Sanjay Manaktala is a ten year Accenture alumni who now does stand up comedy and creates digital content. His videos have been organically viewed over 35 million times across Facebook, YouTube and Instagram. His work has also been featured on the BBC, CNN.com, 9GAG, Forbes India, Times of India, Buzzfeed, GQ India and many more media outlets. He is also the host and creator of the Birdy Num Num podcast and knows a ton of things IT, Indian stand up comedy and more.
Netflix India continues to invest in Tamil language content, as well as Malayalam and other regional languages which continue to churn out some of the best written films in all of India.
In fact most of these movies end up being remade into Hindi and Bollywood versions. South Indian actors are some of the best in the country and the OTT platform is heavy on showing Indian audiences the best Netflix Tamil movies available.
If you’d rather listen to Audiobooks, Audible currently has the best free trial in India.
Even Amazon Prime is now competing with Netflix, Hotstar, Zee5 and other platforms to bring the best Tamil web series and movies to NRI audiences across the world.
My friend Comedian Praveen Kumar and I were in Chennai last week and we were trying to find a list of popular Tamil movies on Netflix, but we couldn’t really find anything good and with IMDB scores and ratings. So we sat on the train back to Bangalore and put this list together.
What are the best Tamil movies on Netflix?
Baahubali: The Beginning
Bahubali: The Conclusion
Echcharikkai
Goli Soda 2
Kalakalappu
Lens
Merku Thodarchi Malai
Mersal
Nibunan
Oh! Baby
Orange Mittai
Pandigai
Petta
Power Paandi Pa Paandi
Puriyatha Puthir
RadioPetti
Sarkar
Sarvam Thaala Mayam
Sigaram Thodu
Solo
Sometimes
Super Deluxe Movie
Taramani
Thaandavam
Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru
Uriyadi 2
Uyare
Visaranai
Aval (Tamil)| The House Next Door (Hindi) |Gruham (Hindi)
Manusangada (Cry Humanity)
Whether you want superstar Rajinikanth films to enjoy on Netflix, or funny Tamil comedy movies, or drama and suspense type of genres, Netflix has a decent offering of the newest Tamil movies.
There’s no need to mess up your laptop with Tamilrockers, you can simply get good deals these days and watch the movies in high quality on a larger screen and enjoy to your heart’s content.
Best Tamil Language Films on Netflix
These are the most popular Tamil movies on Netflix India as of October 2019.
It opens with strong scene of the hero’s origin and then moves into action, adventure, love and obstacles to find your true self. Fans of mythical figures in India will rejoice as all aspects of religions, cultures, kingdoms, folklore and battles are in abundance in this big budget production.
Baahubali also did 650 crores at the box office and proved to the rest of India the power of South Indian Cinema and South Indian actors. An epic mythology story that will please the entire family for years to come.
If you haven’t seen it, it is definitely one of the blockbuster south Indian films of the last few years.
This ransom crime thriller was a decent first effort for Sarjun KM.
Audiences were divided on the story’s depth and second half but overall if you’re looking for a Tamil crime film to watch tonight and seen all the other films in this list in this genre, go ahead and give it a one time watch.
Starring Sathyaraj, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Kishore, Vivek Rajgopal and Yogi Babu.
4. Goli Soda 2
IMDB: 7.6
I don’t see Part 1 on Netflix but part 2 is here and although maybe not as great as part 1, is a nice movie by itself. The lives of three people who are underdogs in their own unique ways.
SD Vijay Milton makes a nice 2018 film that had reviewers and audiences split. Some said the first half was the second half but I thought it was a decent film.
This 2012 by Sundar C. is a nice family friendly comedy about a man struggling to survive in his restaurant business when love strikes.
One of the best Tamil comedy films on Netflix that is also more or less family friendly. Also is that an iMovie lower third in the thumbnail?
Starring Vimal, Shiva, Anjali, Oviya and Santhanam.
6. Lens
IMDB 7.0
A Malayalam and Tamil film available now on Netflix in both languages about voyeurism gone wrong. This film is also on Amazon Prime. One of the most discussed Tamil digital films of recent years.
Directed by Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan.
Starring Jayaprakash Radakrishnan, Anandsami, Aswathy Lal and Misha Ghoshal.
7. Merku Thodarchi Malai
IMDB 8.8
Small town villagers, the beautiful villages they live in and corporate industrialization are all themes in this award winning 2018 movie by Lenin Bharathi and Vijay Sethupathi.
A must watch Tamil film on Netflix India. The pace is slow however so be warned about that. If you have low attention span or want more drama and tension you may not find it here.
Starring Antony, Gayathri Krishna and Abu Valayankulam.
8. Mersal
IMDB 7.7
Critics called this one of the “year’s best Mass Masala movie.” Super fans of Vijay and the general public will also love it.
A blockbuster action thriller with a medical corruption industry theme. Also the highest grossing film of Vijay’s career.
Starring Vijay, S. J. Surya, Nithya Menen, Samantha, Kajal Aggarwal, Vadivelu and Sathyaraj.
9. Nibunan
IMDB: 6.6
In this 2017 crime-action thriller, three police officers are hunting a serial killer complete with twists and turns.
Great reviews by the Times of India and other Indian newspapers, as well as a 92% audience approval rating on Google makes this a sureshot watch.
Starring Arjun, Prasanna, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar, Sruthi Hariharan and Vaibhav.
Be on the lookout for SA doing some Tamil movies soon!
10. Oh! Baby (Tamil)
IMDB 7.6
This Telugu movie (in Tamil on Netflix) is a remake of a South Korean film “Miss Granny” in which a 70 year old woman then becomes her younger 25 year old self again. A very cool concept that serves well in Tamil cinema.
She is now able to relive her life. Audiences and critics loved this family friendly Tamil comedy movie which is also emotional in parts and will be a great watch with friends or large gatherings.
Starring Samantha Akkineni, Lakshmi, Naga Shaurya and Rajendra Prasad.
11. Orange Mittai
IMDB 6.5
This Tamil comedy film from 2015 is about an old man and ambulance drivers who have to go on a journey together.
A beautiful memory lane nostalgia type of story that father-son sort of folks will truly enjoy.
Starring Vijay Sethupathi, Ramesh Thilak, Aashritha and Karunakaran.
12. Pandigai
IMDB 6.6
A 2017 Tamil Action Thriller film directed by first time director Firoz about an underground fight club.
Naturally, there is also a romantic angle which turns the plot in this nice Tamil movie. They’re a lot of twists and turns which audiences will be sure to enjoy.
13. Petta
IMDB 7.3
A Tamil Action Drama with a 83% google audience rating and of course superstar Rajnikanth. Times of India said the 2019 movie “gives Rajini fans their Thalaivar in a way that they have been dying to see him, celebrating the Rajinisms”
The Karthik Subbaraj movie did 250 CR at the box office and will do a lot more for years to come!
Starring: Rajinikanth, Vijay Sethupathi, Simran, Trisha, Sasikumar, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bobby Simha, Sananth, Megha Akash and Malavika Mohanan.
14. Power Paandi (Pa Paandi)
IMDB: 7.6
In this 2017 film, after arguing with his son, retired stuntman Aman goes to find his first love.
This is a wonderful comedy drama Tamil movie that is enjoyable to watch with the whole family. Themes are mature and not easy subject matter but done in a nice way that will keep audiences thinking about real life and it’s nuances.
Starring Rajkiran, Revathi, Prasanna and Chaya Singh.
15. Puriyatha Puthir
IMDB 6.6
This 2017 psychological thriller film, which was directed by Ranjit Jeyakodi is about blackmail and using the camera on your phone in wrong ways.
A decent one time watch with a social message.
Starring Vijay Sethupathi, Gayathrie and Mahima Nambiar.
16. Radiopetti
IMDB 7.5
Won the audience award at the Busan International Film Festival in 2015.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB4-fE7nmN4
A 70 year old man has issues in this Tamil drama film that was highly reviewed as you’ll have feelings of grandma, old age, nostalgia (who uses a radio still) and more.
Starring Lakshmanan, TVV Ramanujam, Shobana Mohan and Nivas Adithan.
17. Sarkar
IMDB: 6.9
As an NRI, I also enjoyed seeing this NRI story about government corruption and bad voting practices.
This 2018 political action film was actually written AND directed by AR Murugados. Vijay also gives a great performance.
A musical drama film from 2018 that is a feel good story and will keep you smiling throughout the movie. G. V. Prakash Kumar was nominated for some best actor awards.
A movie fanatic turns into a musician. Hmmm, who else is a composer and an actor here in real life?
Starring G. V. Prakash Kumar, Aparna Balamurali, Nedumudi Venu, Vineeth and Kumaravel.
19. Sigaram Thodu
IMDB 6.2
An action thriller father-son police drama type of movie, which has its moments.
This 2014 film is one of the older ones on our list for Tamil movies on Netflix (curious why we don’t see too many older ones?) and not even the highest rated, but fans may enjoy seeing it on the streaming platform.
20. Solo
IMDB 7.1
A 2017 movie that is very experimental in its narration.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ayru92gGrO0
The movie was shot simultaneously in Malayalam and Tamil. Directed by Bejoy Nambiar. Romantic thriller in genre and anthology.
It is not for everyone but has a great climax and if you enjoyed strange plot lines like the Hollywood movie Dunkirk or Kill Bill, you may enjoy the storytelling structure here as it has various worlds and narrative devices.
Starring Dulquer Salmaan in lead role, Dhanshika, Neha Sharma, Sruthi Hariharan, Arthi Venkatesh, Dino Morea, Manoj K. Jayan and Soubin Shahir.
21. Sometimes (Sila Samayangalil)
IMDB: 7.2
This 2017 suspense thriller is a Tamil Netflix Original film which takes place in a hospital waiting room.
This is a Tamil film industry remake of the Malayalam comedy drama Maheshinte Prathikaram.
The movie is about seven strangers who are awaiting their HIV test results to come back and recollect their experiences. It was released directly to Netflix. Premiered at the Mumbai Film Festival and was highly appreciated!
Starring Prakash Raj, Sriya Reddy and Ashok Selvan.
22. Super Deluxe Movie
IMDB: 8.4
Year: 2019
This hit movie is probably the best Tamil movie on Netflix right now.
Four stories are intertwined much like the Hollywood film “Crash.” The film has:
Black comedy,
Suspense
and drama
What more do you want these days? Many great Tamil pop culture references also.
Really deep characters and highly appreciated in this neo-noir type of Tamil genre film. A future masterpiece by Thiagarajan Kumararaja. One of the best new Tamil films of 2019 also.
Starring Vijay Sethupathi, Fahadh Faasil, Samantha and Ramya Krishnan.
As an IT Guy this movie stuck with me for some time.
I think the picture had its moral lessons go over a few people’s heads.
It covers modern topics like virtue signalling and being a single parent. You can’t hide misogyny bro. The plot is a bit all over the place at times but it eventually comes together for better or worse.
A really thought provoking modern 2017 Tamil drama film by director Ram about jealousy, corporate life, family, love, romance and relationships.
Starring Andrea Jeremiah, Anjali, Vasanth Ravi and Adrian Knight Jesly.
24. Thaandavam
IMDB: 6.1
The 2012 movie could have been a bit more chopped down or tighter, but overall still a nice action thriller type of movie with spy type of scenes and mystery angles.
Worth a one time watch as a good Tamil murder mystery film. The lead actor is blind so it keeps you guessing.
Starring Vikram, Jagapati Babu, Anushka Shetty, Amy Jackson and Lakshmi Rai.
25. Theeya Velai Seiyyanum Kumaru
IMDB: 6.1
A software engineering romantic comedy Tamil film a bit more on the lighter side than some of the similar genre movies above.
New freshers in their companies like Accenture or Infosys might relate to this story a little bit. The Tamil version of this 2012 movie was rated higher than the Telugu version.
Starring Siddharth, Hansika Motwani, Santhanam and Ganesh Venkatraman.
This 2019 corruption themed political thriller was a nice 2019 addition to Netflix’s Tamil catalogue of movies that uses the backdrop of Bhopal Gas tragedy.
This Tamil disaster movie sequel was directed by Vijay Kumar and produced by Suriya.
Starring Vijay Kumar, Sudhakar and Vismaya.
27. Uyare (Tamil)
IMDB: 8.1
In this 2019 Malayalam movie, a girl wants to be a pilot but falls prey to an acid attack. Netflix has this version in Tamil.
An important movie with a great message about important issues and also surviving the odds against you and hardships.
Starring Parvathy Thiruvothu, Asif Ali and Tovino Thomas.
28. Visaranai
IMDB: 8.5
This 2015 movie was written and directed by Vetrimaaran. An excellent crime and thriller and drama film. Premiered at the Venice Film Festival where it was also praised. One of the best Tamil films on Netflix India and a must watch suspense film.
This film received the best movie award in 2016. Awesome climax and fantastic acting by the whole team.
Finally a horror movie from Tamil and Telugu and Hindi cinema (the movie was shot in three languageS) that matches the CGI, production and most importantly, plot/storyline of a good Hollywood horror film.
This is a great step forward for Indian cinema to actually make good jump scares and keep you gripped to your seat.
Major credit to Milind Rau for this 2017 horror film. Don’t read too much about it, just know it’s one of the best new Indian horror films you can watch on Netflix now.
CAST: Siddharth and Andrea Jeremiah.
30. Manusangada (Cry Humanity)
This film festival favorite won many awards and is a Tamil movie about Dalit struggles in India. It’s a sad, very heavy film about caste divide in India that does not tie it up in a war and fuzzy feeling, that is partly the reality right?
A great independent Indian film that’s based on a true story about how we look down at those who are less fortunate in modern Indian society, even after passing.
Amshan Kumar made a great film that is only 93 minutes long and will leave you thinking and hurting and hopefully being a better human being as time goes on.
CAST: Rajeev Anand, Manimegalai, A.S.Sasikumar, Sheela Rajkumar, Vidhur Rajarajan, Sethu Darwin and Anand Sampath.
Did we miss any of your favorite Netflix Tamil movies on this list? Let me know in the comments, and if you have any suggestions to add feel free to ping me on Instagram. South Indian movies continue to get better and better so we will maintain this list monthly.
Sanjay Manaktala is a stand-up comedian, author of the Harper Collins Book “My Beta Does Computer Things: You’re Guide to the IT Industry” and digital content creator. His latest effort is the Birdy Num Num podcast, helping you learn creativity in life after engineering. You can learn about Sanjay here or check out his stand up comedy YouTube channel here.
I saw my other young friends who were working in consulting and banking and traveling around the world and I wanted to do the same.
To be honest, when I applied I just cared about getting frequent flier points and hotel stays. The specific details of the type of work and technology I didn’t care about as long as I was in tech, at a big company, and my salary was similar to my peers which was my only frame of reference.
However, despite the usual “finding what you really want to do” struggle (and existential despair) of being young and in your twenties, I had a great time working there.
Consulting and corporate life get a bad rap, but although there were many Michael Scott from The Office types of days, large-tech and consulting companies are a nice extension of college and give you time and money and at least ONE direction to start moving towards.
Where you go from there is up to you.
I had no other ambitions but a paycheck and student loan repayment (who does at 22) so this was just fine by me.
It was fun, it was tough, there were long days and easy ones, but overall I took care of them by doing what I was supposed to (even when I initially had no clue how to) and they took care of me with decent pay and stocks that eventually did better.
I was also grateful that Google existed and I didn’t need 600 Java or SQL or Business Objects (now an SAP product) manuals on my desk like all the older folks.
I personally:
spent four years flying around the USA,
went to St. Charles (near Chicago) a bunch of times for various training weeks (which is awesome when you’re younger),
took a few months leave of absence to debate going to business school,
then got an expat gig in India and decided to embrace it.
I spent the next 5 years in Bangalore, Mumbai, and Chennai just living the outsourcing lifestyle while pursuing my comedy hobbies as a young single dude on the side. Even when I was still in India, I got to take a leave of absence again to decide whether I wanted to stay or go.
I left in 2016 to do stand up comedy and digital stuff full time, as there was a comedy revolution in India and for better or worse (in hindsight) I wanted to be a part of it. Not because Accenture sucked (it was fine), or my boss sucked (he was great), or that I hated being in the corporate world (I love nice offices and free food and per diems I don’t always spend), but I just had this creative itch that wasn’t going to go anywhere and found something I liked doing even more so than the cool tech job with good perks and pay.
Had I never discovered comedy and YouTube and even writing this blog (all of which is much harder than staying up late fixing database issues), I’d probably still be there trying to sign million-dollar analytics deals, reading white papers, attending conferences, reviewing IT strategy roadmap decks and pretending to be excited on all the client calls.
I got some jokes about working in Tech Consulting here 🙂
I won’t lie and say I was “super passionate about helping our clients achieve high performance” or whatever corporate BS you have to say (which clients can sniff a mile away), but I found a job I liked and that was good at, which was just swell.
I think most people in tech who don’t flat out hate their job probably feel the same way.
It’s not rocket science, but you’re getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to do something respectable, not super stressful yet sometimes challenging, and compensates you to live the life you really want (family, house, perks, boat, travel, whatever).
What’s so bad about that?
You can be a VP at Salesforce and be happy, or you can be an entrepreneur and be miserable, or vice versa. A job, just like spouse or kids won’t make you happy. It’ll just help get you there.
Most People’s Experience in IT or Corporate Life
A lot of people, both in India and America have a strange sense of entitlement on what companies are supposed to do for them. And the more the companies give, the more we expect.
In fact, I once met the CEO of another massive IT company that rhymes with “WINFO-CISS” and he said the same thing, that the youth expects too much too soon without putting in the time.
It’s like “Bro, that’s great you’re 22 and you want someone to send you to America or Sweden tomorrow, but put in the time for a few years so we know that if we train you, you won’t just leave for another company to make $5K more ok?
In India, you’ll hear things like “Biggest thieves dirty IT scoundrels and cheats they owe me two weeks back pay after I quit” and in America, you’ll hear people talking about busting their butts or being a corporate slave or whatever else people write on Glassdoor.
But like, give me a break maybe?
Take control of your destiny and extensive resources and make good things happen for yourself chief. Quit and start elsewhere if you find yourself in one of those miserable password reset support roles with no end in sight or step up and put in the hard work and emails and training courses to find something else, either internally or externally.
Everybody who complains about their job acts like it’s the company’s fault, when these days so many massive companies give you so many benefits and leeway.
The only thing they can’t teach you to do is to speak up for yourself, which you’ll have to learn on your own.
Many large tech companies even have these “make your own role” type of opportunities where you can just find your own corner to be productive in after a few years, yet people are still just jaded and upset.
The reality, I think is that people probably have bigger problems which they just want to blame on their employer (or spouse, or society) than figuring it out for themselves.
