Cinematically speaking, 2020 has been a great year. While the world was in shambles, it was art and the artists that ensured our sanity. With nowhere to go, most of us took solace in the company of some great content be it movies, web-series, TV shows or documentaries among other types of entertainment.??
Many people who earlier had several excuses for not being up to date with the cinema trends devoted a large chunk of their time to binge-watch their heart out. It¡¯s now time to put all the memories both good and bad behind us and retrospect about the year that has gone by.?
Here¡¯s a dekko at some of the moments that stood out for us from some of the most spectacular shows that released this year. Scroll!
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
In the second quarter of the year, cinebuffs were presented with a very different and gripping series that became a hot topic of discussion in no time. A regular crime thriller became more loved when the central theme of the show was revealed. Till the time the mystery around Hathoda Tyagi wasn¡¯t unveiled, it was just another show.?
The moment that made it stand out was that scene where Tyagi reveals that he refrained from carrying out the assassination because he was perplexed to find out that journalist Sanjeev Mehra¡¯s wife loved dogs and in that very moment when the deal was to be sealed he found him petting the dog. This was beautiful, in every sense of the word.
Where to watch: Sony Liv
Well, it¡¯s hard to pick just one moment from such a phenomenal show. Right in the middle part of the show during episode 5, Harshad Mehta gave a small byte to the media talking about market trends and how he plans to bounce back up. Posing in front of his luxury car, he takes out a lighter and says that he doesn¡¯t smoke but always carry it - ¡°Dekho Mein Cigarette Nahi Pita Par Jeb Mein Lighter Jarur Rakhta Hun Dhamaka Karne Ke Liye¡±
And this is followed by the captivating intro music. Thrilling to say the least!
Where to watch: Disney + Hotstar
This saga of murder, betrayal and blackmail marked the comeback of Sushmita Sen from a long hiatus. She ran the show on her own and reminded us that a true artist delivers a fabulous performance even when he/she hasn¡¯t been around for a long time. While the show made for a scintillating watch, one scene that compelled us to feel it deep in our bones is when Aarya gets to know about her father¡¯s biggest betrayal.?
When she comes to terms with the fact that it was her own father who was involved in the killing of her husband, it broke our hearts. We felt her pain and couldn¡¯t stop ourselves from grieving with and for her. In fact, Sushmita herself admitted that this was one of her most favourite scenes from the show.?
Sharing the same on her Instagram handle, she wrote, ¡°Tears keep rolling even when the camera stops!! One of the important defining moments in #Aarya ¡°Heartbreaking Realisation of Betrayal¡± One of my favourite scenes performed BRILLIANTLY by #Maa @sohaila.kapur.¡±
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
The much awaited season 2 premiered when we needed it the most - this godforsaken year! While the entire season had its own fair share of ups and downs, there were definitely some very defining moments in this season. Narrowing it down to just one has to be one of the most herculean tasks.
?However, the scene that was, in a twisted way, the most satisfying to watch was Babuji¡¯s death. Munna¡¯s wasn¡¯t any less either but then the way this murder was carried out was somehow very satisfying. Beena stops Maqbool from killing the old rapist as she herself wanted to carry out the deed but in turn, the maid takes over and comes out with a better plan to give the man a more painful and slow death. Pure EVIL!
?Where to watch: Disney + Hotstar
One of the best independent series of this year, Special Ops turned out to be a surprise hit. With underrated actors in tow, this show had every right ingredient that it takes to entertain the audience. The scene where Kay Kay Menon, who played officer Himmat Singh interrogates Kasab is somewhat very soothing to watch. Even though it kept us on the edge, the mellow way that it was carried out felt like two people having a civil conversation.?
The highlight of this scene is when Himmat Singh asks Kasab what is the meaning of Ajmal in his name and he responds that it means something immensely beautiful, to which Singh replied that he royally screwed the meaning of it with his heinous deeds. Of course, the Hindi expletives added the much needed gravitas to it.
Where to watch: Disney + Hotstar
Anyone who is an avid fan of this medical drama series can vouch for the fact that the makers thrive on the element of surprise and shock. 17 long seasons are enough to prove this claim right. This show has a loyal fan-base and Shonda Rhimes knows how to en-cash it very well. The latest season revolves around the unforeseen pandemic while we are actually battling it at present. Even though the season is still ongoing, we were shocked beyond words when the makers brought back Patrick Dempsey aka Dr Derek Shepherd albeit in Meredith¡¯s memory.?
This is definitely a reunion of the century. His death was a big shock to our system and we all took our own sweet time to get over it. This reunion brought back old times and made us feel giddy with pleasure. As if this wasn¡¯t enough, the makers then also brought George O¡¯Malley as well, as a part of Meredith¡¯s memory. It won¡¯t be wrong to say that we have braced ourselves for many such shockers for this season!
Where to watch: Netflix
If the thought that the show is over still bums you out then consider yourself a true fan. This year saw the conclusion of the Rose family¡¯s long saga. Schitt¡¯s Creek closed the curtain with an endearing finale that left us bawling and giggling our hearts at the same time. While every minute of this season was entertainment galore, just because we had to pick one moment that stood out the most then it has to be David and Patrick¡¯s wedding.?
Right from Moira¡¯s grand entrance and phenomenal costume, Alexis wedding gown goof-up, the Jazzagals performance to David and Patrick¡¯s wedding vows with Mariah Carey reference, this episode didn¡¯t leave a single pair of eyes dry.
Where to watch: Disney + Hotstar
A classic whodunit series, The Undoing follows the murder of Elena Alves a fellow parent of a kid of Grace Fraser's (the protagonist) son¡¯s school. In a quest to find out the murderer, this limited series takes us on an intriguing ride. What stood out the most was the climax. While the murderer at large was caught in time, the way that his save was planned and how it turned out to be, was completely unexpected. Hugh Grant and Nicole Kidman stunned the audience once again with their jaw-dropping performances. You have to watch it to experience it as words won¡¯t do justice to this visual treat.
Where to watch: Netflix
One of the front-runners of this year, The Queen¡¯s Gambit started out slow but picked up after a solid word of mouth. It not only entertained us but also helped in encouraging people to pursue chess as a sport. The game legit saw a rise in popularity where so many people took it upon themselves to actively play the sport online. Now, Beth was a delight to watch. Period. To pick one scene from the show would be a crime but if we really had to then it was definitely the moment when she beats the Russian champion Borgov. What's more, many of us saw it coming but when the moment actually happened we couldn't help but jump with joy.?
Where to watch: Netflix
Throughout the show, we witnessed the cold unpleasantness between Devi and her mother Nalini. The constant push and pull finally gave way when Nalini let her guard down and showed her vulnerability to her daughter and confessed that she sometimes wished that she should have died in the car accident and not Devi's father. She then assured her that it wasn't just her dad who loved her. She loved Devi immensely. In that very moment, we all knew that everything is going to be alright.???
Where to watch: Netflix
The highlight of season four has to be the introduction of the beloved Princess Diana. After becoming engaged to Prince Charles following a few dates, Prince Charles goes abroad to handle royal duties, leaving Princess Diana alone for several weeks.
During this time, Princess Diana had a lunch meeting with Prince Charles's lover Camilla and things started to unfold revealing their affair. While Princess Diana tried to give them a benefit of the doubt, she came across a bracelet design ordered by Prince Charles for Camilla that finally brought the truth crashing down. Princess Diana was devastated about the truth and tried to stop the wedding. Even though we knew all the details beforehand, to see Di go through the pain was heartbreaking to watch.?