In an era dominated by crime thrillers and reality TV drama, Made In India: A Titan Story arrives as a refreshing surprise.
Whenever a director takes on a project on a corporate success story, their biggest concern becomes whether it can make for a compelling watch. But Made In India: A Titan Story manages to do exactly that, turning the rise of one of India's most iconic brands into an engaging and surprisingly emotional watch.
The six-episode series, directed by Robbie Grewal, is adapted from journalist Vinay Kamath's book Titan: Inside India's Most Successful Consumer Brand. Starring Jim Sarbh and Naseeruddin Shah, it is already shaping up to be one of the most talked-about digital releases of the year. It’s a touching, fascinating series that follows the fabled origin story of India’s biggest watch brand, Titan.
At first glance, a show about the rise of Titan may not sound like edge-of-your-seat entertainment. But director Robbie Grewal turns what could have been a dry corporate drama into an engaging story about ambition, innovation, and the people who dared to dream big in a very different India. The series, set in pre-liberalisation India, traces the ambitious journey of Xerxes Desai, who embarks on a mission to develop a world-class Indian watch company, when few believed it could be done.
Made In India: A Titan Story follows Xerxes Desai (played by Jim Sarbh), a visionary Tata executive, as he takes on the seemingly impossible task of creating a world-class Indian watch brand, backed by J.R.D. Tata (Naseeruddin Shah). The two fight bureaucracy and market resistance to finally launch their dream project, Titan.
Jim Sarbh is reason enough to watch Made In India: The Titan Story. After his stellar act as Dr. Homi Bhabha in Rocket Boys, he did it again, this time donning the skin of the legendary watchmaker. It was said that he was so dedicated to the role that he’d shave his head every day to stay in the role of Desai. What's refreshing is that rather than portraying Xerxes Desai as a flawless corporate hero, Sarbh brings out his ego, charm, and vulnerability, making the character feel real and relatable.
Coming to Naseeruddin Shah, there perhaps couldn't be a more perfect choice to play J.R.D. Tata. Every scene featuring Shah adds weight to the narrative, and the duo is the heart and soul of the series. The rest of the cast, including Vaibhav Tatwawadi, Namita Dubey, Lakshvir Saran, Kaveri Seth, and more, have also done a commendable job in bringing the story to life.
Unlike many brand stories, the series doesn't keep bombarding viewers with brand promotions, but rather focuses on the human aspect. It dives into the lives of people whose work went behind the brand. We see their relationships, failures, sacrifices, and triumphs, while the emotional stakes remain central to the journey. The credit also goes to the production team for introducing the nostalgic flavour to the story by recreating the India of the 1970s and 1980s. The whole series follows a vintage theme, almost taking the viewers inside a time capsule, where offices were not filled with computers and central air conditioning, but the spaces had old factory floors, vintage vehicles, and classical Bollywood music playing in the background.
However, the series is not without its flaws. Even with the immersive storyline, some subplots feel a bit stretched, and some episodes could have done with some better editing. As for the storyline itself, certain personal subplots add little to nothing to the overall narrative and rather slow the pace of the period drama. But the central story is engaging enough that these issues never become major distractions.
Made In India: A Titan Story is a refreshing and uplifting watch that almost perfectly combines history, business, and human drama in one entertaining package. Jim Sarbh's standout performance, together with a strong supporting turn from Naseeruddin Shah, has successfully turned the story of a watch company into an inspiring tale that's a must-watch.
For viewers looking for something different from the usual OTT offerings, this is an easy recommendation.
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