You might have planned to spend your weekends’ binge-watching some new series, but there is a good chance that you’ll feel like you’ve wasted your weekend by Sunday evening. If you’ve had this feeling, one way to avoid it is by watching one of these documentaries. These entertaining documentaries will leave you with the feeling that you’ve learned something (and you probably will) and therefore, you’ll feel like you’ve used the weekend productively. So here’s are a few documentaries that you should watch.
The Story Of India
The Story Of India is a BBC Documentary that has 6 episodes. The presenter Michael Wood takes you through India’s history – from the Vedic Age to Independence. What I love about this documentary is the fact that it covers so much history and picks up some of the key events that have gone into the formation of India as a country. Michael Wood is a lovely presenter and his fascination with India makes the documentary all the more engaging. Kerala features prominently in 2 episodes – the very first one and the third one.
Cosmos
Cosmos, the first season, is a follow up to Carl Sagan’s legendary documentary series from 1980. The 1980 version brought the vast expanses of space-time into people’s living rooms. This version does the same, but with better CGI. I’m not a huge fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson, who is the presenter, but the visuals are a treat and the topic coverage will blow your mind.
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The Hidden World Of The Harem
The Hidden World Of The Harem is a 90-minute documentary that gives you an insight into the Turkish harem of the 16th century. There are quite a few preconceived notions that pop into our heads when we hear the word “harem”. This documentary will enforce some and shatter a few others. It also talks about the Turkish succession policy that makes you wonder what it must’ve been like for the people involved in the power play – about what it must’ve felt to know how things were going to pan out if you weren’t the “heir apparent”.
The Gatekeepers
The recent tensions between Israel and Palestine led to quite a storm on social media, with people picking sides and debating about the legitimacy and ethics of counter-insurgency warfare. The Gatekeepers is a documentary that tells the story of the Israeli internal security service, Shin Bet, through the eyes of 6 of its former directors. It goes into details of some operations that were conducted and talks about how the agency has changed with time. The documentary doesn’t really provide answers to the aforementioned debate. If anything, it shows how even the top guys on the job ask themselves the same questions.
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Our Planet
Our Planet is a Netflix documentary that is perfect for the “Netflix and chill” vibe. It takes you to the corners of our planet to show you the rarest of species in their fragile habitats. The breathtaking visuals will leave you in awe, while master storyteller Sir David Attenborough keeps you hooked to the narrative throughout this 8 episode series.
Now those were some of my favourite documentaries. I know there are many more, so if you have any recommendations for me, please mention them in comments.
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