Here’s what you can watch on streaming platforms on March 29.
Film releases have been postponed and TV shows have exhausted their episode bank. In these times, the only relief is the existence of streaming platforms which have a plethora of content for the viewers. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar, AltBalaji, Voot Select, among others offer a mix of varied genres including comedy, horror, action, thriller and romance.
There are a lot of streaming services available in India and a person who’s new to OTT platforms might get confused as to what to watch. So we recommend the shows which can be on your watchlist in the upcoming days.
Recently, Netflix released its Indian original film Maska starring Manisha Koirala, Preet Kamani, Shirley Setia, Nikita Dutta and Jaaved Jaaferi. The Indian Express’ film critic Shubhra Gupta in her review of Maska wrote, “The best parts of the film are filled with food, the cooking and eating of it: the textures of baking fresh bread, the buttery ooze of the maska, the other classic dishes you may find in an Irani establishment, and the golden lights that fill up the kitchen.”
She added, “A walk-on character says, ‘surprise me’. That’s what we want from new films, and the streaming platforms we still have hope from. Not enough in this one.”
Also Read | Streaming Guide: | March 26 and 27| March 24 and 25 | March 22 and 23 | March 20 and 21 | March 19 and 18 | March 17 | March 16 |
If you aren’t watching this Netflix show, you are missing out on a lot. It explores puberty and the changes it brings in people. All the messiness, confusion, amusement and even horror we all experienced when we begin to notice these changes within ourselves. It is a solidly written show with interesting characters. Only the first season (ten episodes) has been released yet, so you don’t have to catch up a lot.
HBO miniseries Chernobyl is a harrowing and meticulous dramatisation of the events leading up to and the immediate aftermath of the biggest nuclear disaster in history.
Also Read | Chernobyl review: A captivating, bleak portrait of the biggest nuclear catastrophe in history
David Weil creation is a Nazi hunting TV series set in 1970s New York City. Al Pacino’s Meyer Offerman leads a pack of Hunters — who have discovered that various Nazi officials wish to establish the Fourth Reich in the United States.
Based on Neil Gaiman's fantasy novel, Stardust is directed by Matthew Vaughn. It stars two actors who later played comic-book superheroes - Charlie Cox (Daredevil) and Henry Cavill (Superman).
What if you could store human consciousness digitally? Scientists are not sure if consciousness is actually a thing or whether the things we do and the decisions we take are derived by biochemical reactions inside our brains. But science fiction writers have their liberties due to the word 'fiction'. Richard K. Morgan, an English author, wrote Altered Carbon where human consciousness can be downloaded and even transferred to another body. Altered Carbon is a thrilling, fast paced TV show set in a Blade Runner inspired cyberpunk world. It makes up for its lack of world building by non-stop, sometimes over-the-top action. A second season is now available.
The DC Universe superhero TV series is not terribly different in terms of look and feel from live-action DC films, but it is not buried in misery and balances the darkness with humour and some good character work to craft a surprisingly engaging superhero TV series. It is, simply put, better than it has any business being.
Also Read | Titans review: DC Universe’s entertaining TV show is slightly marred by over-the-top violence
Warrior is a Cinemax TV series based on an original concept by late legendary martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. It is created by Jonathan Tropper and Justin Lin (The Fast and the Furious movies) and stars Andrew Koji in the lead as a Chinese martial arts expert of partial European ancestry. A period drama, it is set in in the late 19th century during the Tong wars. The Tong Wars were a series of conflicts in the 1880s between rival Chinese Tong factions centered in the Chinatowns of various American cities especially San Francisco.
This TV series is set before the events of the original Star Trek series and in the true Star Trek tradition, it is an immersive interstellar adventure with plenty of action (the series' plot is based on Federation - Klingon war).
Sex Education, created by Laurie Nunn, follows Asa Butterfield's Otis Milburn who struggles with the occupation (sex therapist) of his mother Dr Jean F Milburn (Gillian Anderson) and her interference in his intimate matters.
While nowhere near as good as the Frank Darabont film, The Mist is nonetheless is very nice show that adapts the famous Stephen King novella of the same name. The series received mixed reviews but that is probably because reviewers compared to Darabont's film which, I think, is not fair. It is far from perfect, The Mist is still a well-made, entertaining show about a bunch of people locked inside a supermarket as a mysterious mist full with otherwordly monsters swirls outside.