Remember That All Jobs Can Suck
I’m not saying Accenture is this amazing place, or technology consulting is all fun and no boring soul-crushing work sometimes, I’m just letting you know that every job can suck.
Projects can be a waste of budget or be pointless,
Managers can be horrible (I met a few at Accenture just like anywhere else)
Finding purpose in your work on some ERP system you have no clue about for people you’ll never meet isn’t exactly easy.
But neither is eating your vegetables, learning to code or trying to learn a foreign language.
Eventually, however, you grow past it, find a way to make things line up for you, and build a unique experience that you’ll hopefully know what to do with down the road. In millennial words, you learn how to monetize your resume.
Also, you ever notice you only pay attention to the bad reviews and skim past the good ones? Restaurants, Amazon products, and yes, even at large companies on job review sites.
Is Accenture A Good Place to Work?
Accenture is a great place to work if you want a career, but not just a job.
They give you a couple of basic skills or put you on a technology path, but then you’re kind of just a freelancer looking for jobs again, only this time all the jobs are within Accenture.
From there you make contacts, upskill your resume and play the game of squeezing as much out of it as you can.
You could end up on some lame role QA testing stuff for 5 years being miserable or you could learn how to convince someone 3 years older than you (a skill you’ll need anyways in life) to find a way out of that role, learn Python in your free time and then find another project you like.
In America, you’ll likely deal with folks in India to get things done while doing business analyst or reporting type stuff for a client, and in India, you’ll probably be more technical and manage your own teamwhile also reporting to your US counterparts.
Eventually, you move up and now your responsibility is to keep pushing your clients for more projects *cough* sales *cough*, and more money means more pressure, meetings, targets, etc… A lot of people exit here (as I did) to do other things elsewhere, and many other push through to be a partner and hopefully find a happy medium for themselves.
It basically becomes a game of executives keeping other executives happy.
Accenture Work Culture
If I had to describe the Accenture work culture I’d say they look for people who are the cool kids in the room, but the nerds in their families.
If you’re just a Java or programming ninja with no social skills or get nervous giving a powerpoint demo for 3 people, you’ll have to learn soon or better just work as a coder somewhere else.
Similarly, if you’re a sales guy or girl who won’t touch even a piece of HTML or SQL, you’ll probably have a hard time too.
If you want a company that holds your hand every step of the way, telling you what to do and when to do it (which is fine), the other players might be better. If you like uncertainty and doubt but trying to find your own path (in a somewhat closed structure) then Accenture could work for you.
What does Accenture Do?
Accenture is a technology consulting firm. They’re in the B2B (business to business) space and are a massive corporation that helps other corporations with their (majority) software projects.
The funny thing is I bet you that most 22-year-olds who get hired into tech consulting companies really have no idea what they do either.
For example, a company like Citibank might need building or upgrading its online banking service, or ATM software or credit card systems.
Since the tech part is not part of their core business, (e.g. someone who helps open more checking accounts doesn’t care about upgrading Linux or Windows on the banking server), they’ll usually hire Accenture (or TCS or Deloitte or whoever) to manage that. Accenture may then keep a lot of those employees in India to cut their own costs, with a bunch of expats to oversee it all.
On a similar note, a company like Accenture might have 10,000 expats, all of whom need’ to figure out their taxes when spending 4 months in Texas and 8 in India. Who pays for what? So they hire Ernst and Young for figure out 10,000 complicated tax returns.
And Ernst and Young might have a hard time recruiting hot-shot kids from college who could work at social media startups, but instead, they need to convince them that taxes are exciting. So they’ll consult with a recruitment agency that may specialize in Instagram or Social Media HR for that.
Accenture Work Timings
Usually, in America, you’ll work about 8:30 AM to 7 PM with random downtime in the middle, and in India, the timings are like 10 AM to 7 PM with a lot of chilling in the middle.
Chai breaks, long walks around the campus, whatever. Of course, if you’re busy you minimize those, but the culture is a lot more relaxed since a lot of people feel they’ll take a call later at night or early morning.
I spent about 45 hours a week, usually working from 8 AM to 6 PM and checking emails here and there in the evenings just to look like I was busy.
Shorter Projects are Worse Than Longer Project
I did get put on one project for 2 months that was a nightmare, where I worked 8 AM to 1 AM pretty much daily, but looking back I’m glad I learned how to make things happen when my back was against the wall. I honestly don’t remember if I put in overtime or not then, but it was a nightmare but also something I thought “you just do as you pay your dues.” In reality, I just had a bad manager who didn’t tell us what we were supposed to do and then we just ran around trying to figure it out.
The Pros and Cons of Working at Accenture
Accenture has a fantastic employee referral program (at least it did when I was there) and the higher the position, the more you’ll get if the employee is hired and stays there six months.
For example, someone who gets a friend or ex-colleague hired at a Manager level with Analytics or SAP (whichever app or system) could make $7500 to $15,000 or more (taxed at half though).
They also recruit heavily in India and at campuses across America and the world, so there really is an opportunity at every corner and anywhere in the world.
If you’re on a bad project, you can put in six months to a year and then start making excuses to get out it of and go somewhere else.
The pay is competitive but not the highest. A lot of people can earn double working as a contractor for a client they stared at while still with Accenture (happens all the time), but then they have sort out their health insurance, taxes, whatever while also losing stocks in a bull market (which we’ve been lucky to be in for some time).
The travel is exciting when you’re younger, being 25 and in the business class seat. It sucks after a while and you never want to see a hotel again.
A lot of tech projects are for support and development on systems you don’t care about and never will.
It’s hard to see the impact or find meaning from your work (I know it sounds harsh but I’d say the same thing about finance and investment bankers as well).
So many company emails and organizational changes and people you sometimes don’t know who’s who. You also start ignoring every email or townhall session.
As with any company, you can also find a corner and earn six figures doing nothing for 6 hours a day and think it’s cool and then eventually just be miserable.
It’s the only tech company I know where you learn tech skills, office politics, public speaking, HR (even if you’re a developer) and more all in one go.
Should you work at Accenture? I can only give you my experience, but if you’re tech-savvy and also fairly extroverted it might be a good fit.
If not, you still can but it might be out of your comfort zone. You’ll definitely be a lot more well rounded than someone who just worked at Microsoft for ten years, and might get 15 years of work experience in half the time.
So if that sounds cool with you, for sure.
On the other hand, it iss hard to bounce around the country migrating databases if you’re strictly technical and don’t care beyond the role itself. Or if you have a family or don’t like to travel or just want something a bit more stable and straightforward, I’d advise against it.
Although, who really has a stable life in today’s fast-paced world anyways right?
Let me know your feedback and thoughts in the comments, if you quit, are still there or debating. I’d love to jam on that with you!
Sanjay Manaktala worked in IT for ten years and now does stand up comedy and digital content creation. His Book My Beta Does Computer Things was recently published by Harper Collins.
I was answering a couple of questions about dating on my podcast yesterday and one of the questions was from a girl who has always been a supporter of mine.
Results at the end of this post (700 votes)
I didn’t expect this question from her but it also made me realize this is a very common situation not just in America or India but pretty much everywhere. So I thought I’d list out my thoughts.
Should you date someone older than you? I personally believe it’s fine to date someone older, as long you’re very honest WITH YOURSELF about the pros and cons of doing so. Usually, anything more than a 7 year age gap will mean that you’re at very different places in life. This can cause long term friction in relationships.
This is my just my experience so I thought I’d explain a lot more details and examples of what I mean. If you’re dating someone and have a different experience please let me know in the comments. And if you’ve already started dating someone older and are hopelessly in love, well…good luck.
Should You Date an Older Guy?
Well, it depends. What’s important to you?
I grew up in the online dating world of Match.com and OkCupid and then witnessed the Tinder and Bumble generation when I had some bit of maturity about the opposite sex.
I know the apps have really changed the rules of dating and part of that is we really just swipe on a person’s highlight reel, not the behind the scenes which is the real version of their personality.
Seeing a 35 or 40-year-old dude who flies planes, has a boat, is in good shape, killing it at his career and/or rocking the salt and pepper hair (hey there) can be enticing and also welcoming from the younger non-commital culture.
Video podcast where I answer a question about dating a divorced dude with 2 kids. (around 30:00)
Benefits of Dating an Older Man
It’s nice to know someone has their stuff together and if you’re 22 or 30 and see someone in their 30s or 40s, they’re a lot of pros to dating an older dude. Specifically:
They’re usually done screwing around.
They will have their career and finances sorted.
They know what they want. (well, maybe)
They recognize their metabolism has slowed down so they’re active.
Most are a lot more accepting of marriage in their 30s (or 40s) than they would have been at 27.
Cons of Dating an Older Man
Of course, all the pros of dating an older dude also have some negatives.
One of the hardest parts for guys of all ages, at least with long term dating or marriage is not the marriage itself…it’s just learning how to not be single.
We grow up so used to figuring our own meals, lazing around letting things be a little dusty, forgetting to call back or make plans that many times this can be unsettling for a long term partner. Now imagine all of that PLUS an 8-10 year age gap, and they’re a few cons to dating an older dude.
If you’re a 24 or 25-year-old girl who still wants to go clubbing every weekend, go on an excursion filled holidays to Bali or Thailand, want to spend the whole night in the you know what or simply talk till 2am…you also have a lot to think about:
They’re done with the wild birthday nights and after-parties. They wanna go home by 11 and watch Netflix or do stuff on their laptop.
He doesn’t want to travel every free moment or go to brunch every Sunday.
Might have ex-wives or kids or other baggage you may find difficult, even if you think it’s mature to just deal with it.
Usually pretends to be more outgoing and energetic than he actually is.
Pretty set in his ways after 30+ years of doing so (food, health, alcohol, job, entertainment, etc…)
Probably one and done in the “you know what” department.
I’m not saying dating an older guy doesn’t work. I’m just saying don’t think that if you’re 22 and a 35-year-old wants to marry you, when you’re 27 and he’s 40 that there won’t be minor hiccups.
Maybe on your 27th birthday, all your girlfriends want to go to Vegas or Goa and he can’t or won’t.
Maybe you were pressured to have kids too soon (or maybe it was perfect for you) and feel you compromised too soon.
Maybe he wants to whisk you away to another country forever while you still want to do that masters program at home.
Maybe you still like ordering in while he likes to cook at home and expects you too also…who really knows?
You just need to know what you’re sacrificing or compromising on, which is usually going to fall on the younger partner because usually an older guy or girl won’t take a younger person’s problems as seriously because they’ve moved on from that phase. (e.g. bachelor parties, office functions, whatever).
Tips on Dating an Older Guy
If you’re dating or married to someone at least 6 years older, there are a few tips you should know about all of us, from 25 to 50.
1. We’re not as busy as we’d have you believe.
Just like a 25-year-old looked like this super fancy dude when you were 19, a 35-year-old is the same immature person, just with a bit more money.
So if you’re 27 and your 35-year-old dude is saying he’s tired, or doesn’t have the time (yet is pretty active on Instagram), just know for those people who are serious about their relationships…there is always time. Call them on their bluff and watch them sheepishly agree or laugh and say “ok let’s go meet your friends.”
2. Set expectations from the get to.
An older podcast about Tinder and the new rules of Dating.
It’s nice to date someone older because they ground you in what’s important. Spending quality time or not going out every Friday is a good thing.
Later, even though he didn’t do it at your age, you might be glad you had kids at 29 versus 36.
But I would say at the very least if an older guy wants to date you seriously or long term, make sure you’re vocal about your wants, desires, and expectations.
Express your hesitations and hold them accountable. “I told you my friends 25th birthday is important and we have to go, now why are you being a jerk and saying you want to stay in, etc…”
And if your parents express their doubt, it’s not bad parenting, it’s just being cautious.
3. Excess Baggage is well, extra.
I don’t care if you’re 1 pound over or 10, those airlines are going to get you to pay. And usually, if you pay for one pound, you’re paying for an extra suitcase. In the same way, if your older dude has kids or an ex-wife or (yes, very common) still married and said he’s “working on a separation,” well, trust me…this issue can and will come up.
I know you say you’re “so chill” and it’s going to be fine, but I have seen girl friends of mine make these mistakes time after time because they had wishful thinking about a lot of this stuff.
A lot of older guys are just lonely in whatever phase of divorce or late 30s they’re in and they’ll probably tell you their baggage isn’t over the weight limit because well, that’s how you board the flight and get to where you’re going.
Now for the young chaps…
Should You Date Older Women?
Well, how much older is she?
A lot of young guys like to joke about cougars and “Bro, she’s like 34, she’s so wild bro, she knows things” and all of that.
But a lot of those same guys are just all macho talk and want the companionship and sadly, need to be babied and looked after.
Regardless, if you’re a 22 to a 30-year-old man and you’re seeing (or will see) someone older, then you should weigh the pros and cons as well.
Benefits of Dating an Older Woman
Older women are usually more clear about their lives and what they want and when they want it.
Sure some 30 something women drift around in Goa or shun corporate life while not doing anything else as an alternative. However, compared to SOME 22-year-olds who are just confused and pick a grad school mindlessly or take whatever job they can, older women, for the most part, are trying to line things up for the long term.
Usually, if you’re dating a woman that’s 5 to 10 years older than you, the benefits include:
Less silly games and jealousy that we all suffer from in our youth.
Working professional that has chosen a direction.
Probably enjoys chilling at home rather than going out all the time (if that’s you too).
Enjoys things like hikes, gym, parks, movies as opposed to bars and clubs and holidays.
Probably has a dog or a cat (hopefully you do too?).
Family-oriented.
They will give you a good mature butt kick to get your life in order (e.g. finances, health, friends, etc..)
Cons of Dating an Older Woman
One of the most emailed podcasts.
As usual, let’s start with the obvious.
And again, these are from a younger guy’s point of view, not from a similar like-minded 34-year-old guy.
Girls between 28 and 35 usually want to make sure this is going to end in marriage, where you might just think this is a 1-2 year fling.
The ticking clock for kids is an added pressure.
Chances are, you’ll have large financial differences which may or may not cause issues. (buying or renting a house, travel, personal tastes, etc…)
May expect more out of you than bars and Netflix (e.g. more meaningful conversations).
May not 100% communicate what is really important to her with the hopes that you’ll want to settle down, then simply waste another 2-3 years.
Tips on Dating an Older Woman
If you’re a 22 to 25-year-old man and seeing a girl in her thirties or forties, here’s some guidance for ideally both of you.
1. She Probably Wants To Get Married, Even if She Says She Doesn’t
I’m not saying she wants to have kids or marry you tomorrow, but unless she’s divorced with kids and not looking to do all of that over again, chances are she wants to get some stability and move on to the next phase of life.
A lot of girls I know, again, will say one thing just not to scare off the younger dude they’re dating, but we all want companionship and usually, women are keener than guys to do that sooner in life.
So if you found yourself a nice cute sugar mama just make sure you’re honest with her that you plan to bounce in the next few years or this is just fun for you, because it’s not going to get any easier on either of you when you tell her you’re moving to Thailand at 27 when she’s 33 in the city.
2. Relationships Are Way More than Physical
When you’re 21 or 25 with a little bit of career swag, most guys just want to make up for lost time and try to hook up with everything that moves. This can be exciting if you start seeing someone older but trust me, it gets old fast.
I know it won’t make sense to your testosterone and Instagram model filled daily life, but if you don’t know this beyond three months of a honeymoon phase you’ll learn soon enough. Make sure if you are into someone much older it’s because they’re just the coolest person you’ve ever met, irrespective of their age relative to you.
3. It’s Ok to Man Up
A lot of guys will get high fives from their buddies when hooking up with an older girl, then also get called whipped or changed when they no longer come out every Friday, party less, or get caught making pasta on her Instagram story.
Your friends your age are going to continue to party away their 20s, so as long as you’re fine exiting that lifestyle, by all means, march on. Nobody ever says “I’m so glad I went out drinking on that pointless Friday night seven years ago” but people regret a lot of wasted time, all the time.
So if you find someone older who isn’t really changing you but just making you a better version of yourself, go ignore the noise and enjoy your life (and this is true for dating in general).
450 for yes, 244 for no. For once I don’t agree with the audience but hey what’s what learning is all about 🙂
I know so many girls who stay in relationships after 30 that are clearly going nowhere, and instead of making a clean break and starting over, they double down and then are single again at 34.
I also know so many guys who date a younger girl thinking they can keep up, going back to their lazy comfy ways and then disappointing that person who’s just trying to revel in their youth.
Instead, I wish both of those girls and guys realized while yes it sucks to start over at 31-35 year of age, you’ll probably now have the skills to identify the right one a lot faster and make a better long term decision even if after dating someone for just a year or two in those later years.
You may not know what you want, but you’ll definitely know what you don’t want and that ends up taking you the rest of the way there.
Does that make sense?
It did for my parents and maybe yours too.
While dating someone much older in today’s digital world is personally not advised (by me), it’s just something you need to tread with caution in an already complicated modern dating landscape.
Plenty of people use less social media, are truly happy about their partner and life goals when younger, and put a determination towards their relationships that many of us don’t.
In fact, I ‘ve noticed that most of us who grew up in big cities are so confused, that in our 30s we realize the small-town folks who got married young had it right all along.
If you have that conviction and have very clear goals about what you both want…well, happy dating 🙂
Amazon Prime is investing heavily in Hindi and Indian content.
From thrillers to comedy to truly original independent films featuring some of India’s biggest stars and talented actors, there is so much choice it’s hard to decide.
So I put this guide together after my wife and I spent hours figuring out what to watch and then just giving up due to the paradox of choice. I hope it helps you decide what to watch.
What are the best Indian and Bollywood movies on Amazon Prime India?
