One of India's second generation of streaming shows Sacred Games and Mirzapur have emerged as the table toppers on the list of IMDb top 50 all-time most popular Indian web series.
Interestingly, both the shows belong to the genre of crime thrillers, a space that the OTT platforms aim to leverage and rightly so given the audience response to titles that have a good mix of crime and thrill. Crime genre occupies 30 out of 50 slots on the list.
Vikramaditya Motwane, showrunner and co-director of Sacred Games, said: "I'm absolutely honoured and delighted by the fact that 'Sacred Games' has been ranked at No. 1 by IMDb users. A huge thanks to all the amazing people who've loved the show and, as always, an even bigger thanks and congratulations to the incredible cast and crew."
Pankaj Tripathi has played prominent roles in three out of the top 10 web series on the list in titles such as Sacred Games, Mirzapur, and Criminal Justice.
Karan Anshuman, who co-created Mirzapur with Puneet Krishna said: "This recognition from IMDb truly reflects the transformative journey of content available to Indian viewers via the internet. As for what's next, we're all set to keep the momentum going, with a dash of unpredictability and a sprinkle of surprise-just like any binge-worthy series."
Other shows that have found a place in the top 5 of the IMDb top 50 all-time most popular Indian web series are Hansal Mehta's Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, the hugely popular The Family Man, which stars Manoj Bajpayee as a secret service agent, and Aspirants which shows the world of UPSC preparations.
Pratik Gandhi, who played the lead in Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, said: "I am fortunate to have got a chance to work with Hansal Mehta and be a part of the show. I can say that my life can be defined before Scam and after Scam. I am truly grateful for how the show continues to receive love from IMDb and its audiences worldwide, even years after its release. Safe to say, we proudly scammed our way to glory."
Other shows on the list are Kota Factory, Panchayat, Paatal Lok, Special OPS, Asur: Welcome to Your Dark Side, Farzi, Inside Edge, Aarya, Gullak, TVF Pitchers, Rocket Boys, Delhi Crime and others.