This Showtime drama straddles multiple genres. It has drama, politics and romance. And it is not the mishmash one expects. It takes time to really lure you in, and gets better and better. It is said to be based on Preet Bharara, the former U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York who was fired by the US president Donald Trump.
A highly underrated show, Elementary is another take on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's ace detective Sherlock Holmes. Only, Sherlock works in New York City and he assists the New York Police Department instead of Scotland Yard. Oh, and did I mention, the Watson is female? Elementary is worth checking out for Sherock Holmes fans and even those who like the BBC series Sherlock starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
The CW series Black Lightning is based on the DC superhero of the same name. Jefferson Pierce dons the identity of a superhero Black Lightning to fight crime in his neighbourhood. This localised setting - not a city, not a town, but just a neighbourhood - gives the show a more immediate feel.
An intense, harrowing chronicle of a marriage breaking up, Marriage Story features top notch writing and performances. Stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver in lead roles.
One would not have called Stephen Hawking a lover boy, considering his brain scarcely had space for much emotion. But he, too, was bitten by the bug. The Theory of Everything is based on the book Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen by Jane Hawking and is a love-story in the classical sense of the word, complete with kisses, tragedy, and a, mostly, happy ending. Eddie Redmayne gives a storming central performance and, as it turns out, an Oscar-winning one.
Idris Elba is mesmerising as a detective DCI Luther with aggression issues in this cop drama. Luther is complex and conflicted. He has to deal not only with horrible crimes he comes across and has to solve, but also with his inner demons, his tendency for violence and his troubles with his wife.
Armando Iannucci's The Death of Stalin is a deliciously entertaining satirical period comedy. It is a take on the events that transpired immediately after the death of the ruthless dictator of Soviet Union Joseph Stalin.
An Iranian drama film penned and directed by Asghar Farhadi, the award-winning A Separation is a complex story about a separating couple, pain suffered by their daughter and the husband's hiring of a lower class worker to take care of his elderly father who is suffering Alzheimer's disease.
Time to take a walk down memory lane and give this classic a watch. The story, the acting, the laugh-out-loud sequences make Kundan Shah’s directorial debut Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro an umissable movie. The film is one of the best dark comedies of Indian cinema.
Shah Rukh Khan exercised his acting chops to play Mohan Bhargava, an NRI engineer working for NASA in 2004 film Swades. The thought-provoking movie found its way to the hearts of the audience and film critics. It said instead of complaining about the Indian system, work towards improving it. SRK as Mohan left his job in NASA to bring electricity to an Indian village.
This MX Original Series explores a story of five prospective women who would suit any man on Earth but each of these women face a common problem - being stereotyped.
Hotstar’s Out of Love revolves around Dr. Meera Kapoor (Duggal), whose perfect marriage and life crumbles after she realises her husband has been cheating on her. The medical practitioner then makes some drastic life choices, confused whether to forgive, forget or fight her philander partner. Starring Rasika Duggal and Purab Kohli in the lead roles, the five-episode thriller has been directed by Tigmanshu Dhulia and Aijaz Khan.
The Neeraj Pandey directorial M.S. Dhoni: The Untold Story is a biopic on the former captain of Indian cricket team, Mahendra Singh Dhoni. It narrates the story of the most-loved cricketer from the days of Dhoni being a railway ticket checker to becoming the country’s best batsman and captain. Disha Patani plays Dhoni’s love interest in the film, and Kiara Advani plays the role of his wife Sakshi. If you are a fan of Dhoni and are missing him on the cricket field, this is the time to watch it.
Narrated by a dog named Pluto, Zoya Akhtar’s Dil Dhadakne Do is the story of a dysfunctional upper-class Punjabi family who take a ten-day cruise. Through the multi-starrer, Zoya Akhtar showcased the reality of today’s society and how family values have changed with time.
If you are a fan of Oscar winning director Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite, then Snowpiercer is a must watch. The science fiction action film based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige and stars Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Go Ah-sung, John Hurt, and Ed Harris.
Several years have passed since the Delhi gang-rape rocked the country, but we haven’t forgotten. Delhi Crime is a fictionalized crime drama, based on the painstaking investigation which led to the capture of the six men who attacked the couple. It works best when it sticks to the assembling of a team that the deputy commissioner of police Vartika Chaturvedi (Shefali Shah) can trust, led by the unflappable Tailang, and his band of men, crack trackers, investigators, informers, who fan out and nab the culprits, one by one.
