Reflections on medical ethics: A review of three Hindi online streaming series — Human, Pill, and Kaala Paani

In the governance of healthcare, medical ethics is fundamental to ensuring transparency and protecting patient rights. Medical dramas are increasingly shaping public perception of medical themes, fuelling public debate on medical ethics. In this reflective piece, we examine how three popular Hindi web series, Human (2022, Disney+Hotstar), Pill (2024, Jio Cinema), and Kaala Paani (2023, Netflix) explore critical issues, such as clinical trial ethics, medical litigation, and epidemic response management. Although these narratives raise public awareness, they often dramatise complex regulatory frameworks, which can lead to the misinterpretation of real-world medical practice. We evaluate how these portrayals align with real-world bioethics and healthcare regulations, assessing entertainment media's dual capacity to inform public understanding and potentially mislead audiences about critical ethical dilemmas in the Indian healthcare landscape.