102 Not Out (7.5)
2.0 Hindi (6.4)
2016 the End (6.2)
Aarakshan (6.2)
Aashiqui 2 (7.0)
Agneepath (6.9)
Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain (6.8)
Ankhon Dekhi (8.0)
Ankur Arora Murder Case (6.5)
Arjun Patiala (4.0)
Aurangzeb (6.5)
Badrinath Ki Dulhania (6.2)
Bajrangi Bhaijaan (8.0)
Band Baaja Baaraat (7.2)
Bhanwarey (7.3)
Bharat (5.5)
Bhindi Baazaar (6.2)
Bhouri (6.8)
Blackmail (7.0)
Brothers (6.5)
Chaarfutiya Chhokare (6.4)
Chhota Bheem Kung Fu Dhamaka (6.7)
Citylights (7.3)
Daddy (6.3)
Dark Side of Life Mumbai City (7.2)
Dashing Detective (7.5)
Dedh Ishqiya (7.1)
Detective Byomkesh Bakshy (7.6)
Dil Dhadakne Do (6.8)
Dil Jo Na Keh Saka (7.0)
Don 2 (7.0)
Dum Laga Ke Haisha (7.5)
Fan (7.1)
Fastey Fasaatey (6.4)
Fidaa (7.5)
Fukrey (6.9)
Fukrey Returns (6.5)
Gangs of Wasseypur Part 1 (8.2)
Gangs of Wasseypur Part 2 (8.2)
Gold (7.3)
Gully Boy (8.3)
Hamari Adhuri Kahani (6.7)
Hasee Toh Phasee (6.8)
Hichki (7.5)
Hindi Medium (7.8)
Hunterrr (7.0)
Intelligent Khiladi aka Goodachari (7.8)
Ishaqzaade (6.5)
Ishqiya (7.3)
J.D. 2017 (6.5)
Jab Tak hai Jaan (6.7)
Jalpari the Desert Mermaid (7.2)
Kabali (6.2)
Kalank (3.6)
Kapoor and Sons(7.7)
Karthik Calling Karthik (7.0)
Karwaan (7.5)
Kesari (7.5)
KGF Chapter 1 (8.2)
Kshay (6.9)
Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl (5.9)
lashtam pashtam 2018 (6.5)
Lipstick Under My Burkha (6.8)
Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi (6.5)
Mardaani (7.3)
Mere Dad Ki Maruti (6.4)
Mitron (6.9)
Mujhse Fraaandship Karoge (6.9)
Murder 2 2011 (6.2)
Newton (7.7)
October (7.5)
Padmavat (7.0)
Parched (7.6)
Pari (6.6)
Pataakha (7.2)
Photograph (6.8)
Poorna (7.8)
Raazi (7.8)
Ribbon (6.9)
Rough book (7.3)
RX 100 (6.9)
Sarbjit (7.2)
Shivaay (6.2)
Shreelancer, (7.2)
Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety (7.1)
Student of the Year 2 (2.4)
Sultan (7.1)
Talaash (7.2)
The Ghazi Attack (7.6)
Theeran (8.3)
Theri (7.1)
Tiger Zinda Hai (6.0)
Titli (7.5)
Trapped (7.5)
Tumbbad (8.2)
Tumhari Sulu (7.0)
U-Turn (7.5)
Ugly (8.1)
Union Leader (7.6)
Wazir (7.1)
Yeh Jawaani hai Deewani (7.1)
Zed Plus (6.5)
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (8.1)
Zubaan (6.2)
Even with high ratings and awards not every movie is a good choice. They’re various factors to look into and you can read a few lines below on each film to figure out which one is right for you and your partner, family or kids.
Best Bollywood Movies on Amazon Prime India
These are the best Hindi (and few regional) movies on Amazon Prime India as of October 2019.
1. 102 Not Out
IMDB: 7.5
An India drama comedy film with big stars, this 2018 movie will be loved by anybody above 50 and is honestly fun for the whole family.
Put it on if grandparents are over, based on a Gujarati play. Reminds me of Grumpy Old Men from Hollywood.
Starring Amitabh Bachchan Rishi Kapoor and Jimit Trivedi.
2. 2.0
IMDB: 6.4
Whoa so weird that its also number 2 on this list.
Ok, I know if you don’t get some of these movies are meant to suspend your belief and be generous with that suspension but I enjoyed this flick.
This 2018 movie is a Tamil-Hindi science fiction film and has a decent message.
Simon Abrahams of RogerEbert.com gave the 3.5 stars and said “Against all reason–against all common sense–2.0 works, and in a big, big way.
Give it a watch if you’re in the mood for this genre and it’s safe for the full family! A great Indian popcorn flick!
Starring Rajinikanth, Akshay Kumar, Amy Jackson and Sudhanshu Pandey.
3. 2016 The End
IMDB: 6.2
An apocalyptic Hindi comedy film with a few funny moments about what four friends would (unrealistically) do if you knew the world was going to end.
If you like movies in the stoner comedy genre or want something kind of like Delhi Belly but not quite goa head. It wasn’t as bad as I expected and a fun one time watch.
Starring Harshad Chopda, Priya Banerjee, Divyendu Sharma and Kiku Sharda.
4. Aarakshan
IMDB: 6.2
The supreme court of India makes friendships tested.
This movie is a slow burn and it’s a movie to appreciate acting, kind of how people enjoyed Glengarry Glen Ross.
Maybe it will age well with time, but speaking of time this movie is very long.
You might get bored or you might just enjoy the talent on screen, but definitely not a popcorn flick.
Starring Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Manoj Bajpayee, Deepika Padukone and Prateik Babbar.
5. Aashiqui 2
IMDB: 7.0
A really great film for hardcore romantic fans.
Great chemistry between the main characters and they really play off each other well in this 2013 film.
Starring Aditya Roy Kapoor and Shraddha Kapoor.
6. Agneepath
IMDB: 6.9
A great blockbuster film with a star-studded cast, that opens and ends with tension.
This 2012 Bollywood film is all about revenge.
Starring Hrithik Roshan, Sanjay Dutt, Rishi Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra, Om Puri and Zarina Wahab.
7. Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain
IMDB: 6.8
This 2018 movie that translates to “how do you say that in English?!?” was widely appreciated by critics and did the film festival rounds in New York City and Jaipur.
It has great actors but didn’t do much in terms of the box office collections department. One of those movies you hear die hard fans say “please Bollywood push movies like this instead of that masala crap” type of flicks.
A good watch to see some actors doing what they do best, however.
Speaking of Sanjay Mishra, what a film you need to watch and warning, you will cry in this 2013 film written by Rajat Kapoor (who I also met in 2013 btw!)
The story isn’t for everyone but if you give it time you will take something away after watching this film.
We need more movies like this. Way better again than the crap you see in theaters week after week.
Starring: Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, and Rajat Kapoor.
9. Ankur Arora Murder Case
IMDB: 6.5
Arjun Mathur is finally getting his due after Made in Heaven and I’m glad he is because he’s been putting in the time.
This 2013 movie of his about hospitals, doctors and courtroom drama is sure to grab your attention.
Starring Arjun Mathur, Kay Kay Menon, Vishakha Singh, Tisca Chopra, and Paoli Dam.
10. Aurangzeb
IMDB: 6.5
A few plot holes in the movie but a decent action crime thriller type of criminal-cop-drama.
One of the better 2013 Bollywood movies in this mystery genre.
Starring Rishi Kapoor, Jackie Shroff, Arjun Kapoor, Prithviraj Sukumaran, Sasha Agha, and Swara Bhaskar.
11. Badrinath Ki Dulhania
IMDB: 6.2
This 2017 movie had two leads who again had a lot of chemistry and because they connected so well they were able to tackle sensitive issues with taste.
Starring: Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt.
12. Bajrangi Bhaijaan
IMDB: 8.0
Salman Khan gave everybody, from fanboys to masses something to praise him for with this 2015 film that was one of the highest grossing Bollywood films of all time.
A really unique comedy-drama Hindi film.
If you haven’t seen it, go ahead and watch it already as it was critically acclaimed.
Starring Salman Khan, Harshaali Malhotra, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, and Kareena Kapoor Khan.
13. Band Baaja Baaraat
IMDB: 7.2
This 2010 film is one of the oldest on this list by Amazon Prime but a classic Bollywood film in many ways. Plays on the Delhi mentality that so many movies revel in.
It’s a really fun family film that appeals to a lot of people for various reasons, most notably the Big Fat Indian Wedding.
Especially fun to watch years later after watching Zoya’s Made in Heaven!
Starring Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma.
14. Bhanwarey
IMDB: 7.3
An Indian dark comedy in Hindi, this 2017 film was written, directed and produced by the same person, aka the lead actor.
Not too many reviews but give it a go if you’re looking for a Delhi Belly alternative. If you don’t enjoy it after 15 minutes go ahead and bounce but it has its moments.
If you didn’t enjoy the trailer then don’t watch it at all, however.
I really enjoyed this Hindi black comedy from 2018 and Irrfan is great in a funny satire like this.
The comedy of errors of constant blackmail is also done well.
Starring Irrfan Khan, Kirti Kulhari, Divya Dutta, Arunoday Singh and Omi Vaidya.
17. Brothers
IMDB: 6.5
Many fans were split that it was too much drama and not enough sport, but this 2015 film is a testosterone movie about MMA and fighting.
It’s a Bollywood Indian remake of the Hollywood movie Warrior.
Two brothers, fighting and family drama? Sign me up.
Starring Akshay Kumar, Sidharth Malhotra, Jacqueline Fernandez and Jackie Shroff.
18. Chaarfutiya Chhokare
IMDB: 6.4
This 2014 is about an NRI girl who returns to India to start some NGO work in the villages but realizes there’s a dark side to village life and exploitation is abundant.
Starring Soha Ali Khan, Harsh Mayar, Seema Biswas, Mukesh Tiwari, Zakir Hussain, Suhas Sirsat, Lekh Tandon and Umesh Jagtap.
19. Chhota Bheem Kung Fu Dhamaka
IMDB: 6.7
Put this on and let the kids enjoy themselves, one of the best Hindi movies for kids on Amazon Prime.
Of course, if you’re comparing to Kung Fu Panda and the likes it’s a little behind in CGI and story but for the budget, I was very impressed, even if I didn’t pay attention and just played it to keep the kids quiet.
20. Citylights
IMDB: 7.3
Fox Searchlight picks some indie winners. This is a tragic 2014 film that has outstanding acting by Rajkummar Rao.
Really glad Amazon picked it up.
You will cry by the end of it so be warned.
Starring: Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha.
21. Daddy
IMDB: 6.3
A political crime drama type of movie, if you like this gangster flicks you’re sure to enjoy this 2017 nailbiter.
This 2017 Tamil film has a Hindi option on Amazon prime and I’m glad it does. If you like movies heavy on good story give this one a watch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdRVy5byVcA
The original title was Thupparivaalan.
Starring Vishal, Prasanna, Vinay, Anu Emmanuel, and Andrea Jeremiah.
23. Dedh Ishqiya
IMDB: 7.1
This 2014 Hindi black comedy is great and star studded. Unfortunately, it is not for the masses who may not get all the subtle humor or simply can’t relate to it.
It’s a very intelligent comedy and I highly urge if you’re tired of lazy filmmaking you watch this and appreciate the art of writing and cinema to see a well written Bollywood film.
Starring Madhuri Dixit, Arshad Warsi, Naseeruddin Shah and Huma Qureshi.
24. Detective Byomkesh Bakshy!
IMDB: 7.6
A 1940s Bollywood period piece about mystery and crime-solving.
India needs to make more movies like this.
This 2015 ode to Bengali fiction is a great thriller mystery film that proof that Bollywood can still sometimes produce a great story.
Honestly, such a fun movie to watch.
If you haven’t seen it make sure you do if any of the movies on this list.
Starring Sushant Singh Rajput, Anand Tiwari and Swastika Mukherjee.
25. Dil Dhadakne Do
IMDB: 6.8
I personally didn’t enjoy this 2015 film but my brother kept it on the TV so I just watched it and despite it’s snooty shortcomings I guess the stars make it an interesting watch.
The upper middle class Indian’s first world problems seem to be a bit hard to empathize with (ironic from me considering I grew up in Los Angeles) but there is something on the screen that keeps you watching.
I guess that’s the Zoya Akhtar charm to pull off a family holiday on a cruise ship relating to the Indian masses.
A small low budget film that is a little charming but nothing great. Watch if you’ve seen everything else on this list. There is even a (LOL) typo in the trailer.
Starring Himansh kohli, Priya Banerjee and Manoj Pahwa.
27. Don 2
IMDB: 7.0
Talk about having some of the biggest stars in the world. Farhan got everybody in this 2011 Don sequel.
It’s a great blockbuster crime thriller that keeps you engaged until the end, even if they’re some boring scenes in between.
Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Kunal Kapoor, Boman Irani, and Om Puri.
28. Dum Laga Ke Haisha
IMDB: 7.5
Yash Raj Films picks some interesting films and this one was a great effort.
This 2015 film about a guy who has an arranged marriage to an overweight girl covers a lot of ground and themes about Indian society and beauty. The tagline on the poster was “Love comes in all shapes and sizes!”
Starring Ayushmann Khurana and Bhumi Pednekar.
29. Fan
IMDB: 7.1
Shah Rukh Khan gets teased for being too into himself.
So Shah Rukh Khan makes a movie about Shah Rukh Khan being obsessed with Shah Rukh Khan, starring Shah Rukh Khan.
What?!?
Either way, it’s an entertaining 2016 Bollywood movie to watch at home.
Wasn’t that successful at the box office but probably made more money in streaming and international releases.
Starring: Any guesses?
30. Fastey Fasaatey
IMDB: 6.4
A romantic 2019 Bollywood comedy that is nothing crazy but a good time pass.
It’s not the best film, there is a no name cast but it is better than much bigger films out there.
Great to watch with family, just know it’s a low budget flick with some nice simple yet emotional dialogues.
Starring: Karishma Sharma, Arpit Chaudhary, and Nachiket Narvekar.
31. Fidaa
IMDB: 7.5
One of the best 2017 Telugu movies on Amazon Prime. A Hindi version is also available. Simple dialogues add up to something more organic.
NRI themes about India also in the film.
Starring Sai Pallavi, Varun Tej, Sarah Uriarte Berry
32. Fukrey
IMDB: 6.9
A 2013 Hindi slacker comedy. Plays on the theme of educational corruption but is just fun and uses some good actors well.
I enjoyed it even if the plot seemed a bit far fetched at times.
Starring Pulkit Samrat, Ali Fazal, Manjot Singh, Varun Sharma, Priya Anand, Richa Chadda, and Vishakha Singh.
33. Fukrey Returns
IMDB: 6.5
The 2017 Sequel to Fukrey is just as fun but doesn’t really offer anything new.
Maybe it’s because there was such a long gap between the two movies, but it just feels like an extension rather than a proper sequel of the same antics.
Starring Pulkit Samrat, Manjot Singh, Ali Fazal, Varun Sharma, Priya Anand, Vishakha Singh, Pankaj Tripathi, and Richa Chadda.
34. Gangs of Wasseypur Part 1 and 2
IMDB: 8.2
If Godfather met Gangs of New York you’d have a lot of the storytelling devices used here. Regardless, this is a beast of a movie over 5 hours in total.
It’s a push for modern Indian cinema and one of the best Bollywood films of 2012.
The original cut was over 300 minutes (five hours) hence Anurag Kashyap had to split this movie with an ensemble cast into two.
Starring: Manoj Bajpai, Jaideep Ahlawat, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Huma Qureshi, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vineet Kumar Singh, Piyush Mishra, Pankaj Tripathi, Richa Chadda and Reemma Sen.
35. Gold
IMDB: 7.3
Akshay Kumar continues to prove his love for India in this 2018 film about India’s first Olympic gold medal (in hockey).
A Bollywood sports drama and a period piece set in the 1940s.
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Mouni Roy, Kunal Kapoor, Amit Sadh, Vineet Kumar Singh and Sunny Kaushal.
36. Gully Boy
IMDB: 8.3
Ranveer Singh really makes you root for him trying to be the small town boy nobody really thinks of and then rises up to win these competitions.
A blockbuster movie and one of the best Bollywood films of 2019, based on the true story of Divine.
Ironically when I went into the movie at PVR during its last week of showings, I got a notification from Prime that it was coming next week.
#facePalm Time Aayega?!?
For me oddly enough the scene of him just waiting outside a nightclub as a driver was oddly one that stood out to me since I knew that all the hip hop swag shots would be fun as is.
Zoya Akthar continues to impress with how to get the Indian middle class caring about stories that cross literally, all walks of life.
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Alia Bhatt and Siddhant Chaturvedi.
37. Hamari Adhuri Kahani
IMDB: 6.7
Emraan Hashmi holds this 2015 film together about a plot we’ve heard before. Lover goes missing, other love finds someone else but then lover returns.
Don’t worry, there weren’t any spoilers here.
Starring Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan and Rajkummar Rao.
38. Hasee Toh Phasee
IMDB: 6.8
A slightly off the cuff romantic comedy film that will win you over with the charisma of the two leads. Reviewed well by major critics also.
Rani Mukerji does a great job in this 2018 film about a teacher with a speech impediment.
It ends up being a beautiful film and this is a perfect family-friendly Bollywood movie to watch on Amazon prime.
Starring: Rani Mukerji
40. Hindi Medium
IMDB: 7.8
A comedy of errors about education and wealth in India’s modern society. Appreciated by critics in India and worldwide.
One of the best Hindi movies of 2017.
Starring Irrfan Khan and Saba Qamar.
41. Hunterrr
IMDB: 7.0
An adult comedy that is not family friendly, this 2015 Bollywood movie is about a guy thinking life is more than just one night stands
Don’t expect any prize winning lessons but compared to some of the really really bad and cringe worthy films Bollywood puts out that are really backward, this at least has SOME story and some bit of character. (e.g. Compared to Grand Masti types)
Starring Gulshan Devaiah, Radhika Apte, Sai Tamhankar and Veera Saxena.
42. Intelligent Khiladi aka Goodachari
IMDB: 7.8
A nice Telugu movie with a 2018 Hindi remake.
Like an Indian James Bond movie that was praised by critics so if you’re in the mood for a Hindi or Telugu spy thriller gave this unique movie a watch.
This 2012 Yash Raj Film is a romantic thriller about a gunda’s son and conflict with the politically active heroine. It did well with India wide audiences.
It’s kind of like an Indian Romeo and Juliet and did well at the box office.
Starring Arjun Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra and Gauhar Khan.
44. Ishqiya
IMDB: 7.3
I enjoyed this little 2010 film that Rajeev Masand called a “dark saucy little comedy” and the actors really bring it to life.
What happens when two friends fall for their third friend’s widow?
Starring Naseeruddin Shah, Vidya Balan, and Arshad Warsi.
45. Jab Tak hai Jaan
IMDB: 6.7
An SRK blockbuster from 2012, I personally thought this nearly 3-hour movie was too slow to be good and I racked my brain on some of the story.
But audiences loved it and critics gave it some recognition so if you’re in the mood.
Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Anushka Sharma.
46. Jalpari the Desert Mermaid
IMDB: 7.2
This 2012 film highlights an important issue in India and does it in an Indian Alice-In-Wonderland sort of way, with mystery and suspense.
From the director of the movie “I am Kalam” which is on Netflix.
Starring Lehar Khan, Parvin Dabas, Harsh Mayar, Kaustubh Tripathi, Rahul Singh, and Krishang Trivedi.
47. Kabali
IMDB: 6.2
This controversial 2016 film is not typical Rajnikanth so it got mixed reviews and had some small political controversies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XPh156C5n4
However, the movie is about a Tamil leader in Malaysia fighting for the rights of Tamilians, and Rajni to the rescue.
Has a revenge theme going for it.
Starring Rajinikanth, Winston Chao, Radhika Apte and Sai Dhanshika.
