Here's how you can watch shows and movies not available in India

As for which VPN service you should pick, there are tons to choose from but there is a huge caveat to this. (Representational Image)

With the advent of online streaming services, it is now easier than ever to get hooked on new television series and films from the comfort of your home.

But what about shows and movies that you don't have access to in India? After all, there is still a lot of good content that is locked behind geo-blocking due to licensing and rights agreements.

Thankfully, there is a way to access that content, but you are going to have to jump through a few hoops to get there.

Also read | Collecting ‘basic information’ such as names does not alter the nature of VPNs: Government to Delhi HC

Use a VPN

A VPN or Virtual Private Network allows you to bypass geo-blocks and access content on streaming sites that you might otherwise not have watched. A VPN works by masking your IP address and routing your traffic through another address.

This works because most streaming services identify your region by using your IP address. Another benefit of VPN is it allows you to stay anonymous online while you browse the internet.

As for which VPN service you should pick, there are tons to choose from but there is a huge caveat to this.

India's VPN Laws

In 2022, the Indian Government took a stance against VPN providers in the country by mandating the collection of user data including names and IP addresses for five years.

This caused a lot of criticism since this directive goes against the core concept of a private and secure online connection. It also led to a lot of popular VPN services like Nord VPN or Surfshark shut down physical servers in the country, relying instead on virtual servers to route Indian traffic.

While the usage of VPN isn't banned in India, you should nevertheless research and find out if the VPN service you sign up for has physical servers in India because that means they need to collect your data.

Having said that a few options you can choose from are ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Windscribe, and Surshark, all of these services do not have a physical presence in India, and instead, route traffic through virtual servers.

Also read | VPN service providers Surfshark, Windscribe, and NordVPN may follow ExpressVPN in moving servers out of India

Using a VPN

With that out of the way, select a service you want to use and log in. Regardless of the service, you should have a list of countries that the VPN allows you to connect to, simply select the country you want to watch shows from and set up your connection.

Another pre-requisite is that you should have a subscription to the streaming service you want to use, for example - Netflix, HBO Max, etc. It's worth noting that some streaming services like Netflix still block content despite using a VPN. Your best bet is to research a bit and find out if your VPN service works with the streaming platform you want to watch content on.

With all that done, you should now be able to watch shows and movies that you would otherwise not have access to in India.