series.
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1. Modern Love Mumbai
This isn’t just a desi take on the famous Modern Love column. The stories in this series cover acceptance, complicated relationships, and discovery. Each of these tales are a reflection of emotional struggles which every human goes through. The best part about this series is, each of the stories feels relatable, whether you have lived that or not. There are topics like finding love again later in life and a young woman confronting her identity. The series explores different sides of love, each in each episode out of six. There is platonic love, familial love, self-love, and three others. You have to watch it yourself to understand the beauty of this series.
Final Thoughts
You might have noticed by now that most of the stories are about ordinary human suffering. The topics covered are very serious and less talked upon. Such is the beauty of anthology series. They explore difficult topics in their episodes and give you different characters as lenses to compare and contrast from. We don’t see such daring moves in most of the full-length movies. Pop some corn and stream one of these right away and experience the versatility in the direction of Indian directors.
Written by Kenbi Riba