48. Kapoor and Sons
IMDB: 7.7
A well-made movie from Dharma Productions about loving your family that has good intentions, even if it’s about two brothers fighting over a girl. A blockbuster no doubt.
This was one of the best Hindi movies of 2016 and glad Amazon Prime has it. Made a killing at the box office collections also.
Whether you’re living in India or NRI, go ahead and watch it!
Starring Sidharth Malhotra, Fawad Khan, Alia Bhatt, Rishi Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah, Rajat Kapoor, and Anahita Uberoi.
A light-hearted 2018 comedy that makes you reflect on life through the vehicle (Honestly) of a road trip journey.
Kind of like the TVF’s Tripling formula. One of the best Hindi comedies of 2018 but don’t expect huge belly laughs but rather family fun.
Starring Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan and Mithila Palkar (the Netflix Sweetheart).
51. Kesari
IMDB: 7.5
A 2019 blockbuster that has Akshay and patriotism written all over it, jointly produced by Karan Johar.
One of the highest grossing Bollywood films of 2019.
Most critics rated it FOUR out of FIVE stars so give it a go if the trailer appeals to you, definitely worth the time.
Starring Akshay Kumar.
52. KGF Chapter 1
IMDB: 8.2
A period drama that does not disappoint. Fans loved it, critics were mixed. One of the best South Indian films of 2018.
Some fans called this a crown of the Kannada film industry. The Hindi version should hopefully show folks the great storytelling that comes out of Karnataka.
Starring Yash, Srinidhi Shetty, Anant Nag, Malavika Avinash, and Vasishta N. Simha.
53. Kshay
IMDB: 6.9
A 2012 black-and-white indie psychological drama movie with some actors you’ll now recognize about seven years later from all over Netflix, Amazon and other web series platforms.
A tiny film with a pretty big message.
Starring Rasika Dugal, Alekh Sangal and Sudhir Pednekar.
54. Ladies Vs Ricky Bahl
IMDB: 5.9
A low rated but crowd-pleasing film that hasn’t exactly aged well. If you like Ranveer or a story about a guy conning a ton of women, give it a watch.
Included in the list because, well, everybody knows this movie, people in my family seemed to enjoy it and it did well in the box office.
Universal critical acclaim, important tribal issues and India’s official entry for the Oscars. A black comedy-drama film that is an excellent political satire.
This 2017 is a triumph for the lead actor who continues to prove his mettle. One of the best Hindi films of 2017.
Starring Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathi, Anjali Patil and Raghubir Yadav.
64. Padmavat
IMDB: 7.0
One of the most hyped up Bollywood blockbusters of 2018.
A 200 crore production that ran too long at 163 minutes, but glad Amazon Prime has the rights so you can enjoy it at home during your own schedule.
Mixed reviews from critics and audiences (for the historical context) but a visual treat that is a blockbuster worth attempting to watch. Also was it real controversy to try and stir up the box office or actual problems?
I know these movies take a long time to make but the edit table can at least keep up with consumer’s attention spans right?
But aside from all that, it’s worth watching for 30 minutes and then deciding if the movie is for you.
Ranveer Singh was praised for his acting.
Starring: Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor and Ranveer Singh.
65. Parched
IMDB: 7.6
This 2016 movie was critically acclaimed and for good reason. It explores four women in Gujarat who have their own wants and desires and have to deal with outdated customs and traditions that suppress them.
With a talented cast and subject material that makes you think, the film isn’t for everyone and some holier than thou folks will kind of look away, but I thought it was a well-done film with a message, whether you want to hear it or not.
Forced patriarchy anyone?
Starring Tannishtha Chatterjee, Radhika Apte, Surveen Chawla, Adil Hussain, Lehar Khan, and Sayani Gupta.
66. Pari
IMDB: 6.6
This horror movie is also on Netflix. Not too scary but a good first attempt by Anushka’ production company.
Don’t confuse it with another movie of the same name with a lower rating.
Starring Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, and Rajat Kapoor.
67. Pataakha
IMDB: 7.2
This 2018 film is about two sisters who are part of the same family yet always bickering like *cough* India and Pakistan.
A really good movie and a hidden treasure by Vishal Bhardwaj.
It’s a nice colorful film and has its moments. Got pretty good reviews from the media also.
Starring: Radhika Madan, Sanya Malhotra, Sunil Grover and Vijay Raaz.
68. Photograph
IMDB: 6.8
An Amazon Original movie! Finally!
A photographer is pressured to get married by his family so he convinces a lady to act as his fiance.
This 2019 Hindi movie premiered at the Sundance Film festival.
A beautiful movie with a beautiful storyline that again, unfortunately, won’t appeal to masala masses but looks like Google users and other crowds really appreciated it’s simple sweet message.
Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sanya Malhotra.
69. Poorna
IMDB: 7.8
A straightforward 2017 family-friendly Hindi movie about Malavath Purna, the youngest girl to reach the summit of Mount Everest.
And considering the danger in recent years (even around the same time frame), this movie is even more impactful.
If you like mountains and true stories, you’ll love this film.
Starring Aditi Inamdar, S. Maria, Harsha Vardhan, and Rahul Bose.
70. Raazi
IMDB: 7.8
My wife and I really enjoyed this 2018 film about an undercover RAW agent married into a Pakistnai family just to get some intel.
Firstpost who is usually a bit more hard to please on their reviews gave the film a 4.5 out of 5 stars saying the espionage was heart-stopping and edge of your seat. Audiences also loved the film.
One of the best espionage spy thrillers out of Bollywood in 2018 and recent memory.
Starring Alia Bhatt and Vicky Kaushal.
71. Ribbon
IMDB: 6.9
A nice bit city story starring the web series stud Sumeet Viyas about what happens when career minded folks get kids before they’re ready.
The second half of the movie has a turn that is unexpected and kind of resolved quickly which makes you wonder what the movie was really about, but overall a good flick to pass the time.
Starring Kalki Koechlin, Sumeet Vyas, and Hitesh Malhan.
72. Rough book
IMDB: 7.3
This 2016 movie is all about analyzing the education system in India. Premiered at the 2015 New York City Indian Film Festival.
Some bitter truths in the movie that the masses looking for a popcorn flick might find boring.
One of the better movies about Indian education.
Starring Amaan Khan, Joy Sengupta, Jayati Bhatia, Vinay Jain, Deepika Amin and Kinjal Rajpriya.
73. RX 100
IMDB: 6.9
A Hindi and Telugu film with a twist that makes you realize this movie was never like the simple repetitive premise you thought it was.
An audience favorite Telugu film from 2018.
Starring Kartikeya and Payal Rajput.
74. Sarbjit
IMDB: 7.2
This Hindi movie premiered in 2016 at the Cannes Film Festival and is about the true story of an Indian man who drunkenly stumbled across the Pakistani border and then had to spend 22 years in prison, which is so sad.
Movie got mixed reviews from critics but it’s a good home watch on Amazon and has decent acting from the leads. Not all the true facts were in the movie so you’ll have to research on your own to get all the details in case you want to after watching the film.
Starring Aishwarya Rai, Randeep Hooda, Richa Chadha, and Darshan Kumaar.
75. Shivaay
IMDB: 6.2
An emotional action thriller with breathtaking visuals. Most people enjoyed it but it is quite long at 3 hours.
One of the best Bollywood action movies of 2016.
Starring Ajay Devgn, Sayyeshaa, Erika Kaar, Abigail Eames, Vir Das (hey bro!), Girish Karnad and Saurabh Shukla.
76. Shreelancer
IMDB: 7.2
A jaded young Bangalore professional wants to go on a road trip to get away from his boring copywriting job in this 2017 independent film.
He lands up in various situations that show him more to life along the way.
A great effort by Sandeep Mohan which hopefully lands him other things in the future. I included it here because I’m glad to see Bangalore stories being made and it was an enjoyable watch.
Starring Arjun Radhakrishnan, Falah Faisal, and Chandan Gill.
77. Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety
IMDB: 7.1
One of 2018’s best Hindi comedy films, don’t take this movie too seriously.
Some ladies might roll their eyes how the boys can’t stick up for themselves and they make the lady a gold digger.
Audiences appreciated it and if you can get past the little bit misogynistic nature of the bros before girls sort of attitude, it has its moments. I personally didn’t enjoy the film too much but put it on this list because I know it was an audience favorite and maybe you will. I felt the same way about Pyaar Ka Punchnama 1 and 2 also.
Starring Kartik Aaryan, Nushrat Bharucha and Sunny Nijar.
78. Student of the Year 2
IMDB: 2.4
This movie is so bad that I had to put it on this list. I’m also curious if you read this post so if you did please comment below.
I think the folks at Dharma Productions are really smart and they’re taking a Rebecca Black Friday approach to drawing buzz.
Either way I guarantee you a lot of people will watch it on Amazon Prime just to see what all the buzz was about, then want to talk about how bad or unrealistic it was.
One of 2019’s worst Bollywood movies? Let me know.
Starring Tiger Shroff, Tara Sutaria and Ananya Panday.
79. Sultan
IMDB: 7.1
This 2016 Bollywood blockbuster about wrestling was Salman Khan’s best movie of the year.
It’s a sports drama and typical popcorn masala movie but good for family and friends alike.
Starring: Salman Khan, Anushka Sharma, Randeep Hooda and Amit Sadh.
80. Talaash
IMDB: 7.2
This is one of the best Bollywood movies of 2012. It’s a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the last minute.
Has a slightly supernatural feel to it but it’s just a great movie. I’m sure people will continue to watch this over the years on Amazon Prime and the critics loved the movie.
Starring Aamir Khan, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor, Rajkummar Rao, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.
81. The Ghazi Attack
IMDB: 7.6
A drama-thriller set in 1971 about Indian submarines versus Pakistani submarines. One of the best Indian war films. It was shot in Telugu, Hindi, and Tamil.
It has a good story and the special effects could be better but was praised for the effort. A great Bollywood film from 2017.
Starring: Rana Daggubati, Atul Kulkarni, Kay Kay Menon, Taapsee Pannu, Rahul Singh, and Satyadev Kancharana.
82. Theeran
IMDB: 8.3
A Tamil movie that has Hindi options, this movie was raved about and is one of the Best Indian movies of 2017. A cop thriller that is very engaging.
A well-written script that really works on a good plot. A very commendable effort from all of those who were involved.
A 2016 Tamil movie with Hindi options is an action-packed revenge drama.
Doubled it’s production budget in collections which made it a commercially successful film also.
Fans really appreciated the pace of the movie and I think you will enjoy either the Tamil or Hindi versions as well. One of the best Tamil movies on Amazon Prime India.
Starring Vijay, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Amy Jackson.
84. Tiger Zinda Hai
IMDB: 6.0
A way better movie than Race 3. This 2017 masala entertainer was good to Salman Khan at the box office and doesn’t try to be anything other than what is marketed.
Don’t expect any amazing twists or a very tight script, but if you want to escape mundane life and not think too much, this movie is for you.
Starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif.
85. Titli
IMDB: 7.5
The Hindustan times called this the best Hindi film of 2014.
A very gritty film that portrays some of the sad realities of life in the slums. Looks like Yash Raj Film is going after Fox Searchlight and getting off the cuff stories to give Indian audiences some clever films to make them think.
A lot of people enjoyed this film and looking at all the awards it got, you might also.
Praised internationally by the Hollywood Reporter, this 2014 film was well received and hopefully finds a nice home on Amazon or other streaming platforms.
Starring: Ranvir Shorey, Amit Sial, Shashank Arora, Lalit Behl, and Shivani Raghuvanshi.
86. Trapped
IMDB: 7.5
A survival 2016 film about a man who gets locked inside his own house with no way of getting out. If you liked a movie like Hollywood’s Room you might like this.
Rajkummar Rao got a Filmfare Award for Best Actor for this film.
It is a “one-room drama” much like many other Hollywood thrillers of recent memory but this movie keeps you engaged.
They’re a couple of missing logical plot points but either way, it’s very entertaining thanks to the outstanding performance of its lead actor.
Starring Rajkummar Rao and Geetanjali Thapa.
87. Tumbbad
IMDB: 8.2
An audience favorite that premiered at the Venice film festival. This historical period drama film will keep you hooked to the edge of your seat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN75MPxgvX8
Finally, a movie critics and audiences can agree on.
One of the best Hindi thrillers of 2018. Kind of reminds me of the Spanish movie Pan’s Labyrinth.
Vidya carries this movie on her very capable shoulders and I even proposed to my wife on the track Ban Ja Rani from this movie.
One of the best Hindi comedy-drama movies of 2017.
So I had to put it on this list. Bollywood also loves putting her in nonstop housewife roles but so be it, she does a great job and bringing those characters to life.
A cool Kannada thriller with Hindi and Tamil options. There is also a Hindi version from 2018. The movie keeps you guessing until the last scene. Good job Pawan Kumar.
One of the best Kannada movies of 2016 on Amazon Prime.
Starring Shraddha Srinath, Radhika Chetan, Dileep Raj and, Roger Narayan.
90. Ugly
IMDB: 8.1
This 2014 Anurag Kashyap movie is also available on Netflix. High reviews and high audience appreciation.
It’s often called Kashyap’s finest film. Arguably one of the better Bollywood films of 2014 also.
This 2018 movie is a Hindi-Punjabi musical drama film that didn’t get a wide release but got accolades and acclaim.
Audiences were divided on the story and some found it boring (as they always do) and while it’s not Vicky’s best work it is a great feather in his cap.
Starring Vicky Kaushal, Sarah Jane Dias and, Raaghav Chanana.
My wife and I waste so much time looking for what to watch while our food is getting cold, and ironically enough we do the same with looking with what to order.
There should be something on this list for everyone from Nana to Grandma to the kids or the Netflix (oops) and chill crowd, you should find something worthwhile tonight.
Bollywood gets a bad rap for putting out a lot of junk (which it does) but it does put out some gems.
They’re some VERY HARD WORKING people who probably left a lot of corporate money on the table to make these stories, so let’s give them some and love bump up their Amazon numbers!
I did Keto for about 3 months last year and lost 11 KG (24 pounds).
I did it entirely while living in Bangalore India.
I knew the diet was good at getting results but I also knew the experts were divided on the real effectiveness of it long term. So as somebody who is on it again (only for a single week as part of a new meal plan), I thought I’d list my experiences.
Does the Keto diet work? If you want to lose weight fast, which in today’s society is like asking if you want it now…then yes it works. If you think you’re going to keep it off long term and have a weekly pizza a year from now, it probably won’t.
I asked 3,000 people on my IG story if Keto worked for them. 600 voted and the results were pretty much split. See below for Twitter poll from today.
Can’t I just lose extra weight then gain 25% of it back and normalize that way?
That’s basically what I did but I noticed the 25% of the weight I did gain back was in all the wrong places.
I still went down from 175 pounds to 150 to now at 160 (for the last year), but my clothes fit way off and despite being off alcohol and sugar and exercise and having a truly balanced diet, I feel like my fat is in all the wrong places.
TL; DR: I feel the 25% I gained back went straight to my tummy and nowhere else.
Of course, your experience and opinions may vary, but you can google 100 articles online and 50 will tell you that keto works, 50 will tell you that it’s horrible.
French Fried Kamra from 2017.
Even with doctors and hospitals the terminologies and disclaimers are so vague that nobody really puts a stake in the ground. Plus a lot of people go EXTREME and do only 5 carbs a day which is insanely dangerous.
In fact, I remember when I was at Manipal hospital for a master health checkup the nutritionist (who was also not in the best shape ironically) looked at my ketones in my blood work and just kind of rolled her eyes and said: “ok you do you, buddy.”
Keto Karma (he’s lost even more since).
So this just how I did keto in India and what I learned, and why I’m even doing it again for a week.
A Simple Definition of Keto
What is Keto? The Keto Diet is a low carb, high-fat diet. You normally eat less than 20G of net carbs a day (carbs minus fiber on the nutrition label) and after 3-5 days your body is in a state of ketosis.
I’m not a doctor (although my wife is) so I won’t even try to give you the scientific advice which you can find at the link above. I just want to explain my experience because I feel my situation is similar to many. I didn’t care about a six pack but I wanted to look good for my wedding and was also curious if my abs really exist.
I never found out if they did, by the way.
In a nutshell, you only eat eggs, protein shakes, chicken, bacon, avocado, cheese, spinach, lettuce, and butter.
If you have even a slice of toast or a small handful of rice or potatoes and fries, you’re setting yourself back weeks or months. You can’t drink beer but you can probably have a Glen or Johnnie here and there.
The Keto Diet Works Well for Indians, Which is Also Why It Doesn’t
India LOVES its carbs.
Middle-class India also loves its carbs delivered straight to its lazy millennial hands, thanks to Swiggy and Zomato and cheap labor and Netflix or Amazon.
I’m guilty of it for sure.
Even if you order plain tandoori chicken and ask him to not include onions (you’re not supposed to really have onions either), he’ll look at you funny.
Or you go to a restaurant and just ask for Chicken Tikka Masala (Not perfect but hey sometimes a little tomato is ok) the waiter will ask you how you’re going to take it, roti or rice?
Watch his face when you say by itself.
Combined with many restaurants being vegetarian only, keto is not hard to do in India but it is a little inconvenient. Nowadays so many big cities also have keto kitchens or restaurants with menus that say they’re Indian keto diet-friendly.
Somewhere streetside place I saw opened up, I’m sure your city has a bunch too if you google around.
After a week, you get into the groove and all is smooth sailing.
You do some light cardio, bite on an onion or one french fry here and there, but within a month the weight is flying off.
You will then most likely
buy skinnier jeans,
look better in that Chinese collar shirt
Pat yourself on the back for having figured this super-complicated weight loss thing so easily
and get a few compliments from the ladies or dudes.
Jesus Christ, that was easy wasn’t it?
Time to trash all those old clothes, update the profile pics and upgrade to Tinder Gold.
Doing keto for months will send you straight to hospital. You have to give a break for it to work. I only do it once or twice a year and it works well.
But alas, as with anything get rich quick scheme or dreamy job title…if it’s too good to be true, we know it probably is.
Is Keto Sustainable Long Term?
Of course not.
Do you really think you’re going to give up bread for the rest of your life?
Or only eat it once a month?
Do you really think only chicken and bacon is what you’re meant to eat when we’ve evolved to have all those veggies on the ground for a reason?
You will definitely crave bread less long term and start ordering lettuce-wrapped burgers even when you’re off keto, but having dal (lentils), rice, potatoes, onions, fruits (apples, bananas, oranges) and all of that is going to have its place in your life.
What are you going to do when somebody is giving you Prasad full of sugar and says you have to eat it and 20 people are watching you?
What are you going to do when auntie is visiting and insulted you didn’t have her ghee soaked Paratha at 11 PM after 4 cups of masala chai?
