Apple TV Plus released a popular series starring Charlie Hunman that’s captured imaginations — here are 5 series like Shantaram you must watch.
Crime drama Shantaram stars Charlie Hunnam as Australian convict Lin Ford on the run and adopting a new identity in India. Incredibly, the show is based on a bestselling book that was actually inspired by real-life events and follows Lin as he poses as a medic, working with the lost and broken souls of Mumbai in the 1980s. However, life has different plans for Lin, and danger, work, love, and redemption are placed before him in this “man on the run” scenario.
5 series like Shantaram you must watch
Banshee (2013)
When an ex-con is released from prison after 15 years, he sets out to find his accomplice and lands in the town of Banshee. However, when the local incoming sheriff is killed, our unnamed protagonist sees an opportunity to steal that identity and start a new life. However, this plan soon proves more and more difficult as events start to unfold that threaten his recreated life. It’s easy to see how Shantaram compares. In Shantaram, Charlie Hunnam plays an Australian convict who attempts to start a new life in India, so the basic premise is similar. If Shantaram has gripped you, try Banshee.
The Fugitive (2020)
The interesting 2020 reimagining of the classic 1960s series presented us with a new look at a classic format. In The Fugitive, an innocent man is blamed for an explosion in a city and finds himself on the run and hunted for a terrible crime. With social media dragging him into an unwinnable battle, and the authorities on his trail, this runaway train of events brings the viewer an adrenaline rush of a series that has similarities to Shantaram. Mistaken identities and a man on the run, in a series with super short episode runtimes, is an easy companion piece for fans of Shantaram.
The Punisher (2017)
Remember those incredible Netflix Marvel TV shows that focused on the darker street-fighting heroes of the MCU? Well, so do I, and Frank Castle, also known as The Punisher, was a violent and unrelenting crime drama that didn’t pull any punches. The iconic character first appeared in issue 129 of The Amazing Spider-Man, but it took a while, and a number of creative teams, to forge the definitive version of the character we know and love. Fans of Shantaram will already know that the man behind The Punisher Netflix show, Steven Lightfoot, is also the showrunner for Shantaram, so you may see some similar tone and pace in both shows.
Mad Men (2007)
Shantaram has a premise that features a protagonist that seeks to change his identity and evolve as a person, and the same could probably be said for Don Draper in Mad Men. The charismatic character, played with relish by Jon Hamm, is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, and as the show progressed, viewers were completely enamored with the revelations and secrets that formed his character. Exploring the idea of changing identities and hidden past lives makes Mad Men and Shantaram thematically similar, and let’s face it, any excuse to watch Mad Men is always going to be a good one.
The Incredible Hulk (1978)
Before the MCU turned The Hulk into a big green smarty pants, Lou Ferrigno was gracing television sets all over the world with his interpretation of the rampaging hero. Bill Bixby was also on board, presenting a troubled and angst-ridden Dr. David Banner, desperate to find a cure for his anger-induced transformations.
Every week, Banner would change his name (slightly) and reinvent himself in various towns and cities across the USA. Often his medical background would serve him well, and he would always offer help to those he encountered. Hunted for a murder that he didn’t commit, and stalked relentlessly by investigative reporter Jack McGee, this tale of a man on the run, changing identities and seeking peace and redemption, has some obvious links with the Shantaram premise, and although the tone of the two properties is a world apart, you could do worse than check out some of the early episodes of this magnificent TV classic.
Do you have any other recommendations for series like Shantaram? Let us know!
