Year ender 2025 | Paatal Lok, The Family Man, and the triumph of returning seasons: How Indian OTT got franchise right

Returning seasons of Indian web series got more love this year than any year before this. Is this a sign that Indian OTT has got the franchise model right?

OTT’s beginnings in India were heralded by YouTube, led by independent creative platforms that created what we today would call microdramas. These shows, largely single-season outings, laid the foundation for the OTT boom in India. Think Pitchers or Tripling or even Permanent Roommates. Then Netflix and Amazon Prime Video arrived in India, and it all exploded. But even as shows began returning with seasons 2, 3, and 4, there were often complaints that quality was diminishing each time.

Paatal Lok season 2 saw Jaideep Ahlawat returns as Inspector Hathiram Chaudhary in what was widely called a stellar second season.

There was the infamous Sacred Games season 2, for instance, which many felt was a sharp enough dip to end arguably the best web series in India. The sustenance of quality in shows like Made in Heaven, Delhi Crime, Gullak, or The Family Man occurred much later. And it was almost always seen as an aberration. But 2025 came as a breath of fresh air here. It provided viewers with multiple returning shows, almost all of which lived up to both the hype and expectations. 2025 might be the year that Indian OTT finally gets franchise right.

How OTT franchises came together in 2025

It just so happened that a lot of franchises’ return - across platforms - aligned in 2025. We had tentpoles like Paatal Lok, Delhi Crime, The Family Man, Criminal Justice, Special Ops, and Aashram - all returning with new seasons this year. Along with them were slice-of-life returnees like Panchayat. And amazingly, almost all of them hit the mark.

Kay Kay Menon starred in Special Ops S2, which released 7 years after the first season.

There was wide diversity in the way these titles returned. Special Ops took almost seven years to be back, while Panchayat’s return was just 13 months after its previous season. But both hit the mark for different reasons. Panchayat, back after a stellar third season, was said to have retained its core rustic nature, something the audience could relate to. Special Ops, on the other hand, managed to grow with time, the viewers said.

The Paatal Lok triumph

Perhaps the biggest testament to how the franchise model has finally clicked in Indian streaming was Paatal Lok. Not since Sacred Games or Mirzapur has there been a show that has been emblematic of the best of Indian OTT quite like the Jaideep Ahlawat-starrer. The first season was heralded as the best Indian OTT had to offer. Naturally, the scars of Sacred Games S2 and Mirzapur S3 had tempered expectations for Paatal Lok. But it soared and how. Many critics lauded it as the best show of the year. It made most top 3 and top 5 lists regardless, and is widely regarded as ‘better’ than season 1. The reason was simple. The makers focused on good old, organic storytelling over formula.

Delhi Crime S3 hit the mark more often than it missed.

The Family Man and Delhi Crime’s third seasons, too, came close. They were solid, engaging watches. And even though they were slightly below the lofty standards set by the franchises, they kept the brand afloat.

Success across genres and platforms

While shows have had good subsequent seasons in the past - think Mirzapur 2 or Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors- this year, what made it a widespread trend was how this occurred across genres and platforms. There were three shows from Amazon Prime Video leading this trend (Paatal Lok, The Family Man, and Panchayat), while JioHotstar pitched in with two (Criminal Justice 4 and Special Ops 2), and Netflix also made its presence felt with Delhi Crime 3.

And then there is Aashram. The MX Player show has been the flagbearer of masala formulaic entertainment on OTT for half a decade now. And even in 2025, it did not disappoint. It ensured that this genre of storytelling continues to sustain and thrive on the Indian streaming scene as well.

Aashram season 3 kept the masala entertainers' flag flying high this year.

The road ahead in 2026

2026 will bring more returning titles. Panchayat will return, while Black Warrant and Heeramandi will join the franchise model for the first time. There will also be Gullak and a chance of The Family Man returning the next year itself. The year will have the task of maintaining what 2025 started. And for the sake of Indian streaming and the viewers, let’s hope it can live up to it.