I’m not saying you can’t avoid sugar and bread…you 100% can.
But instead of tricking your body for years and years, why not recognize the benefits of Keto (short term emergencies or motivation) then make a long term solution.
Again, look at all the data in the screenshots above.
Ignore paid media and ask 10 people around you in your circle what their experience with a ketogenic diet was.
When Should You Go Off Keto?
I went off Keto after my wedding, and I was happy I did it. I felt more confident and felt great before, during and after. I also had some buffer weight (e.g. I lost 4KG more than I planned) so I wouldn’t feel bad when I gained some back.
But once you’re back at your routine I would simply transition to a more balanced diet, hire a personal trainer or figure out what is important to you.
The only thing is you’ll have to start a new disciplined approach with a new diet all over again. Intermittent fasting, one meal a day, carbs only before 4 PM, or whatever else.
But word on the street (or tweets?) is don’t do keto for more than 2-3 months tops, and then figure out a way to keep pushing the pounds off.
Chances are you’ve now developed a taste for spinach and grilled chicken which you can carry into having small ragi (millet) bread or oatmeal.
Keto Does Have Some Benefits
Which is exactly why I’m doing it again today for just a week. I’m on day 3 of 7.
If you need to lose weight fast sometimes you just gotta do it. I’m not judging and all of us leave things until the last minute…so I get it.
Go get that Sabyasachi wedding dress boo.
Once you do keto for a few months and then gain some or all of it back, that discipline you have is also something you gained. Now after going from 100KG to 75KG and back to 99KG, you’re going to realize that it wasn’t so hard at all to commit to something with conviction.
My podcast with video on the same topic.
Combine that with your taste buds now craving less bread than six months ago, you’re well on your way to a truly balanced diet. It’s like you went on holiday, got a taste of the good life, and now you’re motivated to save money and buy that villa in Ibiza the long sustainable way. Had you never lost the weight short term and seen the other side, chances are your mind wouldn’t make it happen for you.
Remember, weight loss is literally just eating less calories than you burn.
Aristotle
Conclusion
We over-complicate things in our lives so much these days don’t get caught up in analysis paralysis.
I find myself reading 30 reviews, spending 30 minutes debating which toothbrush to buy for 30 rupees.
Don’t do the same thing with all these diets.
Do what’s right for you but remember the basics.
But yes Keto for me was a short term kick in the butt to making long term changes, just not in the way it’s marketed.
Happy eating!
Related Questions
1. What do You Eat on Keto in India?
An Indian Keto Diet plan includes the following:
Meats and a Non-Vegetarian Indian Keto Diet:
Tandoori Chicken,
Tandoori Fish,
Chicken Tikka,
Roast Chicken,
Lamb Curry,
Roasted Lamb.
Egg Curry
Egg Omelet
Most items like Chilli Chicken in Indian restaurants have maida or flour so you’re probably eating carbs in the chickens coating or batter so you don’t realize it.
Vegetables or Vegetarian Indian Keto Diet:
Spinach (Palak)
Cauliflower (Gobi)
Lettuce
Carrots
Green Chillies
Avocado (Butter Fruit in Karnataka)
You can’t have any dal or any dosa bro.
Saw this on Twitter as I was writing this and oh the irony of being veg and on keto on Tuesdays.
Nuts
Almonds
Walnuts
Cashews (a tiny bit maybe I’d advise against it)
Pistachio (a tiny bit maybe but I’d say avoid it)
2. Can You Do Keto as a Vegetarian in India?
Yes, I know plenty of people who do it but it’s very inconvenient. Your Infosys company outing really won’t have anything you can eat except maybe paneer, and even those starters will be coated in maida or flour.
You can even do Keto as a vegan, but you will not enjoy anything you eat.
Cauliflower rice and soy only?
Or avocado and cauliflower rice and soy? (that sounds good actually).
For every meal?
3. Do You Exercise on Keto?
I ran about 5KM a day on Keto, three times a week. The other days I did light weights for 30 minutes while listening to podcasts.
You’re not really in a heavy bodybuilding mode but for most of us, we just want to get lean and trim so cardio and situps/pushups/core exercises is basically all you really have to do.
When I first started keto and wanted chicken tikka masala with rice (e.g.s Cauliflower rice) I just found Headbangers Kitchen and he had a ton of nice options.
But I found all that psyllium husk and almond flour and yada yada was just not worth my time after a few weeks. But it definitely helped curb those initial cravings to cheat the brain. In fact, Chinese chicken fried rice made with cauliflower (if you soak it in water first to remove that cauliflower taste) is so good sometimes you can’t even taste the difference.
Alcohol and going out to bars and pubs are a favorite way of passing time for most people in their 20s and early 30s. I did it and I’m sure you did as well. But growing up I would periodically get anxiety that while I didn’t have a problem with booze, I wasn’t operating at my best capacity. I knew I could get all the things I thought drinking would give me some other way.
So I tried to stop and here’s what I learned.
How did I stop drinking? I simply stayed busy with nightly gym classes and other hobbies during the evenings and once the clock passed 10 PM, I was out of the danger zone. It’s not really quitting the drinking that’s hard. It’s the WANTING to quit drinking that you really have to question.
In fact, most people don’t want to quit drinking, what they want to do is turn their life around. And that’s where saying no to alcohol becomes step one.
Of course, your experience may vary but aside from saying “you just have to do it”, for me the tactical advice of simply avoiding the prime time was how I got moving. Then once I found myself at company events or stand up comedy shows with free booze in my face, I found other hacks to avoid the sauce that made it super easy. And trust me, stand up comedians drink a lot and this is not an easy profession to stay sober in.
They’re a lot of factors that will make you realize that quitting drinking (or even smoking) isn’t that hard.
It’s just like a diet.
A little bit of discipline in those first 14 days makes the rest of it easy peezy.
Knowing Why You Want to Quit Alcohol
I remembered hearing this podcast that featured James Swanwick that did it for me with really one quote, which was basically that he could make $200,000 in a whatever job for the rest of his life knowing he was operating at 75% capacity with pointless company outings, or he could make some big changes and at least know he was at 100%.
I kept drinking for a few more months but that kind of just kept ringing in the back of my head.
A couple of months later my wedding bills racked up, I noticed my bank balances going under levels I was comfortable with and also just knew I was capable of so much more.
Real advice from the cities biggest bar owner.
So after one particular bender I stopped, thinking it would be for a month. Given the podcast I heard earlier, it wasn’t even cold-turkey.
Just like brand awareness in digital marketing, I was actually quitting warm-turkey, as I was thinking about this for a while and my mental state was already prepped to the idea.
For me in particular, it was also the realization that thousands of drinking nights weren’t even that memorable. It’s tough to say no to a beer when you’ve had a long day, but nobody who says no ever thinks the next day “Oh man I wish I had that beer last night.”
In fact, most of us just say “Oh I’m so glad I didn’t have that beer last night because I don’t miss it at all and I feel great today.”
I realized I wanted to quit because more than being the life of the party or having fun at comedy shows I was performing on, I really just wanted to be better at everything I was doing. And duh, I wanted to make more money.
So find your reason, whether it’s:
to be a better father,
lose weight,
make more money,
have better health
find a girlfriend or a boyfriend
or whatever it is.
Then go drink some more.
Quitting Alcohol Gradually
I used to be a heavy binge drinker. I didn’t even have a problem. For all of 2018, I gave myself a rule that I would only drink on the weekends.
But the second Friday 8 PM rolled around, guess what? I went hard. Literally until Sunday at 11 PM.
What’s the point of not drinking during the week if you’re just going to make up for all of it in 2.5 days?
As mentioned above and as counter-intuitive as it sounds, once I knew I wanted to eventually stop the alcohol I kept drinking for a few months. I started enjoying it less and less and that helped me not miss it at all after a few weeks once I did stop.
You still will at least twice a month for a while though.
How to Avoid Alcohol
Once you skip that first Friday or Saturday drinking with the same friends talking about the same garbage, you realize even after just one day it wasn’t so bad the next morning.
The irony of course for me in my thirties now is that I still wake up feeling hungover or with a scratchy throat (I quit smoking on the same day also) but I guess that’s just age.
A lot of people think if they quit drinking the managers and executives at the company meeting or dinner are going to look down at them.
the Birdy Num Num Creative India podcast.
Or they think they’re friends will somehow be disappointed in them.
Not really man.
Your friends are just annoyed they don’t have a buddy to drink with, because it makes them feel bad rather than both of you being on a sinking ship.
So how do you AVOID that part?
You don’t avoid the bars and pubs. You also don’t make the same plans over and over.
Start going to the gym or coffee shop or movies or mall or fun restaurants instead of straight to your local dive bar to avoid being around it. But when your buddy calls you to see what the scene is for the evening, go ahead and continue to meet them.
Just grab that diet coke. Or say you’re sick. Or say you want to stay out even later once they’re ready to wind up.
You’ll get a couple of “dude you’re so bored now” or “you’ve changed” but just like with a diet, those same people who want you to bite into the ice cream will be the same who commend you when you discovered you had abs after all.
I used to quit alcohol for one month every year from 2012 to 2018 and I can tell you I never lost any friends those months or any time after.
Related Questions
1. Should I quit alcohol with a friend? Yes, having a buddy system helps but it also goes off the rails easier when one of you starts drinking again. You are ultimately the only one who is going to live with this decision for a long time so I say find your formula that works for you (e.g. announce it to the world or don’t, avoid outings or embrace them, etc..)
2. Is your life better after drinking? The ironic thing about stopping alcohol is that you won’t necessarily be more productive. Plenty of teenagers and grown men in their 30s play video games all day eating Cheetos and don’t drink a single beer. But they’re just as lazy and useless sometimes. But chances are the time and money you save not drinking will be just a fraction of the potential you unlock to spend time and money doing other things you’ll probably enjoy a lot more for your specific interests. Whether it’s to find a girlfriend or boyfriend, getting promoted, having more time for your family or who knows what else.
3. How do you quit Smoking? I personally found that if I quit drinking, I would naturally smoke less. That eventually led me to going out less, and since I was out less and drunk less, cigarettes went from 10 a day to five a day to 2 a day until a day went by and I realized I hadn’t even had one. Again, stay busy with things you enjoy aside from getting drunk and having the same conversations and all this stuff seems very trivial.
Conclusion
If you recently quit or are thinking about, how do you plan to quit?
Alcohol is funny because the joke is you drink when you’re happy and you drink when you’re sad. But if that’s the case, what difference does it really make?
Nobody ever looks back on their pointless outings with colleagues and is glad they had those 5 beers instead of 4. Nobody ever actually meets girls or guys or their soulmates thanks to the beer they had while out with 9 guys.
Find out what you really want out of life and then find a way to to get it without alcohol, and then drink however you want.
Amazon Prime Video is investing heavily in original Indian content for its streaming service.
Indian viewers are hungry for stories more than just Bollywood love stories and also want a diverse set of actors and fresh faces to keep things interesting.
One of the best Free trials currently on Amazon for audio book fans.
Combined with fierce competition from Netflix India, Alt Balaji and Zee Five, the content market is on fire with more money being dumped than you can count.
My wife and I spend more time looking for what to watch than actually watching, so I put this list together to help you quickly figure out the best web series and shows to watch on Amazon Prime Video India.
What are the best Hindi and Indian series on Amazon Prime India? In no particular order:
Inside Edge
Breathe
Mirzapur
Made in Heaven
The Family Man
Laakhon Mein Ek
Four More Shots
Pushpavalli
Shaitaan Haveli
Chacha Vidhayak Hain Humare
Mind The Malhotras
Vir Das Jestination Unknown
Harmony With A.R. Rahman
One Mic Stand
The Forgotten Army
Not all of these shows will be for everyone, but they each have their appeal.
I’ll explain the ratings and reviews of each below so you can find what’s right to watch for you.
What to Watch on Amazon Prime India
India is unique in that Bollywood and Hindi shows usually get the numbers, but the content is diversifying and that will have both pros and cons.
Just like nobody in the south is going to watch Gujarati cinema, you’ll see a lot of negative reviews on shows that are:
too English,
too “wannabe”, (WTF?)
too controversial,
too sexual or whatever else.
Regardless, I’ve seen most of these and aside from Hear me, Love me (uff) everything has a place on this list and is worth watching as detailed below.
So quickly scroll through and make the choice that’s best for you.
Best Amazon Prime Indian Series
Amazon is killing it with these Prime original Indian language shows that are pushing the boundaries of Indian storytelling.
Here’s more detail on each show. Let me know which web series is your favorite in the comments below!
R. Madhavan leads the cast with this flagship Amazon show that is highly rated, highly reviewed and as with all good Indian dramas…sheds light on our money-driven society that exploits medicine and law enforcement in times of need.
If you’re new to Hindi shows on Amazon India and want something is generally family-friendly but not comedy then this is a great place to start.
The show grips you to the end and we’re all waiting for season two.
One of the best Amazon Prime series from India.
The Breathe web series is also starring: Amit Sadh, Sapna Pabbi, Shriswara and more.
Like a mix of HBO’s Entourage meets IPL meets the American Showtime Show Ballers, Inside Edge is a great first attempt and personally I think it hits a couple of sixes during various at-bats.
Vivek Oberoi and Richa Chaddacontinue their career trajectories and Tanuj Virwani, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Angad Bedi all shine in this exciting high paced show.
As usual haters on blogs and reviews will have a hard time reconciling the “wannabe show off” culture whether it’s IPL, drugs and sex and rock and roll, English scenes or all of the above but it’s a fun show to watch and has its place.
Results at the bottom.
Reminds of how the movie Any Given Sunday in America got a lot of flack for showing the downside of football life but let’s be honest…all of the stuff depicted in this show probably exists in India’s favorite pastime cricket.
The motion graphics look a little tacky and outdated but other than that, it’s like a better execution for Four More Shots (on the masala front) and the B-roll stadium scenes really amp the production.
My brother is in the Indian wedding DJ and Lighting industry in America, I recently got married in Bangkok and this show hit all the right notes for me at just the right time.
The series is about two Indian wedding planners in Delhi who have to deal with snobby upper-class Indians (and middle-class, lower class and society in general who all have their hopes and aspirations) and uses the vehicle of the wedding industry to show life for South Asian culture.
It’s just awesome. Each episode is a different big fat Indian wedding which also has different subplots, while also continuing each character’s arc, including martial affairs and LGBTQ issues in this country which are as important now as ever.
Zoya Akthar continues to find a perfect blend of east meets west and is great at showing Indian middle-class culture in a non-condescending way, which trust me, as an English comedian in India is not easy to pull off without inviting trolls and haters.
Speaking of marriage.
This is probably the only English Indian show on Amazon or anywhere that pulls off a majority of the English content in a non-cringe way.
I personally think that this show is going to launch a ton of careers, and as Kubbra Sait told me about Arjun Mathur, the guy has been at it forever and it’s so nice to see him get recognized the big time for his performance in this show.
A great example of an “overnight” success taking years. Made in Heaven is probably the best series on Amazon Prime India.
Amazing performances all around by the cast of Arjun Mathur, Sobhita Dhulipala, Kalki Koechlin, Jim Sarbh (reminds me of Screech from Saved by The Bell), Shashank Arora and Shivani Raghuvanshi.
Reminds me a bit of the show Rishta.com which I’m sure they used as influence which had Kavi Shastri from YRF Television.
I think that show was ahead of its time and probably succumbed to the same “masses hated but real writing fans loved it” types ala Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. Notice how Ratna Pathak always ends up with some quality stories!
This show is close to me because my friend Suman Kumar has also been working hard to be a stand-up comedian for the last five years, and he’s spent the last two years on this and none of us knew what he was really doing.
Considering how difficult it is to do comedy especially after 30 I’m glad to see his labor of love pay off to such high reviews.
Well done to you and your team buddy, and check out his stand up comedy also! (Also fun fact both of our wives are doctors).
This is Amazon India’s newest Indian web series and going to be right up there at the top. It’s a spy thriller but also does a bit of comedy and it’s hitting all the right notes.
Similar in tone to the Netflix Bard of Blood espionage thriller, I think you’re going to see Amazon put a lot of muscle in promoting this show after the early reviews and viewer data come in.
I didn’t even realize it was out until my friends were telling me to watch it, which is why I thought let me deep dive into it.
This show is:
part Spy Versus Spy,
part Mission Impossible,
part Sacred Games,
part that new Sacha Baron Cohen thriller The Spy…
The Family Man is easily the top of the Amazon Prime Hindi web series list.
This is going to be a big one, mark my words as of October 2019!
Starring Manoj Bajpayee as Srikant, Sharib Hashmi, Neeraj Madhav as Moosa, Priyamani as Suchitra, Vedant Sinha, Mehak Thakur as Dhriti, Shahab Ali as Sajid, Pawan Chopra as Sharma, Shreya Dhanwanthary as Zoya and Sharad Kelkar, Darshan Kumaar.
This Mafia crime thriller has just been renewed for a second season and Pankaj Tripathi and Ali Fazal steal the show as always in this North Indian mobster story full of violence and lawlessness.
It all starts with an inciting incident (film school or hero’s journey anyone?) at a wedding (not like Made in Heaven though) and takes off from there.
My brother loves this show, fans of Netflix’s Sacred Games will love this show and while you may not want to binge on it with mummy and papa around, it’s a gripping show that will hold you until the end.
Mirzapur Season 2 officially confirmed!
Starring Ali Fazal, Vikrant Massey, Pankaj Tripathi, Divyendu Sharma, Shweta Tripathi, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Rasika Dugal, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Amit Sial, Sheeba Chaddha, Harshita Gaur and Anangsha Biswas.
The show just got renewed for a second season on Amazon and should be out in less than a year.
Another comedy friend of mine Biswa Kalyan Rath wrote the two seasons of this show about middle-class India’s struggle to either get into engineering or medicine.
I always say that in India, engineering and medicine is a blueprint to the middle class and this show sort of highlights this theme, from a comedian who quit life after IIT to do stand up comedy and now more dramatic storytelling.
In India, you can do what you want after Engineering, right?
A good show for families and youngsters alike, it’s a good watch and motivating at the same time.
A couple of episodes you’re unsure where things are going but it’s meant to keep the viewer thinking and I think if you’re not in a crime/action mood it’s a wonderful show to give a go.
But you know what, just like we saw with Dave Chappelle’s latest special Sticks and Stones on Netflix, sometimes the audiences and critics don’t get along.
They do seem to agree on this though.
However, knowing this show had low ratings I still watched it since I’ve met and worked with a few of the staff here once in a while and we run in similar circles.
My wife and I wanted to hate it, we really did. But we just kept watching. Until we finished it.
Is there a lot of unnecessary sexual stuff going on? Of course. But it’s done truthfully. We are a country that gives adult websites like 90% of their ad revenue thanks to Jio.
