White Lines, helmed by Money Heist creator Alex Pina, is streaming on Netflix.
With more and more Bollywood movies deciding to take the OTT route, the audience will now have a plethora of content to watch in the coming days. Amitabh Bachchan and Ayushmann Khurrana’s Gulabo Sitabo, which was earlier scheduled to release in theaters, will soon stream on Amazon Prime Video. So will the Vidya Balan starrer Shakuntala Devi.
Big-ticket movies like Akshay Kumar’s Laxmmi Bomb and the Anurag Basu directorial Ludo are also expected to opt for a digital release. Apart from this new flood of desi films, streaming sites have loads of original content to offer.
Netflix, on Tuesday, announced that it will release the Anurag Kashyap directorial Choked in June. The film’s storyline will focus on one hard-working middle-class woman who struggles to keep her house afloat as her husband tries to follow his passion of becoming a musician. It stars Saiyami Kher and Malayalam actor Roshan Mathew in the lead roles.
Streaming Guide | May 18, 17, 16 | May 15, 14, 13 | May 12, 11 | May 10, 9, 8 | May 7, 6, 5 | May 4, 3 | May 2 | April 27, 28 | April 25, 26 | April 22, 23, 24 | April 19, 20, 21 | April 18 | April 15, 16, 17 | April 12, 13, 14 | April 10, 11 | April 7, 8, 9 | April 5, 6 | April 3, 4 | April 1, 2 | March 30, 31 | March 28, 29 | March 26, 27| March 24, 25 | March 22, 23 | March 20, 21 | March 19, 18 | March 17 | March 16
Apart from the big trio of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+Hotstar, various OTT platforms are vying to grab as many eyeballs as possible. In this regard, Voot Select has stepped up its game in a big way by releasing exciting and original shows such as Illegal, Marzi and Asur among more.
Nalpathiyonnu is a socio-political satire that explores the journey of two men, who are strong followers of Communist ideologies, as they set out to take the pilgrimage to Sabarimala. Directed by Lal Jose, the film stars Biju Menon, Nimisha Sajayan, Indrans and Suresh Krishna.
An Amazon Original, Lore is based on a podcast of the same name. Every episode of the show tells the origins of a horror story and although it is more of a documentary than drama, it is a slickly produced show that is engaging enough for a binge. You might want to check out the podcast as well. It is sublime.
Starring Song Kang-Ho of Parasite fame, The Drug King is based on the true story of a lowly narcotics dealer, Lee Doo-sam, and his rise to the top of the Japanese narcotics trade. The movie boasts of excellent performances by its star cast which includes Bae Doo-na, Jo Jung-suk and Lee Sung-min.
In Ad Astra, Brad Pitt plays Roy McBride, an astronaut who chooses the profession to be like his father. The last space mission that his father went on had a lot of secrets, and there is a possibility of him either being dead or alive. It’s now Roy’s job to get to the truth. Directed by James Gray, the film also stars Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga, Liv Tyler and Donald Sutherland.
By far the best thing on Quibi, When the Streetlight Go On is about a high school teacher and a teen girl murdered in cold blood. A boy goes on a quest to solve the mystery. It is Stranger Things, turned down a notch. Here is one series that uses the bite-sized format very well.
Starring Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Vikrant Massey, Divyendu Sharma, Rasika Dugal, Shriya Pilgaonkar and Shweta Tripathi, Mirzapur revolves around drugs, guns and lawlessness. It depicts the rule of mafia dons and the crime prevailing in the Purvanchal region of Uttar Pradesh.
In this Sam Hargrave directorial, Chris Hemsworth’s character Tyler Rake, a mercenary, is recruited by another mercenary Nik Khan (Golshifteh Farahani) to rescue the son (Rudhraksh Jaiswal) of an imprisoned crime lord (Pankaj Tripathi). Randeep Hooda, Priyanshu Painyuli and David Harbour also star. While the plot and characters are thin, Extraction is all the same a gripping piece of entertainment.
