PremiumGullak to Kota Factory - The TVF mill and the 5 best concepts to have come out of it
Last Updated: 01.38 PM, Jan 07, 2024
The Indian OTT space has already lived an era in fast forward where it was introduced to a country obsessed with their daily soaps, and where actors from the silver screen were scared to opt for it. It bloomed while the world was locked down in the confines of their homes amid the pandemic, and soon the world vouched for it. So when we say era, we aren’t exaggerating. However, one player that stood strong on the streaming front, and in a way introduced the country to the format, was The Viral Fever aka TVF. Led by some of the most brilliant minds under Arunabh Kumar’s supremely able leadership, the company has not just ruled our hearts, but the charts too.
Started as an experiment, TVF was soon winning hearts. Their content was about the people who breathe around us, and us. There was no suspension of disbelief required to watch their shows. The stories presented were unfolding around us in real time, and they were a reflection of our times and not an imagination of what it could be like. So when Tanya and Mikesh cried, we cried too (Permanent Roommates), the three siblings gave us hope and realization (Tripling), and the Mishras were representing us, the working-class people (Gullak).
So now as the studio comes ahead with the third season of Cubicles, a show they have partnered with Sony Liv on, let us take a look back at the five most precious shows and concepts TVF gave us and we are extremely thankful for (mentioned in reverse order).
Also Read: As Cubicles Season 3 is almost here, 5 workplace dramas to keep you busy – Pitchers to Office Office
5. Aspirants
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Sunny Hinduja, Abhilash Thapliyal, Shivankit Singh Parihar, and Ensemble.
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video.
Trust TVF to deliver their best when it comes to content around students and their struggles to tackle everything that the Indian education system has to offer. Aspirants are about three men who were once young and were aspiring to crack UPSC. When life happens, they are drifted apart, and when brought together, the void is visible. A show that resonates with so many people, Aspirants has a massive fan base.
4. TVF Pitchers
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Jitendra Kumar, Arunabh Kumar, Abhay Mahajan, and ensemble.
Streaming On: Zee5.
Who isn’t a fan of Pitchers? And why aren’t you? Yet again about friends but this group is shaping a startup. It is not easy to form a company from scratch and also bring resources to sustain it. Pitchers is one of the most celebrated Indian shows across the board, and the fandom was left surprised when the second season was released recently. While the second wasn’t at par with the first, but was still very interesting.
3. Kota Factory
Cast: Jitendra Kumar, Mayur More, Ahsaas Channa, Revathi Pillai, Urvi Singh, Ranjan Raj, and Ensemble.
Streaming On: Netflix.
The art in Kota Factory is prolific. It is about a mill that produces IITs and scraps the one that cannot take the heat. Set in Kota, Rajasthan, the story is about the pool of IIT aspirants who know nothing about robotic life. What stood out in Kota Factory was the use of black and white and the transition to color and vice versa. The writing of the show is so brilliant that the follow-up seasons landed as nicely as the first.
2. Panchayat
Cast: Jitendra Kumar, Neena Gupta, Raghubir Yadav, and Ensemble.
Streaming On: Amazon Prime Video.
The canvas widened for TVF when Amazon Prime Video came on board. When a man is thrown into a place that is unwelcoming to him and now he has to bring order there, the least he can do is mind his own business. But for our Sachiv ji, that is not an option. Panchayat spoke to hearts even when many of us weren’t even aware of this world. Now as the show moves to season 3, the anticipation for the same is at its all-time high and we can’t wait.
1. Gullak
Cast: Jameel Khan, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Vaibhav Raj Gupta, Harsh Mayar, and Ensemble.
Streaming On: Sony Liv.
A decade later when they list down the best things to come out of visual art, Gullak will acquire one of the top spots. A show that is now beyond any reviews and has a heart that beats beautifully has won us not once but thrice. The chronicles of the Mishra family feel like ours; they fight, they laugh, they cry, but when in need they stand by each other. We dare you to not shed tears watching this one. The best show TVF ever shaped.
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