Amazon MX Player’s Made In India: A Titan Story has emerged as one of the most acclaimed Indian series of 2026 since its premiere on June 3. The biographical drama chronicles the founding of Titan, the watch brand that transformed India’s relationship with timekeeping, anchored by towering performances from Naseeruddin Shah as JRD Tata and Jim Sarbh as the visionary entrepreneur Xerxes Desai.
The series, which crossed two million trailer views within its first 24 hours on YouTube, tells the story of how Desai convinced JRD Tata to back a seemingly impossible venture in the 1980s. At a time when the government-owned HMT held a near-monopoly on Indian watchmaking, a small team within the Tata Group set out to build a world-class watch brand from scratch, facing bureaucratic resistance, global competition, and internal skepticism at every turn.
Critics have responded with near-universal praise. DNA India called it the best series of 2026, noting that Naseeruddin Shah brings quiet authority to JRD Tata with a restrained performance that never overplays the legendary industrialist. The Hollywood Reporter India described it as the feel-good watch of the year, while Bollywood Hungama awarded it four out of five stars, calling it a brilliantly made show.
Jim Sarbh’s portrayal of Xerxes Desai has drawn particular attention. Reviewers have noted that Sarbh disappears so completely into the role that viewers forget the actor and see only the impulsive, risk-taking entrepreneur who staked his career on a dream. Desai, who served as Titan’s managing director from its inception, is widely credited with turning a Tata Group experiment into one of India’s most recognizable consumer brands.
The series also features Vaibhav Tatwawadi, Namita Dubey, and Kaveri Seth in supporting roles, rounding out a cast that brings the corporate boardrooms and factory floors of 1980s India to vivid life. Like Raakh, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video to strong reviews this week, Made In India demonstrates that Indian streaming platforms are investing in ambitious, story-driven original content that goes beyond conventional Bollywood formulas.
The historical significance of Titan’s founding cannot be overstated. Before its launch in 1984, Indian consumers had limited choices in affordable, stylish watches. JRD Tata’s decision to enter the market was seen as risky given HMT’s entrenched position, but Desai’s team combined Japanese quartz technology with Indian design sensibility to create timepieces that resonated with a newly aspirational middle class. Much like the economic reforms dramatized in Governor: The Silent Saviour, the Titan story captures a pivotal moment when Indian enterprise began competing on a global stage.
Naseeruddin Shah, whose career spans five decades of critically acclaimed work across parallel and mainstream cinema, adds JRD Tata to a gallery of real-life figures he has portrayed on screen. His chemistry with Jim Sarbh provides the emotional core of the series, with their scenes together described by critics as masterclasses in understated acting. The dynamic between the cautious patriarch and the headstrong protege drives the narrative forward across its episodes.
Made In India: A Titan Story is streaming free on Amazon MX Player, making it accessible to a wide audience across India. The series has sparked renewed interest in the history of Indian entrepreneurship and the Tata Group’s role in shaping the country’s industrial landscape. As Indian storytelling continues to embrace real histories, from cinema legends to corporate pioneers, Made In India stands as a testament to the power of dramatizing the journeys behind the brands that define a nation.