Marathi film Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi can never be too old to be watched and rewatched. This Ashok Saraf, Lakshmikant Berde and Sachin Pilgaonkar (Sachin also directed the film) starrer is seen on TV quite frequently, but if you have missed watching it, please do it now. The comic timing, the dialogues and the performance, it will all keep you hooked.
Imtiaz Ali directorial Highway gave wings to Alia Bhatt’s career. After a below-average debut in Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year, Alia returned to the silver screen with Highway and how. The actor proved her acting prowess, playing an urban girl Veera who discovers herself in the wilderness. Special mention to AR Rahman’s soulful music.
This one is among the weirder and eccentric shows. Frodo of Lord of the Rings movies, Elijah Wood, plays an everyman whose life is turned into a veritable whirlwind a flamboyantly British "holistic" detective; holistic because he believes everything in the universe to be interconnected. And indeed, he has a seemingly preternatural ability. The feel of the show is like from one of the more strange comic-books from the 80s came to life. The story is loosely based on the writings of the great Douglas Adams.
Based on the 1993 novel of the same name by John le Carré, this miniseries has two of the best actors on television: Hugh Laurie and Tom Hiddleston. It is a espionage drama and is engaging throughout its run.
In the first season, the audience saw Anuj and Gaurangi (played by Sharman Joshi and Asha Negi) falling in love and getting married. And now, they will witness the roller coaster journey of the couple as they face hurdles in their relationship.
A DC TV show that embraced the crazy after tip-toeing around it for a couple of seasons. And it is live-action. There is few things off-limits or too insane for this show. It may not have Batman (Bruce Wayne is a young boy in the show) but it has every single member of Batman's rogues gallery, and this was just as good.
Considered to be among director Shyam Benegal’s best works, Mammo is the first film of his Muslim trilogy, which included Sardari Begum (1996) and Zubeidaa (2001). The National Film Award winning film stars Farida Jalal, Surekha Sikri, Amit Phalke and Rajit Kapur.
This movie has one of the finest climax sequences ever produced on Indian celluloid. Kireedom inspired several remakes in other languages, and everyone tried to milk the climax scene to the best of their ability. But, none of them could achieve what Mohanlal achieved. It is a story about a brave young man who stands up to a criminal to defend his father. And the society refuses to see him as anything more than a man who beat up a local thug, leading to a devastating end. For more Mohanlal films on Disney+ Hotstar, click here.
Horror The Terror's season 1 adapts Dan Simmons' 2007 novel of the name. Jared Harris stars as Captain Francis Crozier, Ciarán Hinds as Rear Admiral Sir John Franklin and Tobias Menzies as Commander James Fitzjames. They are all naval officers in a failed expedition to the Arctic. The actual expedition (yes, the novel is a fictionalised account of a real expedition) was led by Captain Franklin (played by Ciarán Hinds in the show) and did not come back. Not one man among 129 who went came back. Dan Simmons's novel gave a supernatural reason behind the doom, so does the series. It is a slow burn horror thriller that ends with a narrative crescendo.
Here is the first ever comedy special of arguably one of the greatest stand-up comics ever, wherein George Carlin talks about monopoly, flying in aeroplanes and everything under the sun.
Reva, based on the Gujarati novel Tatvamasi, is about how an unexpected situation can prompt a spiritual journey within. The film has been lauded for its storytelling and music.
One Punch Man, like the name suggests, follows the story of Saitama, a superhero who can defeat any opponent with a single punch. But he is bored of being a hero because there’s nobody who can challenge his powers. This is one of the most fun anime shows to watch. If you are bored of serious tropes and intense storylines, then One Punch Man is the perfect remedy. The show doesn’t take itself too seriously and also on occasions, makes fun of the anime world. And the best part? It’s really funny.
"There’s enough here, all-round, for the second season. Can we have a little more of Rohini Hattangadi, who plays a modern-ma-in-law, dancer of Zumba, and carefree driver of cars? And more credible, less eye-roll situations? Strong women dealing with bad stuff can make for good stories: bring on season two," wrote The Indian Express' reviewer Shubhra Gupta.
