A ‘Watch’ Story Worth ‘Watch’ing !!

A ‘Watch’ Story Worth ‘Watch’ing : My quick take on awesome web series “Made in India : A Titan story” (Amazon Prime).

A web series about a watch company that’s actually worth a watch!

I must confess, I may sound a bit biased in this review. But kya karega, apun bhi ek proud Tata product hai na bhai!

Having started my professional journey with Tata Motors (then TELCO) as a Graduate Trainee Engineer GTE-19 way back in 1986, a little gratitude toh banta hai na bhai.

After years of OTT platforms convincing us that every successful Indian enterprise was apparently built by gangsters, scammers, drug lords, political fixers, or emotionally damaged anti-heroes, Made in India: A Titan Story feels like a breath of fresh air. It tells the story of people who actually built something.

The slow-burn seemingly a docu-drama surprisingly becomes quite bingeable during the first three episodes. Thereafter, much like Titan’s own journey, the narrative becomes a little overextended. Not boring, just stretched enough to make you glance at your watch… which, coincidentally, may well be a Titan.

The performances are uniformly outstanding. Every actor seems perfectly cast, inhabiting their characters rather than merely portraying them. Special mention of Naseeruddin Shah and Jim Sarbh, take a bow guys.

Special credit must go to the director:

a) The recreation of the 1980s is remarkably convincing. The seamless interweaving of actual archival footage with dramatized scenes adds authenticity and texture to the storytelling.

b) The use of Bollywood chartbusters to establish the period works brilliantly. Music becomes a time machine. (Something Dhurandharwala attempted, though not with the same finesse.)

I haven’t read the book on which the series is based, so I cannot vouch for every detail. But watching a handful of determined individuals transform a seemingly tiny idea into the Titan brand feels almost unbelievable. Maybe that’s exactly why it makes for such compelling viewing.

The series is also a heartfelt ode to great visionaries like Jeh. What struck me most was learning that even a towering personality of his stature could be dismissed by Swiss luxury watchmakers. Ironically, that snub became one of the sparks behind Titan’s creation.

History does have a habit of repeating itself. Decades later, Ford famously snubbed Ratan Tata, only to eventually sell Jaguar Land Rover to the Tata Group. Sometimes rejection is just destiny wearing a different watch.

Beyond the nostalgia and storytelling, Made in India: A Titan Story offers a masterclass in management and leadership. In fact, it deserves to be shown as a case study in B-schools.

Lesson #1: Vision before resources.

Titan wasn’t born because India had world-class watchmaking capabilities. It was born because a few people had the audacity to imagine that it could.

Lesson #2: Constraints can fuel innovation.

The Licence Raj, bureaucratic hurdles, technology gaps and lack of expertise could easily have become excuses. Instead, they became catalysts.

Lesson #3: Build institutions, not just products.

The series demonstrates that Titan’s success wasn’t merely about selling watches. It was about creating an ecosystem, nurturing talent and building a culture that would outlast individuals.

Lesson #4: Trust is the ultimate brand asset.

People don’t buy a Titan watch merely to know the time. They buy confidence in a name. Trust, painstakingly earned over decades, remains the most valuable asset on any balance sheet.

Lesson #5: Great leaders think beyond quarterly results.

In an era where many corporations suffer from PowerPoint vision and spreadsheet ambition, the protagonists demonstrate what patient, long-term thinking looks like.

Perhaps the biggest lesson of all is that transformative leaders don’t ask, “Will this work?” They ask, “What will it take to make this work?”

At its core, this isn’t merely a story about watches. It’s a story of vision, courage and persistence. The kind of story that reminds us that before Titan became a giant brand, it was simply a tiny idea that refused to stay tiny.

And yes, after nearly four decades of carrying my TELCO roots with me, I can proudly say:

I am a Tata product.

This Titan story is truly… timeless.