Here’s what you can watch on streaming platforms on March 25.
In these unprecedented times of the coronavirus outbreak, more and more people are relying on the internet for entertainment. And they are not wrong as OTT platforms like Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, ZEE5, Voot Select, Netflix and SonyLIV among others have a plethora of content to offer.
Be it web series, TV shows or the latest movies, the streaming sites have it all. In fact, in the times to come, more shows will be available for immediate consumption on these apps and sites.
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In fact, Netflix alone has a great slate of upcoming Indian and international shows and films like Maska, Ozark Season 3, Ladies Up Season 1, The Occupant and Freud Season 1 among more.
David Michôd’s The King is a period drama set in the early 15th century that chronicles the rise of King Henry V and mainly tells the story of how he won over France. Available on Netflix, the film draws you in because of its cast featuring Timothée Chalamet and Robert Pattinson and while you come in for those two, it’s Chalamet that you stay for. Read More.
In every episode on One Mic Stand, a professional comedian opens the show followed by a behind the scenes video where they prep and talk about the craft of comedy with the celebrity. This is followed by the celebrity’s performance in front of a live audience. All episodes are independent of each other so you can pick anyone to start with but my humble suggestion is, start with the last episode featuring Shashi Tharoor and Kunal Kamra. Read More.
Servant is about a couple Sean (Toby Kebbell) and Dorothy Turner (Lauren Ambrose), who welcome a babysitter Leanne (Nell Tiger Free) into their home in Philadelphia for their infant Jericho. But the catch is Jericho died when he was only 13-weeks old, and the creepy doll that now sleeps in his crib is actually a part of Dorothy’s transitory object therapy. Sean is well aware of the situation in his house, but Dorothy is still undergoing the healing process, hence the doll. But Leanne doesn’t flinch for a second when she is handed over a doll instead of a human baby. So what’s the catch here? Read More.
The Report is one of those rare films that sticks to the point right from the start and does not let go, until the very end. It has to be said that watching this film felt like a compliment to the audience. It’s rare to see a filmmaker who has faith in his audience to understand the film, and appreciate it. With The Report, director Scott Z Burns isn’t shy of throwing information at you, but he makes sure that you never drown in that sea of details. Read More.
Set during the Cold War in the 1980s, The Americans is a show about two Russian spies who have been living as Americans in Washington DC since the 1960s. Starring Keri Russell and Matthew Rhys in lead roles, The Americans is a spy thriller that holds your attention from the pilot episode and forces you to binge-watch through its six seasons. Read More.
The short stories in Apple TV+’s anthology Little America are focused on the lives of immigrants in America. Through the 30-minute duration of each episode, the makers try to paint a picture that’s hopeful but leaves you melancholic. Read More.
To an average Indian, dance is an art form but not a pathway to building a successful life. No matter how talented a dancer might be, the real-world struggles will try to bog him down, but the one who stays focussed can make it. Netflix’s latest original film Yeh Ballet builds upon this premise and takes the audience on a journey of two teenage boys who learn to say ‘ballet’ and eventually fall in love with it. Read More.
Gilmore Girls was the story of a mother-daughter, who are more like friends to each other. The relationship shared between Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) soon became so aspirational that viewers started tuning in just to live through the fantasy of having a near-perfect relationship with your mother. Read More.
In the world of His Dark Materials, humans and their companion animals share a deep, unshakable bond which binds their souls together. Lyra has a cute little companion by the name of Pan. Now these animals can speak to their human counterparts, which is one of the many delights of the show. Read More.
What this romantic drama does get right are the performances. Lead stars Lana Condor, Noah Centineo and Jordan Fisher know their characters inside out, and they don’t feel too old for the part, as it happens often with high school romances. Lana especially shines as the somewhat reticent but sassy-when-poked Lara Jean. Read More.
Created by Pushpendra Nath Misra, Taj Mahal 1989 attempts to throw light on the different phases of love — the college romance, the one when you feel like you know the person inside out, and lastly, where you feel stuck in a relationship. Read More.
Starring Amit Sadh and Rahul Dev, Operation Parindey is now streaming on ZEE5. The show's plot centers around one of the most controversial jailbreaks in Indian history.
Watch the trailer here:
Swapnil Joshi and Sai Deodhar’s Mogara Phulala, directed by National Award winning filmmaker, Srabanti Deodhar, is one of those sweet romantic dramas that rarely get made today. The innocence of Swappnil’s character and vulnerabilities of Sai’s character make for a beautiful love story.
