Atreyee Poddar
Sanjay Dutt's Munna Bhai conned his way into medical college. He never learned anatomy properly. Didn't matter. His 'jaadu ki jhappi' became bigger medicine than any prescription. Two decades later, people still say it when comforting a friend. The system needed him more than he needed a degree.
Boman Irani's Dr. Asthana is everything Munna isn't: rigid, humourless, obsessed with protocol. He's the villain, technically. But honestly? He's just a guy who really, really loves rulebooks. Iconic energy either way.
Annu Kapoor in Vicky Donor took a topic nobody wanted to say out loud — sperm donation — and turned it into comedy. Loud, unfiltered and weirdly wise. Made an awkward subject feel normal, which is harder than it sounds.
Shahid Kapoor's Kabir could save a life in the OT and torch his own the second he walked out. The internet argued about him for months. Some called him toxic, others called him iconic. Either way, nobody forgot the character.
Not technically an MD, but SRK's Jug in Dear Zindagi deserves a spot. His chair analogy for relationships? Still quoted in therapy circles. He made 'going to therapy' feel not so scary for a whole generation of Indian audiences.
Shefali Shah in Human plays a Padma Shri–winning hospital tycoon running secret, unethical drug trials on the poor. She smiles in interviews, and ruins lives in boardrooms. Peak prestige-TV villain with just a stethoscope.
JioCinema's Doctors proved the hospital-soap format isn't dead. Resident Nitya harbours a secret vendetta against her mentor Ishaan and things get messy fast. More about who's dating who in the break room. And honestly? We're here for it.
Before OTT existed, Sanjivani ruled Indian television. Dr. Shashank Gupta ran the hospital; a whole ensemble of young doctors ran their own personal chaos underneath him. It got a nostalgic revival years later — because some hospitals just never close.
Dr. Geetika Sen in Accused is a senior gynaecological surgeon and department head at a London hospital, respected for her work but resented for being strict and abrasive. Then an anonymous complaint brands her a predator. A slow, uncomfortable watch about how quickly "respected" flips to "cancelled." Konkona makes every ounce of that discomfort land.