10 reasons why web-series like Mirzapur and Sacred Games became a huge hit

With season 2 of Mirzapur opening to a great response, people have been enjoying every bit of this intense web-show. In fact, right from the trailer viewers have not been able to get enough of Kaleen bhaiyya and the new season’s hook line, “Jo ayaa hai, woh jaaega bhi. Bas marzi humaari hogi.”The show premiered on 21st October and it received a great response from the audience. 

And it's not just Mirzapur and Mirzapur 2 that have left us amazed, there have been some other OTT projects too. Yes, not only have shows like Sacred Games, Pataalok, Ashram, Bhaukal, The Family Man, Tripling, etc have also gotten the viewers hooked. But have you ever wondered, why these web-shows have gone to become huge successes? Well, here are 10 reasons…

1. Content 

While in the digital medium we all would aware of the saying ‘content is king’, this adage also applies to the web-shows. The rule of the web-world is straight, if your content is strong then nothing can stop your show from being successful. That is what also happened with Sacred Games and Mirzapur where it treated the viewers with some unique content. While watching something that has never been seen before, was a great experience for many in the audience, we have seen producers banking on content when it comes to the web-space. 

2. Script and Subject selection

With content what is also vital is the script and the subject of the show. Mirzapur is a city situated in UP and the web shows story also revolved around its characters Kaleen Bhaiyya, Munna Tripathi, Guddu Bhaiyya, and Babloo Bhaiyya. And while the viewers could associate with these characters, it was all because of the subject and the script that made it so relatable. And this is exactly why the show also wins so many hearts. 

3. Thrill and suspense

While there is no suspense factor in Mirzapur, but it is filled with thrilling moments. And while people know what is going to happen next, it is the way it will happen in a character’s style is what they want to see. And it is the thrill of every character’s arc that attracts the viewers to stay hooked to the plot. Well, web-series have a lot of edge-of-the-seat moments that only brings them more viewership. 

4. Realistic approach

Another factor that makes a web-show stand out is its connection to reality, like we mentioned above, the realistic factor is the connect of the web-show with the audience. Any and every show in the web-space is not fictionalized to have a happy end, most are left on a cliffhanger, and this not revealing all the cards approach is what raises anticipation in viewers for the next season. Also, most thriller web-shows don’t have a happy ending and it is this realistic approach of going beyond alls well that ends well that people love. 

5. Selection of characters

This is one of the most crucial part for any web-series, for it is the character who shoulders the responsibility of the entire show. While the characters are often very convincing, it is the makers' vision to identify the talent which will make the show fly. Some perfect character selections have been, Saif Ali Khan in Sacred Games, Jaideep Ahlawat in Pataal Lok, Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal and Vikrant Massey in Mirzapur, Manoj Bajpayee in The Family Man. 

6. Dialogue Delivery

Dialogue Delivery has a lot to add to a show, for, the impact with which the dialogue is said is what keeps the audience hooked. In Mirzapur, if Kaleen Bhaiyya’s dialogues wouldn’t have been impactful, the character wouldn’t have had the place it has today. 

7. Every character is a hero

Yes, it's true. Every character in the web-show is a hero, for everyone has something to offer to the story. While the concept of being the lead has been eliminated, every character is important for the story to be what it is. If you see Mirzapur, all principle characters are very important to the story. 

8. Small cities big dreams

Even though many of us might hail from a small city, our dreams are always big. And not all of us get to achieve those. And when we see some characteristics of a web-show also going through something like this, we instantly relate to them and continue to watch how their stories unfold further. And when they achieve their dream we too get motivated to achieve ours. Making us a diehard fan of the web-show. 

9. No censorship

Yes, the OTT platform is a very liberating space because it doesn’t have any kind of censorship. And that freedom of telling the story the way you want is what makes it popular amongst the people. With no censorship issues, makers are free to show what they want in a web-series. And that is what allows them to keep their true vision in front of the audience without any interference. Also, no censorship allows the makers to show nudity as an art form, the required amount of violence, and also a cocktail of sex, emotions, and comedy. No censorship also leaves it to the viewer's choice and open interpretation. 

10. Usage pf better technology

Considering, the OTT space is on an advanced medium, the web-shows are also made using better technology both in terms of effects and editing and also in terms of viewership. Yes, with web-space bring entertaining content to your mobile phones and also coming at an affordable cost with yearly subscriptions, has made the web-space a preferred and loved medium. 

Written by Nawaz Kochra