What to watch on OTT: Conclave, The Royals, Gram Chikitsalay

A gripping political-thriller, Conclave follows Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes), who is tasked to head one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events — selecting the new Pope. In charge of running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope, Cardinal Lawrence gets embroiled in secrets and conspiracies that threaten to weaken the foundations of the ancient institution. This BAFTA Award-winning and Oscar-nominated film is based on the 2016 novel by Robert Harris and directed by Edward Berger.

Read Gram Chikitsalay review here.

Maria
Lionsgate Play

Directed by Pablo Larraín, famous for helming acclaimed movies like Neruda (2016), Jackie (2016), Ema (2019) and Spencer (2021), Maria captures the quiet vulnerability behind a world-famous voice. A haunting portrait of fame, solitude, and legacy, Maria brings to life the final days of legendary opera singer Maria Callas as she retreats to 1970s Paris. In a career-defining role, Angelina Jolie transforms into Maria Callas with striking emotional depth, portraying the diva’s inner turmoil and grace. Her co-actors are Pierfrancesco Favino and Alba Rohrwacher.

The Royals
Netflix

When a self-made CEO meets an endearing prince, sparks fly. The series stars Ishaan Khatter as Aviraaj Singh, a reluctant, polo-playing new-age prince, and Bhumi Pednekar as Sophia Kanmani Shekhar, a fiercely driven CEO. As they join forces to transform Morpur’s struggling haveli and its quirky residents into a luxury B&B experience, their clash of egos and ambitions sparks a whirlwind of flirtation, family feuds, and high-stakes frenzy. The series is directed by Priyanka Ghose and Nupur Asthana, and written by Neha Veena Sharma. Created by Rangita Pritish Nandy and Ishita Pritish Nandy, its ensemble cast features Zeenat Aman, Sakshi Tanwar, Nora Fatehi, Dino Morea, Milind Soman, Chunky Panday and others.

Bohurupi
ZEE5

One of the much-appreciated recent Bengali movies, Bohurupi is co-written and co-directed by Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy. Set in the 90s, Bohurupi follows Bikram (Mukherjee), a commerce graduate, who receives a major setback when he is wrongfully imprisoned. In jail, he bonds with a veteran bank robber and emerges as a master of disguise, orchestrating daring heists—including one at the Ajaygunj Co-operative Bank. This leads to a cat-and-mouse chase with cop Sumanta Ghosal (Abir Chatterjee). Bohurupi raises questions regarding justice, morality, and identity.

Nosferatu
JioHotstar

Written and directed by Robert Eggers, Nosferatu, available to stream from May 10, is a reimagining of the 1922 silent German Expressionist vampire film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922). In the 1830s, estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) travels to Transylvania for a meeting with Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård), a prospective client. In his absence, Hutter’s new bride, Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp), is left under the care of their friends, Friedrich and Anna Harding. Plagued by horrific visions, Ellen soon encounters an evil force that’s far beyond her control in this Gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her.

Gram Chikitsalay
Prime Video

The makers of Panchayat, The Viral Fever, have now come up with new Gram Chikitsalay Season 1 — a drama that follows the journey of Dr Prabhat, a city doctor who takes up the challenge of reviving an almost defunct Primary Health Centre in the remote village of Bhatkandi. Created by Deepak Kumar Mishra, the series is written by Vaibhav Suman and Shreya Shrivastava and directed by Rahul Pandey. Its cast features Amol Parashar and Vinay Pathak in lead roles. They are joined by actors Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, Anandeshwar Dwivedi, Akash Makhija, and Garima Vikrant Singh in pivotal roles.