So why are people hating on a show that talks about things already on the minds of most Indian people anyways?
Get off the high horse folks!
People have affairs, the workplace isn’t exactly innocent and yes, women think about all the things you twisted guys think about in incognito mode.
Although the script was a bit loose and the production quality could have gone up a bit, I thought it used the actors very effectively and gave each character something unique to do.
Plus I remember seeing all the tweets on social media during the show. Some cringed, but everybody watched. What does that say? If you don’t like something, change the channel. If you watch the whole thing in a time when most YouTube viewers quit a video within 8 seconds, you clearly were engaged.
Starring Sayani Gupta, Bani J (who MTV made famous), Kirti Kulhari and Maanvi Gagroo who stars along with other web series star Sumit Vyas in TVF’s Tripling.
My darling friend Sumukhi Suresh has created this show and it was one of the first I watched because well, we’ve also made several videos together including this one about a maid that about 10 million of you have watched (across YouTube and Facebook).
One of the few shows after Made in Heaven that can really pull of English in India, I loved it because it’s Sumukhi’s true-life story and Sumukhi is just such a versatile actor, I actually almost cried at that closing monologue.
Girls can be irrational stalkers also and this was one of the first Amazon web series to capture the nonmainstream market, so well done dear.
Any millennial girl who grew up in a hostel will relate to the dialogues and humor as well.
Season two is currently being scheduled for release.
Starring Sumukhi Suresh, Naveen Richard (another comedian) Preetika Chawla (also in Made in Heaven) and Manish Anand.
Varun Thakur is another name that’s been around the Indian stand up comedy and sketch scene for years. He used to act in AIB videos on their YouTube channel and was a part of the now split SNG Comedy You Tube gang.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htNtD4IzQCM
He’s also always been a fan of Bollywood and acting and played a few roles in various Bollywood films.
I’m glad to see he got his own show when Amazon first kicked things off in India and although not a very high budget Amazon production, the show is hilarious and fans of the B rated horror genre in India will totally find this show wonderful.
The other irony is that this show about low budget Indian 80s horror flicks actually has a much higher budget and cinematography than the original subject material.
A great comedy watch during or after dinner, and sad we didn’t see a Season two from Amazon Prime of Shaitaan Haveli.
Starring Varun Thakur, Neha Chauhan and Bhupesh Singh.
Zakir Khan has skyrocketed to become the most popular stand-up comedian in India, with literally any video he touches guaranteed to get 2-3 million views.
The show feels similar to Zakir’s themes of being a small-town boy trying to find his way in life and also faking it to make it.
Very popular with his fans and public alike, do give it a watch and it’s a very family-friendly series for Amazon India, unlike many of the other items on this list.
Starring: Zakir Khan as Ronny, Vyom Sharma as Anwar, Kumar Varun (another Indian comedian) as Kranti, Venus Singh as Avantika, Zakir Hussain as Rajesh, Alka Amin as Amrita and Abhimanyu Singh as Chachaji.
This show is an acquired taste, as those would end up clicking on it would also compare it to Modern Family.
I don’t expect some small family in a small town in Gujarat to relate to this show or its sarcasm and first world problems, but I also think the family in Bandra that does get it would just prefer to watch Modern Family instead.
Ahh, the beauty of trying to run entertainment in India. I’m curious how the Indian version of the Office will do on HotStar as well.
If you’ve watched all the other comedy shows on Amazon Prime and are looking for something a bit off the cuff, it’s still entertaining, cleaner than Four More Shots Please and a very commendable effort that I hope the Indian audiences adopt soon.
Starring Mini Mathur, Cyrus Sahukar, Denzil Smith and Sushmita Mukherjee.
12. Jestination Unknown
IMDB: 7.4
A unique reality based travel show from fellow stand up comedian Vir Das in which he and Raj Sharma and Ashwin Mushran (both friends of mine, disclaimer) travel around the country exploring the cities of India with a fresh twist.
Early reviews are positive of the digital travel show based on Twitter research. They travel around Jaipur, Calcutta, Punjab and other cool parts of India while also doing some jokes and shows.
Starring: Vir Das, Raj Sharma, Ashwin Mushran, Anu Menon.
13. Harmony With A.R. Rahman
IMDB: 9.1
Continuing the Amazon Prime Indian travel tend, The Mozart of Madras has a beautiful five part mini-series exploring the sounds of Mother India. He travels all across the great land to blend tradition with modern sounds and give the viewer something unique.
If you’re in a five part non-fiction sort of mood, it’s a wonderful show to follow the legend that is A.R. Rahman. The show is more interest piece and knowledge focused, so don’t expect any drama or comedy in abundance, although it has it’s light hearted moments.
Starring: A.R. Rahman
14. One Mic Stand
IMDB: 7.6
Fellow stand up comedian Sapan Verma from East India Comedy takes Bollywood celebrities and musicians on a journey of self discovery via India’s booming stand up comedy scene.
As someone for whom this is close to home I really enjoyed the Shashi Tharoor Episode and so did the internet!
Starring Sapan Verma, Shashi Tharoor, BB Ki Vines and various others.
15. The Forgotten Army
Year: 2020
IMDB: TBD
I have yet to watch this show but as I’m updating this blog and it’s out tomorrow, I thought I’d drop it in.
The timing for the subject matter couldn’t be better and early approval even on the trailer points to something that you’re going to watch for sure.
There is a lot of quality programming coming out of India now that streaming platforms are putting quality writing, characters and storytelling away from Bollywood’s outdated nepotism culture.
Talented actors are getting their fair shake, the censor board is luckily not as powerful on streaming platforms as it should be in cinema halls and good cream is rising to the top.
I will continue to update this list and more and more content is created for Amazon India.
1200 Votes from my Instagram as of October 2019.
What are your favorite Indian shows on Amazon Prime India?
Netflix India is making a huge push in original Hindi shows, regional content, and competing fiercely with Amazon, Alt Balaji and Zee Five on who can make the best Indian web series.
With budgets that seem to be infinite, most major streaming platforms are hungry for India’s attention.
What are the best Indian shows on Netflix India in 2019? They are:
Sacred Games Season 1
Sacred Games Season 2
Delhi Crime
Leila
Ghoul
Selection Day
Typewriter
Bard of Blood
Little Things Season Two and Three
Lust Stories
Girls Hostel
Engineering Girls
and many more below as Netflix is now acquiring TVF and other studio’s content…
Thanks to cheap internet, Jio, free time and increasing consumer preferences to sit and home and order in, the Indian middle-class economy is hungry for original binge-worthy content.
They want Indian stories a bit further from the censor board and not the stuff they’ve seen on traditional mediums like TV or Film, but also a bit more polished than what’s on YouTube.
Who needs Netflix and Chill when you can Netflix, Swiggy, Instagram and then do it all over again tomorrow?
From comedy to drama, true crime to thrillers, Netflix’s Indian shows are crowding the home screen and we thought it’d be best to put together a list of the best Indian shows on Netflix.
Not every show will be for everyone, and the only thing worse than watching a show where nudity comes on is watching an INDIAN show where nudity comes on, so check below for the detailed pros, cons, and recommendations for each show.
The beauty of a lot of these shows is that they’re also available in Tamil, Kannada, Bengali, English and various other regional languages.
Best Indian Original Shows on Netflix India
1. Sacred Games Season 1
IMDB: 8.8
Year: 2018
One of the best thriller series on Netflix is arguably their flagship Indian show. You can totally binge on this despite its heavy subject material.
Varun Grover has been a name most of us in stand up comedy world have known for years, and he doesn’t shy away from talking about things that are uncomfortable and clever.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWpuZXhCEkQ
I knew when he wrote this show it was going to be some next-level writing.
Combined with Anurag Kayshap, Saif Ali Khan, revered actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Pankaj Triptahi who often steals the show…and platform favorite Radhika Apte…the cast is awesome.
Complimented by Kubbra Sait(who was on my podcast here)…it’s no wonder everything lined up to deliver a high budget, highly entertaining and highest-rated show for the platform.
2. Sacred Games Season 2
IMDB: 8.8
Year: 2019
Kalki Koechlin, Amruta_Subhash and a few other big-name actors joined for the second season which was slightly less well-received than the first season but expectations were high and this season is honestly just as good.
15M Views on a trailer!
Ignore the reviews comparing it to the first season, the show is popular both within India and with the NRI crowd abroad which is a commendable feat to be relatable to all parties.
The show’s characters also remind me of Harshita Gaur from Mirzapur, but it’s more or less just based on shooting, storytelling, and genre.
3. Delhi Crime
IMDB: 8.5
Year: 2019
My wife and I watched this show in literally two days.
Despite the horrific subject material which is even sadder because of its true basis, the tone of the show is gripping from the start.
The characters are also well defined, even the young daughter who can be annoying at times is well thought out from all aspects of the family.
It covers the horrific case, the government corruption, has a very bleak no soundtrack tone sometimes and sheds light on society, politics, family and a lot of the disparities we see daily in India but often overlook until times of crisis.
I personally think it’s one of the best Indian original Netflix series.
Starring Shefali Shah, Rasika Duga (loved you in Humorously Yours with Vipul Goyal)l, Adil Hussain, Rajesh Tailang all giving excellent performances, the show is top-notch and has the ratings and reviews to boot.
The seven episodes will go by in a flash, but we warned, probably not a family binge and it’s drama and it’s best. So don’t expect to be in the best mood afterward. Truth is a bitter pill to swallow, right?
4. Leila
IMDB: 4.6 (because of political and religious trolls), Rotten Tomatoes: 75%
Year: 2019
Indian shows, much like Indian commercials sometimes all start to look the same after a while. The couple on the sofa, on a tablet, trying to order something and then the obvious solution.
So I always appreciate when sometime tries to do something different and off the cuff, and although the story can feel a bit drawn out sometimes, definitely give Leila a watch.
Huma Qureshi does a nice job as the lead and the Netflix Original also stars Siddharth, Seema Biswas, Rahul Khanna, Sanjay Suri, Arif Zakaria, Ashwath Bhatt and Anupam Bhattacharya.
If you enjoyed Sacred Games and want something set in the future in a dystopian setting much like Children of Men, this show is definitely next on your list.
Ignore the reviews, the critics for once have it right with this show and you will enjoy it. Bingeable in two days or less depending on how much time you have.
Regarding the online trolling this show is getting…unfortunately people forget that entertainment and art is supposed to ask questions.
While the show has certain messages, you can see Hindu folks super sensitive thinking they’re being attacked and dumping negative reviews on IMDB and YouTube.
We have shows showing extreme Christians, Muslims, violent sexual crimes, humor, satire, horror, monsters and pretty much any other group…can people relax and just appreciate art for what it is? And also not be so hypocritical?
They’re good and bad folks in every lot.
5. Ghoul
IMDB: 7.1
Year: 2018
Netflix India can be funny sometimes, taking after the parent companies social media with classy humor and good taste. And they even tweeted that yes, Radhika Apte is in yet another series. This streaming miniseries, however, is anything but funny.
The Indian horror is definitely worth a watch and has a few big cares and delivers a better than Typewriter in my opinion. I mean compare the trailers…which one scares you out of your seat? Which one feels more like a Hollywood leap for Indian cinema?
It’s from a team similar to Insidious and Get Out and shows that India is ready for real talent and real films, not just the nepotism sort of stuff we see from Karan Johar and those love stories.
They have a place and a form in pop culture, but millennials and elder folks alike are appreciating modern storytelling that is edge of your seat fun.
Also starring, Manav Kaul, Ratnabali Bhattacharjee, Mahesh Balraj ,S. M. Zaheer it’s a great show you won’t expect all parents to like but perfect for an evening of Netflix and Chill.
Always fun for the new couple to enjoy the small 3 episode run time.
6. Selection Day
IMDB: 7.5
Year: 2018
Similar in genre to Amazon’s Inside Edge with youngster Mohammad Samad, Yash Dholye, Karanvir Malhotra, Parul Gulati, the ever graceful Ratna Pathak Shah and more, the series is about India’s favorite obsession, cricket.
I mean India loves cricket so much it’s probably the one thing with higher rankings than Bollywood.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7He5XaQKuc
This show is probably better if you’re younger as you’ll relate to the protagonist and also has a similar story vibe to Dangal of a kid trying to match his overzealous parents.
It’s not a show you’ll remember for years but if you’re looking for something to play with the family and cousins over, you can’t beat this.
Plus its cricket galore!
7. Typewriter
IMDB: 6.5
Year: 2019
This show seems to be filmed with a bit of Haunting of Hill House in mind, but seems to be a thriller more than straight horror.
Either way, there was news about people giving up after episode 1 because it was too scary, but I enjoyed it despite the mixed reviews and if you’ve seen the other on this list go ahead and give it a binge.
Emraan Hashmi is no stranger to the big screen and Sobhita Dhulipala is a household name after Zoya Akthar’s Made in Heaven.
This show promises to be exciting as it explores espionage and action which usually gets eaten up by audiences these days.
More Trolling in the comments but looks interesting.
Unfortunately, the show will have comparisons to a buddy of mine Suman Kumar’s show Family Man on Amazon Prime (which is also getting great reviews) but let’s see how things shape up. It’s out in a few days and I’ll update it here.
9. Little Things
IMDB: 8.3
Year: 2017 to 2019
After getting her start in Girl in the City, Mithila Palkar is a star after this show pushed her over the top.
She more recently starred in the major Netflix movie Chopsticks.
Update: Season 3 of Little Things just announced. (see Trailer below).
Little Things is a fun take that builds small scenes (e.g. Little Things) into big long drawn out monologues much like you see in Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight.
It’s a light-hearted yet serious twist on common Bollywood tropes and sometimes fresh, sometimes drawn out but for some reason highly entertaining.
Even when you want to shout at the screen or complain about the characters, you still don’t change the channel.
I’m sure the viewers will learn towards the more female fanbase, but overall a fun show and I was surprised.
10. Lust Stories
IMDB: 6.5
Year: 2018
Lust Stories is an awesome show that shows 4 disconnected stories that are totally believable. Zoya Akthar is great at capturing Indian society in a serious yet humorous way and this is no different.
Built off of the success of 2013’s Bombay Talkies (you’ll definitely binge on that after this), the show is meant to be watched in any order.
Pretty sexual undertones but done tastefully and intelligently, and starring folks like Radhika Apte, Bhumi Pednekar, Kiara Advani, Manisha Koirala, Vicky Kaushal (who’s also having a great run, Neil Bhoopalam, Neha Dhupia, Sanjay Kapoorand Akash Thosar.
It’s no secret why Netflix India swiped yes on this show immediately and made it an original.
11. Girls Hostel
IMDB: 8.6
Year: 2018
This 2018 Girliyapa Original show about four girls in dental school doesn’t try to be anything aside from what it is, a fun sweet comedy show about girls trying to get their medical credentials in a light hearted way.
You will really enjoy the characters and their nuances, led by Srishti Shrivastava. The only problem during its release was that the episodes took a month to release each time.
Originally from the Girliyapa YouTube channel and TVF Play, however now I see the show on Netflix so I”m assuming TVF is selling rights to Netflix India to stream a lot of their unique content.
You’ll Love It If: You want a nice relatable show about girls in dental school and living in a hostel with four other fun gals, each from different aspects of society.
You’ll Hate It If: You’re an alpha male who doesn’t care for the story, because if you give it time it has witty dialogues and fun characters. Or if you’re old you might not enjoy it as the problems may seem trivial.
Starring Parul Gulati, Simran Natekar and Srishti Shrivastava.
12. Engineering Girls
IMDB: 7.0
Year: 2018
The 2018 offering from TVF’s Timeliner brand that shows them scaling with yet another show about academia and the middle class struggle, this time from an all female perspective. Now on Netflix as of October 2019.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b_7I7kANNgI
You get to follow along with three girls in Engineering college (unlike Dental school which is girls hostel above) and see what they have to deal with.
Plot is a bit thin but the youth LOVES this show with over 11M views just on the first episode! Curious to see what Netflix does with this show and these numbers are probably why it was acquired in the first place.
Other users who reviewed it say it’s a simple girlish series while others think it’s a female rip off of 3-idiots.
As Netflix continues to dump more money into India and Pakistan and South Asian cinema in 2019 and beyond, there are a host of shows, movies, comedy specials on more all fighting for attention on the streaming platform.
We’re also seeing Amazon invest heavy in Prime Video and they have some amazing shows in the pipeline as well.
It’s an exciting time for Indian entertainment and cinema since for the first time, the box office is not the only benchmark and the audiences are truly speaking.
Stand up comedy continues to be on the rise, thanks to Netflix, YouTube, Instagram and pretty much all of social media.
The appeal of not requiring vocal or musical talent, being the only star on stage and the draw of “anybody can do it” makes all of us wonder how to be a comedian.
Jokes can cross borders, cross genders and more practically…great delivery delivers a great message. This was on BBC but there was nobody in the crowd.
However, as with anything in life, if it’s too good to be true, it probably is.
You can 100% become a stand-up comedian, but if you want to make a living, you’d probably have an easier time in medical school.
The good news is that we’ll cover just one aspect in this post, which is how to write jokes and comedy writing rather than the much harder question of how to have a career in stand up comedy which I also covered a year back and continues to get a lot of nice messages, so thanks for that.
How to Write jokes? Joke writing is all about surprises, originality, and oftentimes relatability. They’re various forms, techniques and types of comedy that jokes can take. Puns, act outs, impressions, sarcasm, one-liners, rule of three, storytelling, callbacks and more.
Ultimately if you remember to surprise your audience in a clever way and try to make it ABOUT THEM, you’ll probably be fine.
Let’s Set It Up
Before we just dump a million joke examples on you as many comedy blogs do, let’s understand why you want to write jokes in whatever stage of life you’re in.
Richard is the leader on R/standupshots with 70K upvotes on this pic and I can vouch for him that this joke works live ALL THE TIME.
You can easily reverse engineer jokes and your favorite bits from all-star comedians, but that’s like learning how to drive in a Formula 1 race car when you first need to just get to your job in a Honda Civic.
Also before you read on…there is no better experience than getting off your butt and going to the open mic to see how jokes are responded to live. I’ve had things retweeted 1,000 times but trying that joke on stage got crickets.
Remember, comedians create jokes but not all jokes are created by comedians. That joke in your office or funny forward isn’t something a comic can or will do on stage, so yes, knowing how to write jokes isn’t exactly the same as how to write stand up comedy, and we’ll cover the differences also.
Why You Want to Learn How to Write an Original Joke
It’s no secret that after sex, humor is the number one seller.
Whether you want to spice up that boring office presentation, break the ice on a date or just blog/write about things in your industry (gaming, technology, finance, marketing, real estate) with a humorous tone, using comedy is a great way to do it.