Read more | Delhi Crime review: Crime and Punishment
This Bhojpuri drama series is a hard-hitting tale of a young man Manish, who sets out on a bloody rampage in Banaras to avenge his love, Puneeta who was violated by a gang of power-hungry men who ruled that small town city. Madhuri Talkies stars Sagar Wahi, Aishwarya Sharma in the lead.
Created by Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, American Horror Story is an anthology series that has been running successfully for nine seasons. Each season of AHS has a different story but the best seasons so far have been – Murder House, Asylum, Roanoke and Cult. Since this is an anthology, it does not require a long term commitment to binge-watch. AHS brought back the horror genre on television and has continued to engage its fans. Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe, Evan Peters, Emma Roberts are some of the recurring cast members here.
Manbhanjan is one of Rabindranath Tagore’s best short stories. Hoichoi’s adaptation of the short story stars Sohini Sarkar, Amrita Chattopadhyay and Anirban Bhattacharya, who shoulder the two-part mini-series. Even if you haven’t read Tagore’s original story, you should give this series as watch, particulary for the peformances of the lead actors. Click here for more details.
Peaky Blinders, a British period drama, Shelby crime family in the direct aftermath of the First World War. You have to watch the show just for its ensemble cast, with Cillian Murphy, Helen McCrory, and Paul Anderson starring as Tommy Shelby, Elizabeth "Polly" Gray, and Arthur Shelby respectively; the gang's second-most senior members.
This American crime drama stars Jason Bateman and Laura Linney as a married couple who are forced to relocate their family to the Ozarks to launder money for a Mexican drug cartel. The third season was released yesterday so this is the perfect time for you to delve deep into this thrilling web-series.
Directed by the National Award winner Gautham Vasudev Menon & Prasath Murugesan, this series brings to life the story of Shakthi Sheshadri. Reluctant actress, reluctant politician and a non-conformist until the very end. Inspired by true events, this series stars Ramya Krishnan in the lead and Anikha Surendran, Anjana Jayaprakash and Indrajith Sukumaran amongst others form the supporting cast.
This 2017 film follows Miguel who wants to be a musician but his family forbids it. When Miguel comes across a family secret, he decides to participate in the Day of the Dead talent show. As the film proceeds, Miguel learns more about his ancestors and the history of music in his family. Coco is an emotional family story that will leave you feeling warm.
With the cop drama Singham starring Ajay Devgn as a passionate police officer Bajirao Singham, Rohit Shetty brought back the traditional Bollywood cop. Devgn plays a righteous police officer who is out to take revenge. Special mention to Prakash Raj for acing the role of antagonist Jaikant Shikre. While watching it, you might feel you are watching a 1970s Bollywood masala entertainer packed with the perfect dose of comedy, action, romance and drama.
Crash Landing On You is the story of a rich South Korean girl (Son Ye-jin), who accidentally ends up in the forbidden military lines of North Korea. She is discovered by a North Korean army officer (a terrific Hyun Bin), who decides to protect her and secretly help her return to South Korea. They face several obstacles along the way because of the dispute between their respective countries. But of course, they fall in love. The show is currently among the most popular K-dramas in the world. It received praise for its portrayal of North Korea as a place where people actually live, unlike the western image where it is all death and destruction. You can watch if you are curious about the North Korean way of living and of course, whether our beloved lead actors will end up together or not.
Inspired by the life of IPS Officer Navniet Sekera, Bhaukaal is set in Muzaffarnagar. The series tells the tale of how one courageous officer goes on a clean-up drive to punish criminals, battles local influential personalities and re-establishes the faith of the common man in the law. It is directed by Jatin Wagle and stars Mohit Raina, Abhimanyu Singh, Siddhanth Kapoor, Bidita Bag, Sunny Hinduja, Rashmi Rajput, Pradeep Nagar and Gulki Joshi in pivotal roles.
Panga starring Kangana Ranaut, focuses on the life of a former Indian Kabaddi player, who defies society’s expectations from middle-aged woman, to make a comeback.
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.
Malgudi Days captured the imagination of the Indian audience in the late 80s and early 90s, and it still remains etched in people’s minds. Relive the memories of your lost childhood and introduce your children to the works of Indian author R.K. Narayan through this unmissable show.
