2021 · Series
Aspirants
TVF's Hindi drama about three friends preparing for the UPSC civil services exam in Delhi's Old Rajinder Nagar, told across past and present timelines.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Aspirants is streaming in India on Prime Video with a subscription.
- Checked Sun, 18 Oct, 2026Open ↗
The story
Abhilash, Guri and SK share cramped rooms, cheap meals and big dreams in Old Rajinder Nagar, the Delhi neighbourhood packed with coaching centres and hostels for UPSC aspirants. Abhilash is on his last attempt and agonising over whether to switch his optional subject. Guri and SK face their own doubts, while senior aspirant Sandeep Bhaiya offers advice from experience. A second timeline follows the three as adults, years after their preparation days, showing how life outside Rajinder Nagar has tested their friendship. The series follows both stories in parallel.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
A natural pick for students, exam aspirants and anyone who has lived through competitive-exam coaching culture, with its focus on friendship, pressure and ambition. Prime Video rates it A, mainly for language and mature themes rather than violence.
emotionalinspiringthought-provoking
Genres:Drama
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Aspirants was produced by The Viral Fever, created by Arunabh Kumar and Shreyansh Pandey, written by Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish and directed by Apoorv Singh Karki. Season 1 premiered on TVF's YouTube channel and TVF Play on 7 April 2021, with five weekly episodes running until 8 May 2021.
Season 2 moved to Prime Video, premiering on 25 October 2023, and season 3 followed on Prime Video on 13 March 2026, directed by Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish. Each season has five episodes, and all three are now on Prime Video. The show has produced three spin-offs: SK Sir Ki Class (2023), about SK's life as a UPSC teacher, Sandeep Bhaiya (2023), about Sandeep Ohlan's early struggles, and Guri-Dhairya Ki Love Story (2025). Its soundtrack reuses the song "Dhaaga" from TVF's earlier series Yeh Meri Family. Start with season 1, since the later seasons build on the friends' history.
The facts
- Language
- Hindi
- Hindi
- Hindi original
- Genre
- Coming-of-age drama
- Certificate
- A (Prime Video rating)
- Director
- Apoorv Singh Karki
- Cast
- Naveen Kasturia, Shivankit Singh Parihar, Abhilash Thapliyal, Namita Dubey, Sunny Hinduja
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Aspirants in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Aspirants is streaming in India on Prime Video with a subscription.
- Is Aspirants in Hindi?
- Yes. Aspirants is a Hindi-language series.
- Is Aspirants suitable for children?
- Aspirants has a CBFC A (Prime Video rating) certificate.