What to watch on OTT: Kantara Chapter 1, Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra and more

Kantara: A Legend Chapter 1, written and directed by Rishab Shetty, is about the origins of the Panjurli Daiva legend — the divine protector whose spirit guards the sacred forests of Kantara. Set in the era of the Kadamba dynasty, the film unravels an epic saga where faith, power, and destiny collide as greed and corruption threaten the natural balance. When divine forces rise to restore order, the intertwined fates of kings, tribes, and deities set the stage for a story that’s both intimate in emotion and grand in scale. The cast, which is led by Shetty, also features Rukmini Vasanth, Gulshan Devaiah, Jayaram and Promod Shetty. The film will be available for streaming from October 31.

Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra
JioHotstar

The first installment of an ambitious five-part vampire franchise is headlined by Kalyani Priyadarshan, who plays the titular protagonist. Kalyani is seen in a powerful and never-seen-before superhero avatar in the film, breaking away from her familiar on-screen image. Produced under Dulquer Salman’s banner, Wayfarer Films, is a bold leap into genre storytelling with the promise of a larger cinematic universe rooted in Malayalam culture and mythology. The cast also features Naslen, Sandy, Chandu Salimkumar, and Arun Kurian. The film will be available for streaming from October 31.

Ballad of a Small Player
Netflix

German director Edward Berger continues his streak adapting books to the screen with Ballad of a Small Player. After his Oscar-winning films All Quiet on the Western Front and Conclave, he turned to Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 novel, adapted for film by Rowan Joffé, and starring Colin Farrell. He plays a high-stakes gambler lying low in Macau. When his past and his debts start to catch up with him, Doyle encounters a kindred spirit who might just hold the key to his salvation.

Hedda
Prime Video

Inspired by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s play Hedda Gabler, the movie is written and directed by Nia DaCosta. The film follows the newlywed Hedda (Tessa Thompson) whose poised exterior masks deep turmoil that erupts when an old flame, Eileen Lovberg (Nina Hoss) re-enters her life, igniting a night of manipulation, jealousy, and betrayal that upends everyone around her. Over the course of a raucous party, the high and low of society endure the consequences of this dangerous and unknowable woman yearning for a past love.

IT: Welcome to Derry
JioHotstar

Based on Stephen King’s 1986 novel It, this eight-part horror series follows the story of a couple who move to Derry with their young son. Soon after their arrival, bad things begin to happen in the town and their son disappears. The show is developed by Andy Muschietti, Barbara Muschietti and Jason Fuchs. The series is meant to be a prequel to the films It (2017) and It Chapter Two (2019). This prequel series goes back to 1962 to trace the origins of the murderous, shape-shifting entity known as Pennywise the Clown.

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