10 Best Hindi Web Series on Hotstar (JioHotstar) to Watch in 2026

Quick Answer

The best Hindi web series on Hotstar, now called JioHotstar, are Criminal Justice, Special Ops, Aarya, Asur, Out of Love, Hostages, Human, Grahan, Masoom and Home Shanti. All ten were streaming on JioHotstar in India in October 2026. Start with Criminal Justice for a courtroom drama, Special Ops for spy action, or Home Shanti for a light family watch.

When your free time comes in small pieces between feeds, naps and work, you do not want to waste it on a show that falls apart after two episodes. This list sticks to Hindi originals that critics and viewers have kept talking about, and tells you how long each one takes, so you can pick one that fits your evening.

Is Hotstar the same as JioHotstar?

Yes. Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema merged into one app called JioHotstar on 14 February 2025. Shows made for either platform, such as Hotstar Specials like Aarya and JioCinema originals like Asur season 2, now stream in the same place. Some older titles left during the change, so every show below was re-checked against current listings in October 2026.

The 10 best Hindi web series on JioHotstar at a glance

1. Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice is the best place to start: a gripping legal drama led by Pankaj Tripathi as Madhav Mishra, a small-time lawyer with a sharp mind. It is based on the 2008 British series of the same name.

In season 1 (2019), Vikrant Massey plays a young cab driver who spends a night with a passenger and wakes up to find her murdered. Jackie Shroff, Anupriya Goenka and Mita Vashisht also star. Each later season is a new case with Madhav Mishra at the centre, so you can watch them in any order:

• Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors (2020)

• Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach (2022)

• Criminal Justice: A Family Matter (2025), with Surveen Chawla and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub

2. Special Ops

Special Ops is a spy thriller for viewers who like their stories fast and tense. Kay Kay Menon plays Himmat Singh, a senior officer of India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), who believes one man is behind a series of terror attacks in India.

Season 1 (2020, 8 episodes) opens with the 2001 Parliament attack and follows Himmat’s team of five agents placed in different countries. Special Ops 1.5: The Himmat Story (2021, 4 episodes) is a prequel about his younger days. Season 2 (July 2025, 7 episodes) turns to cyber attacks, with Prakash Raj and Tahir Raj Bhasin joining the cast. All are created by Neeraj Pandey.

3. Aarya

Aarya is the story of a woman who is pushed into the drug trade to protect her children after her husband is murdered. Sushmita Sen plays the title role, in what was her comeback and her first web series.

The family lives in Rajasthan and runs a pharmaceutical business that hides an opium trade. Chandrachur Singh plays her husband, Tej. The show is adapted from the Dutch series Penoza and was created by Ram Madhvani. There are three seasons: 2020, 2021 and a final season released in two parts in November 2023 and February 2024. Sushmita Sen won the Filmfare OTT award for best actress for season 1.

4. Asur

Asur is a dark crime thriller that mixes forensic science with Indian mythology. Arshad Warsi plays Dhananjay Rajpoot, a forensic officer at the CBI, and Barun Sobti plays Nikhil Nair, his former student who has become a teacher.

Together they chase a serial killer in Varanasi who sees himself as an asura (demon). Season 1 (2020) first streamed on Voot and season 2 (2023) on JioCinema; both are now on JioHotstar after the merger. Each season has 8 episodes. It is violent in places, so it is better for late nights than family time.

5. Out of Love

Out of Love is a slow-burn relationship drama about a marriage that breaks after an affair. Rasika Dugal plays Dr Meera Kapoor, a doctor in the hill town of Coonoor, who begins to suspect that her husband Akarsh, played by Purab Kohli, is cheating on her.

It is the Indian adaptation of the BBC series Doctor Foster. Season 1 (2019) was directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia and Aijaz Khan. Season 2 (2021) picks up three years after the separation, when Akarsh returns to Coonoor and re-enters Meera’s life. Watch it if you like drama built on emotions rather than action.

6. Hostages

Hostages is a crime thriller about a surgeon whose family is taken hostage the night before she is due to operate on the chief minister. To get them back, she is told to make sure he does not survive the surgery.

Tisca Chopra plays the surgeon and Ronit Roy plays the police officer leading the kidnappers. It is an official remake of an Israeli series of the same name, directed by Sudhir Mishra. Season 1 came out in 2019 and season 2 in 2020.

7. Human

Human is a medical thriller about illegal drug trials on poor patients in Bhopal. Shefali Shah plays Dr Gauri Nath, a respected neurosurgeon who runs Manthan, a large private hospital, and Kirti Kulhari plays Dr Saira Sabharwal, a young doctor she mentors.

The 10-episode series (January 2022) follows how a pharmaceutical company, a hospital and officials work together to test a new drug on people who do not understand the risks. It is intense and disturbing in places, and Shefali Shah’s performance is the main reason to watch.