Helmed by Nitin Kakkar, Jawaani Jaaneman stars Saif Ali Khan, Alaya F, Kubbra Sait, Kumud Mishra and Chunky Panday. In her review of the film, Shubhra Gupta wrote, "Saif Ali Khan who seems to have pulled himself out of a slump, is clearly having a blast, flaunting buffed tattooed biceps, and bunging Punjabi-isms into his patter: when asked who else lives in his apartment, his ‘main or mera swag’ makes us smile. His partner-in-crime, Chunky Panday’s nightclub-owner, is fun too (until he’s given a drippy scene to help Jazz mend his ways). Kubbra Sait’s crack hair-dresser Rhea, Jazz’s 2 am friend, is trope-y (just like all BFFs whose shoulder is meant to be leaned on), but she fills her part with real feeling. Mishra and Jalal fit right in too. A little more consistency with the writing, and a re-upping of the fun-meter would have made Jawaani Jaaneman super. As it is, it is fun while it lasts."
A reboot of the educative 1990s show of the same name, Ghostwriter has a tantalising premise and should appeal to the young and old alike, even though it is clearly geared towards the former. After a neighbourhood bookstore is haunted by a ghost, who begins to release fictional characters into the world, four children must band together to help the ghost complete his unfinished business.
The first successful Indian web show, Permanent Roommates follows Mikesh and Tanya as they take their long-distance relationship and turn it into a live-in relationship. Permanent Roommates started the trend of rom-coms in the Indian web space and the first season of the show is still loved. Permanent Roommates is available to watch on TVF Play and YouTube.
Sachy caters to that interest of the crowd that loves to gather around a spot and just be a mute spectator as two men try to kill each other. His latest movie Ayyappanum Koshiyum is one such movie. There is no big revelation or mystery to be unlocked. Just two men trying to show the size of their ego. You can enjoy as long as it continues and returns to your life without any new existential question or absurdity of this life for you to ponder over.
As the title suggests, this movie is about Ayyappan Nair and Koshy Kurien (played by Biju Menon and Prithviraj Sukumaran, respectively. Both the actors are terrific in their roles). Koshy is a bully and he doesn’t have any accomplishment of his own in his life. His pride feeds off the fact that he is the son of Kurien John, another bully. But, there is a slight difference between John and Koshy. Even as both are high-grade snobs, Koshy has a tinge of conscience. Now, what happens when under the influence of his clout, Koshy destroys the life’s work of Ayyappan? All hell breaks loose.
Also read | South Stream: Biju Menon-Prithviraj’s Ayyappanum Koshiyum
Funny, chaotic and relatable–this is how I can best define the Sarabhais who entertained the Indian audience back in the early 2000s. Everything, from Monisha’s middle-class habits and vocabulary that annoyed Maya, Rosesh’s poetry, Indravardhan pulling Rosesh’s leg all day long, deaf Madhusudan kaka annoying ‘hain’ to tech-geek Dushyant’s explanations, made people laugh. The show was renewed for a second season, but I still recommend you watch the first season if you are looking for some pure humour.
If you are wondering how to keep your kids busy while you practice social distancing, we have listed ten shows and movies you can watch with them.
Young Sheldon
Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
Most of us have seen an adult (or adult-ish) Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory where he talks about his upbringing and life in Texas. Young Sheldon, on Amazon Prime Video, captures that life around his father, mother, brother, sister and grandmother (‘meemaw’).
Yeh Meri Family
Streaming on: TVF Play, Netflix
Set in the 1990s, Yeh Meri Family is a perfect nostalgia ride for parents. For kids, it introduces them to the pre-Netflix era when children had to take permission from their parents before switching on the TV. It is the simple story of a middle-class family told from the perspective of 12-year-old Harshu who juggles between studies, playtime and family during his summer vacations.
Read the full list here.
Starring Manisha Koirala, Preet Kamani, Shirley Setia, Nikita Dutta and Jaaved Jaaferi, Maska is a Netflix original film. The Indian Express's Shubhra Gupta in her review wrote, "Maska falls between two stools: one part nostalgia, one part how-do-we-make-it-relevant-for-millenials. Ah, the fading romance of Irani cafes, the people who’ve spent a lifetime in their environs, the wistfulness of time past. And today’s on-the-go generation, impatient, quick to make out and sell out with as little sentiment as possible."
Also read | Maska review: Manisha Koirala can’t save this bland film