Disney+ Hotstar India series “Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar” has emerged as the platform’s most-watched show of 2024, setting new benchmarks in its first 16 days of streaming. The Hindi-language drama also has the highest subscriber count for any show on the platform in the past four years.
Set in India’s heartland, the series features newcomers Dhaval Thakur and Sanchita Bashu in lead roles, alongside established actors Aniruddha Dave and Kapil Kanpuriya. The show comes from writer Kamal Pandey and is produced by Sachin Pandey’s Bombay Show Studios, with Shraddha Pasi Jairath directing.
“Our vision for the show was to resonate with the emotions and experiences of today’s youth while presenting it with a contemporary production style and it has exceeded all our expectations. This show has also served as a platform for emerging talent such as Dhaval Thakur and Sanchita Bashu, to showcase their craft, which has truly captivated our audience. The success of ‘Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar’ underscores our commitment to bringing high-quality content that deeply resonates with our viewers, and we are excited to bring more such impactful stories to life,” said Vivek Srivastava, head, Hindi specials for streaming, JioStar.
Producer Sachin Pandey added: “I am truly overwhelmed by the success of ‘Thukra Ke Mera Pyaar.’ This achievement is a testament to the incredible collaborative efforts of our team, from Kamal Pandey’s brilliant writing to the captivating performances of Sanchita Bashu and Dhaval Thakur.”
Popular on Variety Jairath described the success of the show as a “testament to the incredible collaborative efforts of our team from Kamal Pandey’s brilliant writing to the captivating performances of Sanchita Bashu and Dhaval Thakur.”
For Bashu, who plays the character Shanvika, the show’s success demonstrates the universal appeal of localized storytelling. “Set in a small town in U.P. [Uttar Pradesh in northern India], it has struck a chord with audiences across India,” she said, crediting writer Pandey for creating relatable characters.
Thakur, who portrays Kuldeep Kumar, described his role as “multi-faceted,” noting that the show’s success has made his challenging journey worthwhile.
The series continues to stream exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar, marking a significant win for the platform’s original content strategy in the Indian market.