NEW DELHI : As competition intensifies in India’s over-the-top (OTT) video services market, the world’s No.1 video streaming service Netflix has announced a line-up of at least nine original series in India, including Delhi Crime, Baahubali: Before The Beginning and Midnight’s Children, for 2019. Besides, there are eight more Netflix Original movies in its kitty for this year in addition to the five released already.

Rivals Amazon Prime and Hotstar, too, have big plans for 2019. Amazon Prime plans to double its original content offerings this year while market leader Hotstar is debuting with original programming from next month and has tied up with 15 film-makers, including Salman Khan and Shekhar Kapur, to produce exclusive content.

List of Netflix India’s upcoming series this year:

1) Delhi Crime: A seven-part series written and directed by award-winning Indo-Canadian filmmaker Richie Mehta, Delhi Crime will be available to Netflix members worldwide from March 22. Starring Shefali Shah, the police-procedural thriller is based on the 2012 brutal gangrape case in Delhi. Produced by Golden Karavan and Ivanhoe Pictures, the series premiered worldwide at Sundance Film Festival recently.

2) Bard of Blood: Set against the backdrop of the Indian subcontinent, Bard of Blood follows the story of expelled Indian intelligence agent Kabir Anand, who is recalled from his new life as an English professor in Panchgani to save his country and a long-lost love.

3) Baahubali: Before The Beginning is based on the global blockbuster franchise, Baahubali. The two-season series, Baahubali: Before the Beginning, will be a prequel to Baahubali: The Beginning and Baahubali: The Conclusion (both of which are currently available on Netflix to audiences around the world). The cast of the upcoming series includes Mrunal Thakur as Sivagami, Rahul Bose as Skandadasa, Atul Kulkarni, Vaquar Shaikh, Jameel Khan, Siddharth Arora and Anup Soni.

4) Leila: Coming from the stable of writer and executive producer Urmi Juvekar, Leila is produced by Deepa Mehta. Based on a book by Prayaag Akbar, it tells the story of Shalini, a free-thinking woman in search of the daughter she lost upon her arrest 16 years earlier. The cast of Leila includes Huma Qureshi in the title role and Siddharth Suryanarayan.

5) Crocodile: Written by Binky Mendez, this Netflix Original is a young adult murder mystery thriller series set in the seaside state of Goa. When her best friend goes missing, Mira sets out on her own investigation, uncovering secrets among her friends, romantic relationships and community.

6) Typewriter is a Netflix Original revolving around a haunted house and a group of young, wannabe ghost hunters of Goa.

7) Midnight’s Children, based on Midnight’s Children, Salman Rushdie’s seminal work of fiction, follows the life of Saleem Sinai, born on the stroke of midnight on August 15, 1947, the time of India’s independence. His every act is mirrored and magnified in events that sway the course of India’s national affairs; his health and well-being are inextricably bound to those of his nation; his life is inseparable, at times indistinguishable, from the history of his country. Perhaps most remarkable are the telepathic powers linking him with India’s 1,000 other “midnight’s children," all born in that initial hour and endowed with magical gifts.

8) Mighty Little Bheem is Netflix’s first Indian animated original series. It is based on Chhota Bheem, one of India’s best-loved characters.

9) Mumbai Indians: Netflix and Condé Nast Entertainment are producing an original unscripted series on IPL franchise Mumbai Indians. The series will cover unseen aspects of the team, the compelling stories and characters that bind them with the vibrant city they call home.

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