8. Grahan

Grahan is a period crime drama that moves between 1984 and 2016. Zoya Hussain plays Amrita Singh, an IPS officer in Ranchi who is asked to lead an inquiry into the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Bokaro, and finds links to her own father, played by Pawan Malhotra.

The second timeline is a young love story set in 1984, with Wamiqa Gabbi and Anshumaan Pushkar. The 8-episode series (2021) is based on the Hindi novel Chaurasi by Satya Vyas. It deals with real communal violence, so it is an emotional watch.

9. Masoom

Masoom is a short psychological thriller about a family secret. When Sana, played by Samara Tijori, comes home to her village in Punjab after her mother’s death, she starts to suspect that her father, Dr Balraj Kapoor, played by Boman Irani, had a hand in it.

It is the Indian adaptation of the Irish series Blood and was Boman Irani’s first web series. With 6 episodes of about 40 minutes each (June 2022), you can finish it over a weekend.

10. Home Shanti

Home Shanti is the lightest show on this list: a warm comedy about a middle-class family in Dehradun trying to build their first house. Supriya Pathak plays Sarla Joshi, a school vice-principal close to retirement, and Manoj Pahwa plays her husband Umesh, a poet.

The 6-episode series (May 2022) was written and directed by Akanksha Dua. It is easy to watch with parents or older children, and short enough to finish in two or three evenings.

Which one should you watch first?

Pick based on your mood and how much time you have:

• Short on time: Masoom or Home Shanti, 6 episodes each.

• Want something light: Home Shanti.

• Want a strong woman lead: Aarya or Out of Love.

• Love suspense: Special Ops, Hostages or Asur.

• Like courtroom and real-world issues: Criminal Justice, Human or Grahan.

Looking for something newer? See our list of trending Hindi web series on Hotstar. If thrillers are your favourite, our Hotstar crime and thriller series list has more, and for something softer try these romantic web series on Hotstar.

FAQ

Is Malgudi Days still on Hotstar?

No. As of October 2026, Malgudi Days streams on Amazon Prime Video in India, not JioHotstar, which is why it has been taken off this list.

Do I need to watch Criminal Justice in order?

No. Each season is a separate case with Pankaj Tripathi’s Madhav Mishra as the common thread. Starting with season 1 helps you get to know the character, but it is not required.

What is the newest season among these shows?

Special Ops season 2 (July 2025) and Criminal Justice: A Family Matter (May 2025) are the most recent seasons of the shows on this list.

Which of these shows are adaptations of foreign series?

Criminal Justice (British series Criminal Justice), Out of Love (Doctor Foster), Aarya (Dutch series Penoza), Hostages (Israeli series Hostages) and Masoom (Irish series Blood). The rest are original Indian stories, and Grahan is based on a Hindi novel.

Which series can I watch with family?

Home Shanti is the most family-friendly pick. Most of the others include violence, crime or mature themes, so check the age rating shown in the JioHotstar app before you press play.

Do I need a paid plan to watch these?

JioHotstar shows a mix of free-with-ads and subscription content, and what is free can change. Open the show’s page in the app to see whether your plan covers it.

References

1. Outlook Business. JioStar launches JioHotstar, merges JioCinema, Disney+ Hotstar platforms (14 February 2025). https://www.outlookbusiness.com/corporate/jiostar-launches-jiohotstar-merges-jiocinema-disney-hotstar-platforms

2. Wikipedia. Criminal Justice (Indian TV series). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_Justice_(Indian_TV_series)

3. DT Next. Season four of Pankaj Tripathi’s Criminal Justice to debut on JioHotstar on May 22. https://www.dtnext.in/entertainment/ott/season-four-of-pankaj-tripathis-criminal-justice-to-debut-on-jiohotstar-on-may-22-831792

4. Wikipedia. Special Ops (Indian TV series). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Ops_(Indian_TV_series)

5. IANS. Special Ops 2 gets a new release date, to now premiere on July 18th. https://ianslive.in/special-ops-2-gets-a-new-release-date-to-now-premiere-on-july-18th--20250708174340

6. Wikipedia. Aarya (TV series). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aarya_(TV_series)

7. Wikipedia. Asur (TV series). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asur_(TV_series)

8. Film Companion. Out of Love review. https://www.filmcompanion.in/out-of-love-review-this-hotstar-original-series-on-infidelity-and-insecurity-is-delicious-moral-propaganda/

9. Wikipedia. Hostages (Indian TV series). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hostages_(Indian_TV_series)

10. Wikipedia. Human (TV series). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_(TV_series)

11. Wikipedia. Grahan (2021 TV series). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grahan_(2021_TV_series)

12. Wikipedia. Masoom (TV series). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masoom_(TV_series)

13. Wikipedia. Home Shanti. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Shanti

14. JustWatch India. Streaming availability for each title, checked 22 October 2026. https://www.justwatch.com/in