The Covid-induced lockdown brought theatres to a halt, slowed production and disrupted release schedules, leaving 2021 among the weakest years for cinema worldwide. 
Bollywood, too, struggled through shuttered halls and hesitant audiences, with only a few notable films emerging over the two-year period spanning 2021 and 2022.
Two of the year&rsquo;s biggest titles were originally slated for release in early 2020 but reached cinemas only toward the end of 2021. 
Sooryavanshi, the fourth film in Rohit Shetty&rsquo;s cop universe, featured Akshay Kumar in the lead along with Ranveer Singh and Ajay Devgn. 
The film employed Shetty&rsquo;s familiar storytelling pattern, complete with its portrayal of &ldquo;bad Muslims, the token good Muslim, and the brave Mumbai cops going bang-bang.&rdquo;
Ranveer Singh&rsquo;s 83, directed by Kabir Khan, dramatized India&rsquo;s 1983 Cricket World Cup victory. 
Singh portrayed Kapil Dev &ldquo;with conviction,&rdquo; while the ensemble cast delivered convincing portrayals of the legendary team. 
The film retained the expected musical flair associated with mainstream Bollywood productions.
Among films attempting fresh themes, Abhishek Kapoor&rsquo;s Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui stood out for centring a romance between a gym trainer, played by Ayushmann Khurrana, and a trans woman portrayed by Vaani Kapoor. 
While its premise broke ground, the film leaned on familiar tropes as it progressed.
OTT content delivered some of the year&rsquo;s most compelling stories. 
Umesh Bist&rsquo;s Pagglait explored the complex, often unexpected ways people process grief through the story of a young widow played by Sanya Malhotra. 
Seema Pahwa&rsquo;s ensemble drama Ramprasad Ki Teravi similarly examined a family navigating loss, echoing chamber-style narratives steeped in interpersonal tensions.
In the streaming space, Ajitpal Singh&rsquo;s Punjabi series Tabbar on SonyLIV emerged as the standout title of the year. 
Blending crime and family drama, the eight-episode series followed a Punjab household pulled into turmoil, led by Pavan Malhotra&rsquo;s acclaimed performance and supported by Supriya Pathak, Ranvir Shorey and Kanwaljeet Singh.
Anirban Bhattacharya&rsquo;s Bengali series Mandaar, a reimagining of Macbeth, was hailed as an atmospheric and underrated adaptation.&nbsp;
Its cast Debashish Mondal, Sohini Sarkar, Debesh Roy Chowdhury and Bhattacharya himself, earned praise for bringing Shakespeare&rsquo;s classic to life in a setting rooted in coastal Bengal.
Subhash Kapoor&rsquo;s Maharani, released in 2021, marked one of Huma Qureshi&rsquo;s most substantial roles. 
The political drama&rsquo;s first season depicted her transformation from a homemaker to a chief minister navigating Bihar&rsquo;s turbulent politics, an arc reminiscent of the Lalu Prasad Yadav&ndash;Rabri Devi era.

Family thriller series Tabbar outshines Bollywood releases

Pandemic-hit Bollywood faltered, while a quiet OTT series rose above major releases

OTT Gem ‘Tabbar’ Eclipsed Big 2021 Films

Pandemic-hit Bollywood faltered, while a quiet OTT series rose above major releases

December 3, 2025 | 17:37 IST