Comedy and humor is a skill that everybody should learn because even if you have no aspirations to spend half your life in dingy open mic bars, you can use that skill to improve your public speaking, kill it in sales or learn how to grab and hold people’s attention in a world where that’s the most important.
The President of Ukraine made a presentation at a conference, this was his opening…
I’ve seen million dollar Google engineers who were smarter than Bill Gates lose a room explaining billion-dollar technologies that were going to change the world.
I’ve also seen party-crazy frat boys captivate 100 PHDs on an IDIOTIC piece of social media software because they simply know how to communicate in an effective way.
Jokes are a great way to fix these problems because again…they grab attention but also grab confidence.
Types of Comedy
The various types of comedy you see in 2019 include:
Stand Up Comedy
Improv
Sketch Comedy Live
Sketch Comedy (YouTube, Instagram, etc..)
TV Sitcom
Film
Late Night Talk Shows (monologue, current events, panel with guests)
Vlog
While all of these are formats of comedy, they all leverage basic joke structure. Even a silly meme like “When just actually just wants to Netflix and Chill” of a dog not getting any attention or whatever is a joke about the bedroom, rejection, whatever.
Do You Need to Be Inherently Funny to be a Comedian?
I know that sounds ironic or obvious but not necessarily.
Is your baby or dog or fraternity friend puking in the corner funny? Of course.
Is that going to be funny for a group of strangers on vacation on a cruise ship? Probably not.
Some great comedians are duds off stage and joke writing for the public is actually a craft that takes dedication and patience. So while yes, being funny naturally helps, translating that to the stage and performance takes time.
Gary Gulman is one of my favorites and even has a new special out about depression. But look at any of his tweets and you’ll see he’s very hardworking and methodical about the words, the cadence, the craft and much more.
They’re probably 1/1000 people who are just naturally gifted and who are “just a natural.” But it’s very rare.
So How Do You Write Jokes?
Steve Jobs said simplicity is the most complex, so I thought long and hard on how to narrow down the key steps to getting you into making those writing exercises less exercise and more routine.
1. Pick a Topic for your Material
Yes, your joke has to be about something.
Donald Trump, Your Childhood, Working in an office, Working in an Investment Bank, Working at Google, Dating, Your Date Last week, Tinder (yawn), Being Chinese, whatever…you need a topic.
In order to give your joke a good chance, try to pick a topic in an area you know (e.g. your family, your work, your career, whatever but that anybody could understand)
A lot of comedians think they can go out there and riff, or just do crowd work, or dress well and talk about easy things. No-no-no.
Just like every film needs a story and plot, you at least need topics. Even short one-liner comics like the late Mitch Hedberg and others had entire topics in seemingly tiny sentences.
If you talk about people who don’t really get talked about, you can find new comedic ground to cover.
Pro Tip: One of the best ways to stand out early in your comedy joke writing is to write about topics people don’t talk about, but is probably 100% known and relatable.
I made a good chunk of my career talking about working in Information Technology.
I don’t expect 300 million Americans or 1 Billion Indians to enjoy hearing software humor, but I could grab a large chunk of 50 million software engineers and that’s just fine with me.
Chances are if you simply need to learn how to write comedy for your office or presentation, picking a topic your audience knows but nobody else does is a great way to connect (e.g. that clunky payroll system, the company CEO’s hobbies, a recent news event in your Industry).
The new standard for lavish Indian wedding is Beyonce.
2. Look for an angle on the topic that people haven’t thought of before.
Jokes are all about the reader or audience not expecting the punchline.
Whether it’s a tweet, a live performance, and heck even a meme or Instagram story, it has to be unique enough for someone to appreciate the uniqueness of it all.
These days everybody knows the late-night punchlines of Donald Trump is sexist or George Bush was dumb or whatever. But what else is there about him that could still surprise an audience?
What if he’s actually super smart?
What are his kids like?
Maybe his wife is the real brains?
What do world leaders think of him?
Maybe you voted for him? Why? Why not?
Try to reverse what pop culture says, because your goal is for your reader or audience to not see it coming.
We get that on Tinder everybody is ghosting.
Or that black people are like this and white people are like that.
Or it’s tough to be single or all the men in Hollywood don’t like you.
There was a time when those topics were fresh and new, but now you have to find new topics to spin a humorous angle on.
Once you have a topic, like growing up poor or being bad with women…try to write everything you find amusing or ironic or strange about that.
You’ll probably write down 100 things and one of them will work on stage.
Welcome to comedy.
But if you know that your first 100 jokes will have a 1% success rate, is sets the expectation and makes the future a lot easier, rather than spending a day and quitting after one open mic.
For example… let’s write down anything without judgment until something at least makes us smirk.
I’m so bad with women that…
Tinder gave me a refund.
Tinder said “don’t bother.”
The waiter asked my date if she was at the right table.
The extremists made me one of the 72 virgins.
I work in HR and I’m still single.
Again, the point isn’t to judge these jokes but to start dumping all the first thoughts out of the way so you can make room and really warm up your creative muscles.
Growing up poor is:
Fine with social media. I just photoshop myself at the beach.
Ironic when you have siblings. That first kid was a $200,000 expense. Great, let’s have another.
A lot of pressure. It’s like your parents had you thinking…let’s name him “Return on Investment.”
making six figures in San Francisco.
Growing up rich is tough because…
You guys have to find your dreams. I have to find my boat.
Everybody expects you to pick up the tab. I mean I can..but like…
Does she like me for me, or my money, or…?
(I clearly didn’t grow up rich so I really have no clue about it)
3. Setup and Punchline
The beauty of working hard on a unique, ironic or surprising angle is that you may have already completed the joke.
What’s the traditional definition of a joke?
A setup or premise and a punchline.
Even if a comedian tells a long 5-minute story there are probably a bunch of mini setup/punchline combinations also building onto a bigger setup and punchline.
Don’t over-engineer it. Setups are the topics or situations and punchlines are the delivery or payoff.
Once you’ve made sure your joke has a payoff for the reader or audience, you can go ahead and test them out at the open mic, Toastmasters, a public speaking group in your area, or even on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram stories and social media.
4. Memorize Your Jokes (for live comedy)
If you’re going to perform as a comedian or use jokes in your speech or presentation, you NEED to remember your joke so you nail down your delivery and timing.
What nobody ever tells you is that some comedians are way better at delivery and performing than the actual joke itself when read on paper and often times audiences may not even know the difference.
So if you want to make sure your joke has an adequate swing much like going for a home run with a fastball straight down the middle, make sure you deliver it well. The simplest way to do that is too simply memorize the ten to fifteen jokes you want to try, and deliver with them conviction.
Otherwise, reading them off an index card when nobody knows you ruins the confidence of your audience and jokes that had potential get wasted away.
5. Deploy and Test
I feel bad for the creatives of years past because they had to wait for somebody to tell them if they were funny or a good writer or could sell well.
In today’s world, gatekeepers still exist (and many, such as major comedy club booker or late night booker are still valuable in knowing what works for their format) but the public’s reaction is king.
Look at how the Rotten Tomatoes scores of Dave Chappelle’s latest special differed between the people who “hold the keys to good reviews” and well, the ticket-buying public.
If the critics are also way off, wouldn’t an ad executive, or a filmmaker, or a company CEO who slowly sees his company get disrupted by a new technology?
The point I’m trying to make is, you need to get your jokes out there now and see what sticks. But don’t give up too early.
Stephen King had tons of GREAT books passed on before he found a publisher who wanted to get him in front of eyeballs, and then destiny took over.
Just cause your joke got one like, it may not be so bad if Facebook didn’t show it to anybody or you have no followers on Twitter who saw it.
There are no hard and fast rules, but if your joke gets a laugh consistently over 5-10 live tellings or gets a lot of love on social media (especially from strangers), it will likely get a laugh in your comedy future or presentation or movie or sketch.
As you continue writing about your life or topics of interest, you’ll start to clumb all those dating jokes together into a 4 minute bit on dating, and use the two lines about realizing you were gay as your introduction, or whatever.
6. Cut the Fat
In comedy, less is definitely more. A common mistake people make when writing jokes is to include unnecessary details.
I grew up in Minnesota, we had a small blue house. It’s so cold there in the winters. We were poor. The landlord came to evict us but the house was so bad nobody took it over.”
Why do I care that the house is blue? Is Minnesota really required? Either find a funny twist on why you mentioned Minnesota or just start the joke from “we were poor.”
Once you test out your jokes (after memorizing) a good chunk of joke writing is actually joke editing and trust me, comedians are constantly removing and adding things to their material to make it tight and funny.
Belly laughs (or some comics like to go on jokes per minute) is a great way to keep the laughter rolling and that takes years of editing and timing to master.
Common Misconceptions
There’s a lot in this post that I’m sure comedians who are one to five years in want to say, but again…this is just the training wheels of joke writing.
There’s no point playing to the back of the room if you can’t confidently hold an audience’s attention no matter how meta or clever your bit is.
1. I just want to be a comedy writer for TV. This stuff is hacky or lame. Kay and Peele don’t do that.
Don’t they?
Again, the point of this article isn’t to get you a Netflix special, it’s to teach you the ABC’ or how to dribble and make a free throw.
Once you learn the basics you can build and build and build or start doing crossovers and nailing half-court shots.
But whether it’s a sketch about “how guys can’t call their girl a b**ch” or Alec Baldwin doing a bit on Trump, the jokes are there once you dig under the hood.
2. What are the comedy writing secrets?
There are no secrets to writing comedy just like there’s no secrets to getting rich. However, they’re definitely shortcuts and more effective ways that a lot of comedians don’t do.
Leveraging (rather than scoffing at) social media, keeping a schedule, putting down the beer, avoiding easy crowd work (I’m guilty) are all the tools you can do to polish your jokes sooner and sooner.
3. Are comedy classes worth it?
I’ve never taken a comedy class, but I did take a sketch writing class with one of the Kay and Peele writers a few years ago and I’d do it again.
Did I learn anything crazy new or turn my career around? Not really.
But for the price of 15 beers over my next 3 open mics I got to meet people, put discipline on my writing for 8 Sundays in a row and spend my money on things that pushed me towards my goals rather than pointless movies or drinks.
My main beef with comedy classes (and blogs, which is why I tried to write this a bit differently) is that they use part of your fee have you all perform in a comedy club at the end.
You walk out into the world with a tape of your 5 minutes and a great crowd, but when you join the real front lines of comedy you realize nobody cares and the crowds aren’t like all your peers in that class.
So if you recognize that and have the time, I would 100% give it a shot probably just ONCE.
If nothing else, comedy classes are a great way to force you to write your first 100 jokes because we all know you’re not going to do that on your own.
Conclusion
The hardest thing with writing comedy and creating jokes is the same as starting any new hobby or skill.
Where do you begin?
When I started making YouTube videos, I was so caught up with the type of Camera I wanted and reading 100 Amazon reviews, I didn’t realize lenses were more important than cameras, and content was more important than both.
Then learning to be comfortable on screen, editing, understanding data, figuring out a routine, etc.. Ultimately, if your content is good, (or your joke funny), people will laugh.
Joke writing is the boring and hard part, but it’s also the part that is over-engineered, over-analyzed and when many of us get success, the most overlooked.
Your brain uses more energy thinking than you might do at the gym, which is why most comedians give up after writing for 20-40 minute a day/week.
Are there other ways to write jokes?
Of course.
Is there only one way to write jokes?
Of course not.
I read Comedy Bible by Judy Carter when I first started and then, later on, I figured out what I wanted to pick and choose from the 100 other books out there.
I hope this article does the same for you.
If nothing else, write 10 jokes and keep them aside for a rainy day.
The makeup and beauty industry is booming in India and across the world.
A good portion of that has to be thanks to a few different factors as it relates to the Indian makeup industry:
YouTube
Bollywood
Indian Weddings and Bridal Makeup
Hollywood and Indian Actors
Diverse looks across the globe
Fashion and beauty bloggers
I recently sat down with my buddy Sandhya Shekar to talk makeup, being one of Deepika Padukone’s favorite makeup artists and traveling the world learning makeup from the world’s best.
Who is Sandhya Shekar?
If you follow Bollywood celebrities, Instagram fashion bloggers or the makeup and cosmetics industry India..the real question is Who Isn’t Sandhya Shekar?
She’s from Mangalore, got started doing makeup for small shoots after working in the media industry and then hustled her way to the top.
We talked on the Birdy Num Num podcast about the makeup industry, upping your skills and how to be a makeup artist in India and beyond.
1. How Did You Start Doing Makeup in India?
Sandhya: I was working at Yes Bank and got bored with that. So I asked some of my friends who were in styling and fashion about it, and just thought let me take some courses.
My goal wasn’t even to work with many stars, it was just to pay the rent and see if I can make this a viable career option and do a few bridal shoots.
Then I went to a one month course in Mumbai and did another course at the London School of Beauty, and came back to Mumbai and started assisting other makeup artists.
Then after 8 months of assisting, in 2005, I got my first gig with MTV.
2. What should people know about having a career in the makeup industry?
Sandhya: I think with our job you have to keep studying, all the time. Just like a programmer has to be up to date on all the technologies, so do we have to stay on top of the latest styles and trends.
For example, I used to do one look that required six different tools. Now years later it only requires 3. As you progress you then are rated based on how efficient you can output quality work and being to update is how you get there.
So even though I’ve been at this for like 15 years now, I still go take a 3-5 day masterclass if I see anything is happening in Mumbai or elsewhere with folks I respect.
3. How did You Convince Your Parents?
Sandhya: I left Yes Bank over a 3 month notice period, then I came home for a few months before heading to London.
They thought I would get into the Bollywood machine and get “corrupted” or “exploited” but in all honesty that’s not been my experience at all.
4. What is Contouring?
Sandhya: (laughs) It’s when the light falls on your face in a flattering way.
5. Were you always into beauty as a profession?
Sandhya: Yes I think so. I used to stain my lips and cheeks with beetroot and other things since my mom wouldn’t let me use her makeup. I kind of got into all of that at an early age.
6. You were at the Met Gala with Deepika Padukone’s team as one of her makeup artists. How was that?
Sandhya: Honestly it was such a fun experience. We had our schedules, we got briefed properly on her outfits and her changes and it was just so exciting to be a part of. Bollywood and Hollywood are both great so it was nice to see two sides to that coin.
The full one-hour interview links are below, but the major lesson I think we can all take away from the beauty and makeup industry is that like with anything, complacency can ruin your career.
Sandhya started her journey in 2005, but a lot of people look at her now or her 70,000 Instagram followers and think wow she’s so great and so popular.
But with anything in life, the highlight reel is far from the reality of the behind the scenes, and quite literally Sandhya earns her showreel behind the scenes.
Questions for her? She’s reading this blog and agreed to answer questions if you comment below.
Indian stand-up comedy continues to gain popularity in India and worldwide as local and NRI audiences realize TV shows aren’t keeping up with what the modern country wants.
From just 15 comedians in 2010 to well over 200 in 2019, it seems everybody you know is changing their DP into a picture of them holding a microphone at the open mic.
Thanks to Facebook and YouTube and insanely priced internet access, Indian stand up comedy is also at the forefront of entertainment.
Amazon Prime and Netflix are also looking at comedy closely as a way to continue to buy market share of the middle-class Indian consumer. It’s insanely cheap to spend on a Amazon Prime comedy special that produce a web series or a movie.
But how do you decide who to watch and what flavor is right for you? Which one is the funniest Indian comedian?
In a country as diverse as India where Hindi is king, the numbers clearly favor the Hindi comics. However, in years to come, we will continue to see a diversification of comedy in English, Tamil, Kannada, Punjabi and who knows what else.
But in the meantime, since YouTube doesn’t really allow you to sort the biggest videos, here’s a quick list of the most viewed Indian stand up comedians I know from being in the scene.
Best Stand Up Comedians From India in 2019 (Hindi)
The list below is based on the videos/artists I know of in the comedy space by YouTube views. If I missed anybody let me know. They’re plenty of other great Indian comedians in English, Tamil, Kannada and more.
Updated View counts: November 2019
So who are the best stand up comedians in India in 2019?
This video from the AIB Diwas festival in Mumbai arguably launched Zakir Khan into the mainstream.
Although it was hardly an overnight success and Zakir had been at it for years, the timing of his talent and exposure lined up nicely from this point onwards.
42M Views on Zakir talking about women!
It’s easy to see why Zakir and Abhishek continue to be thought of as the best Indian stand up comedians because wow, they’re blowing the numbers out of the water. You probably also know Zakir from his Amazon Prime Haq Se Single special.
Continuing his hot streak from the same show, Zakir follows up by giving his fans more of what they wanted. Girls check, exams and studies check. Middle class comedy has never been so relatable to the Indian audiences.
Another 32M views here.
Zakir eventually used these videos as a way to launch into the Great Indian Laughter challenge. He also used the phrase Sakth Launda which means to be a kind of flirtatious, non committing guy.
Taking home the gold, silver, and bronze in most viewed Hindi stand up comedian, Zakir keeps at it in this clip from Canvas laugh club in Mumbai.
Speaking of Canvas Laugh Club, the largest comedy club in India also launched the careers of many of the comics on this list. Unfortunately it shut down but hopefully, it opens soon, because of the number of views featuring its branding is insane.
One such name you probably know is Abhishek Upmanyu who along with Zakir probably has the most views of any Hindi stand up artist across the world.
How many of you knew Abhishek also worked at Bain and quit that to enter the comedy world? How much talent and luck can one person have!
Respecting elders, questioning Indian middle-class society and more is all great in this clip from Canvas yet again.
50M views on these two videos, a great debut effort.
India loves it’s YouTube, and there is one other Tube that probably gets most of its traffic from the subcontinent. Abhishek gives us insights into both.
Anybody who’s stepped outside in India knows the beauty of dealing with strangers.
Now that both Canvas comedy clubs have shut, the new big player with a very recognizable backdrop is the Indie Habitat in Mumbai.
Another very popular cultural reference in India is about the TV shows we all watch, and Abhishek continues to reference the right topics with the right jokes.
The comedy club is a great space to record and has probably taken over the Indian YouTube’s stand up comedy subconscious with its instantly recognizable backdrop. If you see a thumbnail from here, you will assume the quality is fairly decent.
The craziest thing about stand up comedy in India is that nobody has a linear career.
Another 21M view debut. How many other performers do you know who have one video and 300K subscribers?
This is not like engineering or medicine where the longer you work, the higher you are. Thanks to YouTube and proper timing, this video from a guy I never heard of (at the time) shows if you work hard on your sets for a few years and then time it right, good things can happen.
But they’re no short cuts, and I’m sure he’s also a gifted storyteller or communicator. But this funny video on exams and cheating and so on shows you also have to hit the right notes for Indian audiences (e.g. school, girls, middle-class life, etc..).