Ken Florance, VP Content Delivery, Netflix, said in a statement, "Given the crisis, we’ve developed a way to reduce Netflix’s traffic on telecommunications networks by 25% while also maintaining the quality of our service. So consumers should continue to get the quality that comes with their plan - whether it’s Ultra-High, High or Standard Definition. We believe that this will provide significant relief to congested networks and will be deploying it in India for the next 30 days."
There is less beating about the bush and more action on the ground. The show attempts to throw light on the rise and fall of Roger Ailes, the man behind the incredible success of Fox News. True, Fox News might not be everyone’s first choice for unbiased news, but it does have a big and loyal fan base that is presented with exactly the kind of content they want. Read more here.
For the uninitiated, Fosse/Verdon is a biographical miniseries featuring Sam Rockwell as Broadway director-choreographer Bob Fosse and Michelle Williams as Gwen Verdon, the talented actress-dancer. The show is based on the book called Fosse by Sam Wasson which chronicles the highs and lows the couple faced in their personal as well as professional relationship.
Emraan Hashmi is a formerly disgraced agent Kabir Anand aka Adonis (wonder what they were thinking here), who is called upon a three-person mission to rescue four Indian spies from Balochistan. There is sensitive politics at play here, since we know Balochistan has been under the scanner for claiming independence and the pressure that it has had to face from neighbouring countries while doing so. But despite its cinematic liberty and ultimately pitching Emraan’s Kabir as the ultimate Indian supporter of a free Balochistan, the show does manage to keep you on the edge of your seat. Read more here.
Some love stories can be sappy, but sweet. A few insightful, but a drag. The episodes of Modern Love fall somewhere in between. Based on the short, 100-word personal stories of the readers, the New York Times column of the same name has now been turned into a web series, with some fictional additions of its own of course. To know our take on the show, click here.
Mental illness is an overarching theme of The End of the F***ing World Season 2. Be it depression or being unhinged, the writers have attempted to dig deep into the psyche of a person who suffers from such illnesses. Read more here.
Manoj Bajpayee plays agent Srikant Tiwari who has to deal with his domestic life whilst leading dangerous missions. Leading a double life can be hard on anyone, and The Family Man shows how tiresome and stressful the whole thing can get after a point. Srikant smokes cigarettes and eats chocolates when the pressure gets too much. He sometimes vents out his frustration on close friend and agent JK Talpade (played wonderfully by Sharib Hashmi).
Also read | The Family Man: A spy with a difference
To say that the new season of Netflix original series Mindhunter is as good as its first will not be wrong. All the elements that made the first part of the thriller series so watchable are integrated seamlessly in the sequel as well. Read more here.
Created by Pushpendra Nath Misra, the show attempts to throw light on the different phases of love — the college romance, the one when you feel like you know the person inside out, and lastly, where you feel stuck in a relationship.
Also read | Taj Mahal 1989 first impression: Watch it for Neeraj Kabi and Geetanjali Kulkarni
Consisting of merely five episodes, The Forgotten Army is a well-crafted drama that dramatises the events that led to the formation of the INA and the consequences thereafter. What is important to note is that Kabir Khan had stated in an Amazon Prime Video interview that history has been recreated and not fictionalised per se, which is something that doesn’t happen often in the Hindi entertainment industry. To know more, click here.
A statement by streaming giant Amazon Prime Video read, "To access the free kids and family content on Prime Video, families don’t need a Prime membership, just an Amazon account, which is free and can easily be set up on amazon.in. Families can then watch the free movies and TV shows through the Prime Video app which is free to download on compatible smart TVs, mobile devices, Fire TV, Fire TV stick, Fire tablets, Apple TV, game consoles."
Now this one is as disturbing as it gets. The show deals with abuse, assault and various psychological issues. But it is mostly engaging thanks to some good writing and incredible performances by Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson.
The new and second season of Pushpavalli was recently released. And it is safe to say that the show takes stalking the one you are attracted to an altogether another creepy level. Shows stars Sumukhi Suresh and Manish Anand in the lead. Read more about the show here.
This David Tennant and Olivia Colman series was the epitome of gritty and grim. At the same time it was strangely emotional and evocative. An American remake by the name of Gracepoint couldn't match the excellent writing of the original. Read more about it here.
The Bluth family is an eccentric, insane type. And as the patriarch gets convicted for fraud, the responsibility to run the family business falls on Michael. How he takes up the challenge forms the rest of the show.
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Korean romantic dramas have been the flavour of the season for a while now. Sweet and innocent, this series is a modern take on the tale of Cinderella. Oh, and the female lead is Parasite actor Park So-dam. Watch out for her winning act!
Also read | Best five romantic K-dramas to binge-watch on Netflix