In comedy having a unique voice also helps. The term is often overused, but basically some comedians (ahem) take years to find their style, while others seem to have it naturally. In Bassi’s case it seems to the be the second. Well done!
4. Manik Mahna
Similar to Bassi above, if you hit the right notes, have good jokes, a good audience and get a good recording with good audio, good things can happen.
Manik Mahna is another name who has nearly 400K subscribers with just two videos. In stand up comedy talking about school, classmates, engineering, girls, families and much more can be considered evergreen content, and I’m sure these videos will keep the fans coming for years to come.
Another great success that shows the democracy of talent in the age of YouTube.
Speaking of democracy, Kunal Kamra burst onto the scene by giving Habitat its first big viral video as well as himself with Patriotism and Government.
He had been performing at Canvas Laugh Club in Mumbai for years before then.
He continues to troll the Modi supporters, mainstream media and pretty much anyone in government with his comedy and has a very popular Instagram page.
While I personally am looking for Kunal to talk about dating or his personal challenges (weight loss maybe?) his success proves that sometimes doubling down on a niche (family, dating, politics, Indian society, engineering) might be a good way to craft your space in an increasingly crowded Indian comedy world.
Amit Tandon is one of the few folks on this list who has been doing stand up comedy since 2010. Lucky for him Facebook has been a huge boom and being a personal friend of mine, I have no bias noting him down here. This video on Facebook currently has 18M views and gets traction daily.
Amit likes to discuss clean comedy topics related to family and kids. You’re not going to see him ripping a joke on Modi or Rahul Gandhi, but more so on middle class nuances and family dynamics. He’s one of the best Indian stand up comedians from Delhi and in India generally, and also one of the highest paid corporate comics.
Clean comedy pays off folks!
7. Aditi Mittal
Aditi Mittal is another name in the Indian stand up comedy scene who’s views also matches her work ethic. With 10M views on this clip alone, it’s easy to see why her comedy is both hilarious and required in the growing comedy market that is India.
Aditi jokes about general Indian life, dating, women’s issues, middle class family dynamics and a host of other relatable topics.
8. Sundeep Sharma
Sundeep Sharma is kind of a “slacker” comedian that works too hard for it to actually be true. His style is very casual and confused with the world.
Rising to fame strictly on the back of YouTube and WhatsApp, it’s glad to see him getting the success he deserves.
9. Nishant Tanwar aka Joke Singh
Unliked the clean comedic stylings of Mr. Tandon, Nishant Tanwar is quite the opposite. His Amazon special is called “I’m from Delhi Mother FU****” and you can guess what those asterisks spell out.
Regardless, Joke Singh deserves much of his recent success.
7M views as of November 2019. Update your Thumbnail bro!
He is one of the hardest working guys in the scene, who has traveled the world trying to figure out his comedy zone.
Thanks to a switch to Hindi and consistent uploads, he’s hit it big by focusing on quick comedy content and catering to his audience.
Nishant is proof that you don’t need to have crazy camera quality to get popular in the Indian stand up comedy scene, as his earlier viral clips were shot simply on an iPhone.
Amazon Prime Indian Stand Up Comedy Specials
Most Indian stand up comedy in the future will focus on Hindi and Tamil as the streaming platforms look at what’s working on YouTube.
While we don’t know the numbers from Amazon or Netflix, or even comments to see what the audiences are enjoying, you can easily determine that based on promotions and what’s happening on the Prime Video home screen.
If you’d like us to list out the most well known Amazon Prime Indian stand up comedy specials do comment and we’ll throw in our recommendations.
I hope we see more diversity both from male/female perspective as well as a language perspective, but it’s no secret that just like Bollywood, India loves its Hindi comedy.
What are your favorites?
Any other stand up comedians or funny Hindi videos (that would qualify as stand up) missing?
As a stand-up comedian, I find it silly how so many people over-analyze their podcast.
Just like a YouTuber that knows about light and shadow can use an iPhone to make a killer video, I don’t get why we need to go into crazy fancy studios to record a podcast that at first will be heard by 4 people.
For solo podcasts, all you need is a tiny tripod or stack of books and the zoom to tilt up towards your face. 1L bottle is shown for scale, windscreen helps make the sound a little more studio-like. Tripod is Manfrotto but you can use any tabletop tripod for like $25. See YouTube link below using this setup.
When you get to 1,000 downloads, by all means, you can up your game but most people put so many hurdles in front of them instead of just talking about interesting stuff and getting comfortable on the mic.
People who start podcasting will first do unnecessary things like:
setting a meeting time with their co-host,
booking a studio,
buying what Joe Rogan uses,
stressing on technicals,
spending months chasing down one guest
hiring an editor when they are one tutorial away from doing it themselves,
and not realizing that before all of that they need to know that content is king, distribution is queen and she wears the pants.
I had about 250,000 listens on my first Soundcloud podcast (now acquired by Audible), done in my living room and dining table and I probably got 4 messages in TOTAL over 7 years about echo or background noise.
However…since most people will ignore what I just said and think that gear is everything, the good news is that you can STILL record your podcast near radio or studio-quality audio at home. Often times in a room that isn’t even soundproof, assuming you know what you’re doing.
And if you know what you’re doing, you’ll likely come across the Zoom H4N.
You’ll get 90% of studio-quality sound for $200 as opposed to $20,000 and nobody on YouTube or iTunes would really know the difference.
Note: I’m using the original H4N in this post which is pretty much the same as the H4N Pro, so this tutorial should work fine. If you find a difference comment it below but the menu items and form factor are pretty much identical.
What is the Zoom H4N PRO?
What is the Zoom H4N? The Zoom H4N is one of the best 4 track audio recorders on the market but also one of the ugliest and most confusing, non-stylish digital recording products out there.
Everything it offers has a purpose, but it’s definitely not plug and play and has zero design appeal when first looking at it.
You need the manual and THEN some to really understand how to use the thing, even in a simple configuration.
But once you figure it out, boy is it extreme bang for your buck.
It’s one of the industry-standard sound recorders, used for:
indie film production,
live recordings,
VLogs
music recordings and of course…
podcasting.
In fact, I think it’s amazing for podcasting BUT I had no clue how to use it properly my first two years.
And Zoom doesn’t really hand old you through it because, for whatever reason, they want to keep it difficult and think a beginning YouTuber or podcaster is going to know or care about:
low cuts,
frequencies
Audio capture directions
Multi-channel inputs or 4 channel recording (which is awesome once you crack it).
Just like your DSLR or iPhone has 99 features you may not use outside of games and making videos/phone calls, the Zoom can do a ton of which you won’t really need at first.
And just like how many of us first got a DSLR and were like “Why are all the pictures blurry” when we didn’t realize how the technology worked…the Zoom recorder has its own nuances.
But for podcasting specifically, I’ll explain how you can use it here.
If you want me to cover something else, like how to edit your files, master your audio, sync your tracks from the Zoom, talk about the 4-channel mode or whatever the best settings are for other configurations..let me know!
Why You Need the Zoom H4N over the Blue Yeti or Other Plug Into Your Laptop Mics
The zoom records onto an SD card and it can run on batteries OR plugged in power. You can’t lug the Blue Yeti AND A LAPTOP to every podcast setup, and the Zoom is also used on top of your camera, at live events to take audio from the DJ’s console and much more.
It’s like a mini recording studio which is why most people prefer it OVER other devices than require separate storage or computers to be compatible with. I also hated it too and told my best buddy to buy the Yeti instead which is great if it only ever sits at your desk (like people who do YouTube tutorials only).
At my dining table, using the H4N built-in microphone which I think sounds great. And my H4N is about 5 years old. Tripod and foam cover are the ones in the image above. Notice how my voice changes as I tilt my head back away from the mic. This is also my living room in my apartment so no noise proofing is done. This is the Solo podcast setup.
How to Use the Zoom H4N for a Solo Podcast
If you’re a Bill Burr or Chris D’elia type who needs to simply podcast or talk to your audience/listeners at your dining table or bedroom (no bathrooms please), OR are recording a VLOG type podcast and need better audio, the Zoom is amazing.
Ditto for those folks who want to discuss the news, talk about food, motivation, fitness, business, politics or whatever.
To use the H4N for a solo recording, all you have to do is:
Turn it on.
Set the Input mode to Mic by pressing the button that says mic. It should actually default to this so you probably don’t even need to press this.
This captures your voice from the two tiny silver/black mics on top of the device so make sure the entire device is pointed up towards your face.
Press record ONCE and start testing the meters by talking (those moving bars that appear as you talk). Yes you’ll have to turn the device back around to see the display meters, then turn it back so the mics face you. (see images/recordings in this post).
Move the rec level buttons (on the right) of the device as you’re talking until the meters go to about 60% of the way up. I’ve also recorded up until 75 just fine assuming nobody is going to shout. Once you feel you’re good (or just keep it at 55-60 rec level if it’s just an intimate conversation between you and the listeners).
Hit the record button again (you’ll see the counter/timer display starting to move) to start recording.
Don’t touch the device at all until you’re done recording. (you’ll get weird sounds).
Press stop when you’re done recording.
Press play to hear your file back from the device’s tiny speaker, plug in headphones OR just take out the SD card and play it from your laptop.
In the YouTube clip above I was recording at about level 50-60 and then just used the podcast filter on Adobe Premiere to boost the audio.
SETUP:
Small tripod (I’m using the Manfrotto linked at the end of this post)
H4N on top of it, positioned between 6 to 12 inches from your face.
Guy or gal talking in front.
That’s really it. Can run on battery or use the adapter and plug it in.
GEAR:
Small Tripod or Stack of Books.
Zoom H4N
A foam cover/hiss cover to avoid lip-smacking sounds and harsh S type sounds when you say words like sophisticated.
RECORDING CONDITIONS
Quiet house (although you can fix minor noises like an air conditioner or fan simply in Adobe Audition, Premiere or Audacity it is better to have it quiet.)
Don’t tap the table or keep elbows on it (the one your recorder is on).
Don’t keep glasses of water on the table, your guests will make noise and the vibrations will get picked up by the recorder.
Don’t touch the device or move it until you’re done recording, otherwise, you’ll have to edit out unwanted sounds.
Using the H4N (not pictured, but near our feet). Notice at 0:29 before he says “SO” how the mic rattle sounds appear. That’s the main reason you want to keep your mic on a stand as a lot of guests will get excited and keep moving, and that sound is super annoying to someone listening at the gym with headphones. But if we used the dining table behind us (same one in the images and clips above) and just kept the mic on two $10 stands, we’ be fine, as long as guests don’t tap the table or put coffee cups or water bottles on it.
How to Use the Zoom H4N for an Interview Podcast
A lot of people who are new to podcasting will end up having guests and running an interview show in whichever niche they belong to.
So if you’re in the wedding or meditation niche, you’d like interview wedding planners, photographers, yoga teachers, life coaches, etc… If you’re a new stand up comedian you’ll probably try to interview more successful comedians.
The goal with podcasting is to aim up, so for example if you have 5,000 Instagram fans you want someone who has 10,000, etc… And the easiest way to do that is to get guests who love talking about themselves. And since they’re talking, you’ll need to get some decent non-echo-ish audio.
The most famous podcast currently I assume is the Joe Rogan podcast and you don’t need that quality to interview the top Facebook Ads expert in your city or the leading app developer in your town.
For Joe’s guests and his audience, yes..you will need shock-absorbing boom microphone stands and the SM7B microphone…but again…if you’ve never podcasted before or are less than two years in you’re just wasting your money.
To use the Zoom H4N to interview a guest, you can use the built-in microphone (less optimal) or two Shure SM 58 microphones plugged into the H4N (my favorite for which I record my podcast on).
My wife and I sitting at the corner of a dining table. If you and your guest are using the built-in microphone (I put a foam cover on top, but it’s not required), ideally sit close to each other like this so both of you sound decent. Sound sample from exactly this picture below. The audio file we recorded from the image above! Notice how each of our voices tilt towards one side (you can fix that easily in your podcast editing software like Adobe Premiere or Adobe Audition). Yes, I know Premiere is for video but I just edit my podcasts there also.
How to Record a Podcast Interview with the H4N with the built-in mic
To use the H4N for an interview recording with the built-in mic, all you have to do is the same steps for a solo podcast as above, but with one major seating arrangement:
Turn it on.
Set the Input to Mic but pressing the button that says mic.
Press record ONCE and start testing the meters (those moving bars that appear as you talk).
Move the rec level buttons (on the right) of the device as you’re talking until the meters go to about 60% of the way up. I’ve also recorded up until 75 just fine assuming nobody is going to shout. Once you feel you’re good (or just keep it at 55-60 if it’s just an intimate conversation between you and the listeners).
Sit with your guests at the corner of a table or next to each other where you can both be close to the microphone. (see image above)
Hit the record button again (you’ll see the counter starting to move) to start recording.
Don’t touch the device at all until you’re done recording. (you’ll get weird sounds).
Optional: Adjust the mics on top by twisting either of them to set the audio field to 120 although it won’t make too much of a difference. (e.g. if there were 3 of you trying to all talk into it).
SETUP:
Small tripod (I’m using the Manfrotto linked at the end of this post)
H4N on top of it, positioned between 6 to 12 inches from your face.
Both of you in between the mic.
That’s really it.
GEAR:
Small Tripod or Stack of Books.
Zoom H4N
A foam cover/hiss cover to avoid lip smacking sounds and harsh S type sounds when you say words like sophisticated.
RECORDING CONDITIONS
Don’t MOVE THE MIC to make it easier for either of you! Nail this first! You will be tempted to continuously move the device when either of you talk about DON’T!
Quiet house (although you can fix minor noises like A/C simply in Adobe Audition, Premiere or Audacity)
Don’t tap the table or keep elbows on it (the one your recorder is on).
Don’t keep glasses of water on the table.
How to Record a Podcast Interview with two external SM58 Microphones
This is my favorite setup and the one I’m using in the video with the bald dude above (India’s best Psychiatrist) as well as currently for all my podcasts, including this one with Alicia below.
I’m going to cover this one backward, showing you the gear we use first and then explain the setup. You can use literally any mic you want as long as it has XLR or quarter-inch support to plug into the ports below the device but I advise you to get the SM58 (I’m using two that are literally 10 years old here).
Same setup as the one with the bald dude, but we went with $10 stands as opposed to holding the mic. Notice when it starts how the H4N has the two mic’s cables plugged in at the bottom.
The SM 58 is the industry workhorse microphone that Grammy winners STILL use. You can google for plenty of comparisons but at $99 it’s all you need to sound like a pro, or you can even use a cheaper Chinese one with the exact same specs. Any concert, any bar, any comedy show, any jazz club people will most likely be using SM 58s. It’s literally everywhere. Singers and comedians and everyone uses it.
SETUP:
H4N plugged into a power source using the included adapter
Comfortable table, sofa or studio where both of you can chat and talk facing each other or side by side.
Decent distance from walls so your wires can reach an AC outlet and also your mic cables have room to extend.
A foam cover/hiss cover to avoid lip smacking sounds and harsh S type sounds when you say words like sophisticated. I’m using a blue one above and Alicia is using the foam cover from all the other images in thi post.
Two XLR cables, either XLR to XLR or XLR to Quarter Inch.
Two foam covers for the top of your mic’s. (We forgot to use them above in the meditation video).
Advised ($15 table top mic stands which helps as guests tend to move microphones a lot).
Advised: Headphones to monitor the voices at least in the beginning.
RECORDING CONDITIONS
Don’t MOVE THE MIC to make it easier for either of you! Nail this first!
Quiet house (although you can fix minor noises like A/C simply in Adobe Audition, Premiere or Audacity)
Don’t tap the table or keep elbows on it (the one your recorder is on).
Don’t keep glasses of water on the table.
To use the Zoom H4N to record a podcast interview with two external microphones:
Plug the H4N into the wall adapter and wall outlet (or use batteries but you’ll drain them fast).
Plus the TWO XLR cables into the the two microphones. Plug the other end into the two bottom ports at the bottom of the Zoom H4n device. (it doesn’t matter which one goes where).
Turn the microphones on (a common issue is one person didn’t turn their mic on and the whole recording is wasted).
Tap 1 or 2 button (doesn’t matter, you’re just telling the device to use either of those as the microphone source, not the built in mic at the top of the device which you used in solo mode).
Tap 1.
Tap the record button to turn on the mic.
Whoever is holding the microphone that is plugged into port 1, start talking and adjust the rec level (side device) until it goes to about 45-50 percent.
Repeat steps 5 to 7 but this time Tap 2.
Once your happy with your levels, hit record again to start recording.
If you’re not seeing one bar go up but rather two, OR you want both bars to go up when either of you talk…read on.
Mono Mix, ½ Link and Settings
When two people talk into two microphones, most audio recorders will give you one file, with two tracks (a left channel and a right channel). Using any simple software like Audacity or Adobe Audition or Premiere you can easily split those up.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about or don’t care about editing much, you should use Mono Mix to put everything in one audio file. I used this a lot because I don’t interrupt my guests too much and there isn’t a need to isolate the audio of his/her mic from mine. But oftentimes you might if you have too many guests and a lot of chatter (or you can hear a dog barking in the back of your mic while your guest is talking into a mic that isn’t grabbing the dog sound).
Don’t worry, Mono Mix doesn’t mean you have a lower level recording, it just means the device blends both your mic’s together so you don’t have to.
To Turn On Mono Mix:
Press the Menu button on the side of the device.
Then use the jog wheel on the right side of the device to scroll down to Input.
Press the jog wheel on Input.
Scroll down to ½ Link and press the jog wheel on ½ Link.
Scroll down to On and press the jog wheel on it.
Scroll down to mono mix (you know how to use the jog wheel now right?) and turn it on.
Now repeat the above steps on how to use the H4N with two microphones and when you get to steps 5 to 7 you should see both meters moving.
In case you don’t see these buttons or options try turning off stamina mode behind your battery panel. Often times phantom power or plug-in power are also causing some issues.
Or just comment below and I’ll help you out!
Still using my 2011 Zoom H4N (that is beaten up in 2020) and the built-in Adobe Premiere H4N preset to quickly master the audio.
Common Mistakes:
Your headphones are plugged into the external mic port (the one labeled EXT mic on the back of the device, at the top) instead of the headphone jack which is on the left of the device which says line/headphone icon.
Stamina mode being on or off his hiding certain features you can’t get to (like changing to MP3 from WAV recording formats).
Phantom Power or Plug-In Power is not on or off which is not letting your lapel or lavalier mic work.
Your lapel or lavalier mic has only 2 black stripes on it as opposed to 3 which might affect if it’s compatible with your device as explained here.
Trust me, it’s one of those devices that is super complicated initially but after 1-2 days, it will save you a lifetime of hassle.
Think of all the time and money you’ll save on driving to a studio, waiting for an editor and paying for those services when instead you could do the number thing podcasting is all about…creating!