Acclaimed American writer and journalist Joan Didion has many a riverting works to her credit. Get a beautiful sneak-peek into her writing process and her gifted mind via this Netflix documentary.
Even if you are least interested in sports, make sure you check out this one-of-a-kind docu-drama which filmmaker Dan Fogel created in order to discover the truth behind doping in sporting events. It is as compelling and thrilling as any other mystery-drama out there. Trivia: It won the Academy Award for the Best Documentary Feature.
An atmospheric horror-drama that stars Radhika Apte, Manav Kaul among others, Ghoul will make you question what do you actually consider scary.
This thriller features Rajeev Khandelwal and Aahana Kumra in the lead. Our verdict reads, "Marzi is owned by Aahana Kumra Kumra and Rajeev Khandelwal, who with their compelling performances draw you to their side of the story. At times, you feel for Sameera for being violated by a man and want justice for her. Then, there are times when Anurag appears to be an innocent man being framed for a crime he never committed. Other characters played by able actors like Shivani Tanksale, Rajeev Siddharth, Vivek Mushran and Suhaas Ahuja too have their dark secrets, and everyone appears to be hiding something or the other." Click here to know more.
Starring Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, Aparshakti Khurana in main roles, this horror-comedy received rave reviews upon its release. The Indian Express' film critic Shubhra Gupta wrote, "Stree is enjoyable for the most part. I particularly liked its cheerfully hare-brained spirit, which the director manages to sustain. Kapoor’s part is a bit risible, but she has some breathy moments with Rao. The three fellows feel like real friends, not just brought together by a casting director, and both Khurrana, who is sprouting from everywhere these days, and Banerjee do a good job of looking scared and foolish at the same time." Read more here.
Short, scary and ultimately compelling, this film revolves around two young men who unwittingly move into a flat which is said to be haunted by a witch.
Sweet, nostalgic and heartwarming, The Half of It is a wonderful tale of love and longing which not only throws light on love, but a platonic friendship shared by its leads. Refreshing to say the least.
Voot Select’s latest web series Asur is a crime-thriller (with a generous dose of Indian mythology) which stars Arshad Warsi, Barun Sobti, Anupriya Goenka, Riddhi Dogra and Sharib Hashmi among others. At nearly fifty minutes long, Asur sometimes seems a bit scattered and slow. However, what works in its favour are credible performances and the mystery. The editing could have been snappier perhaps and the screenplay more aligned. Read more here.
If all you are looking for is cringe-entertainment (and yes, that is a mood), then I suggest you go for this almost mind-numbing, so-bad-that-it-is-good reality TV show. For desi viewers, this is like a cross between Roadies and Splitsvilla.
A boy wizard is entrusted to defeat a dark lord and save the world from an impending calamity. Will he succeed? Based on the books penned by JK Rowling, the Daniel Radclifee, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint films can now be streamed on Amazon Prime Video. Yes, all the eight parts!
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan starrer 1988 drama Fauji revolved around the lives of young recruits who were training to be commandos in the Indian National Army. But would they pass the tests of life?
Buzzfeed's Worth It is the ultimate channel for food lovers who love to experiment all kinds of dishes, cheap and expensive. In this series, a trio goes to check out all the 'worth it' places in the States and beyond.
This 1994 DD show is now available to stream on YouTube. Starring Kanwaljit Singh and Deepika Amin in lead roles, Farmaan is the classic Mills and Boon tale of a romance that survives against all odds.
The eccentric Rose family will woo and thrill you with its charm if you only let them. Schitt's Creek is the tale of a wealthy family whose fortune takes a turn for the worse after they go bankrupt. Its final season is currently streaming on Netflix.
Jen and Judy form an unlikely friendship after both women find themselves in a support group post suffering tragic losses. If you want something funny and moving to watch, go for this Christina Applegate starrer!
The immensely popular cooking show is back, but with three new judges. You can now watch all the seasons of the show on Disney+Hotstar.
Also read | MasterChef AU Back to Win: Time to have something Hot ‘n’ Cold with Katy Perry
A show that boasts of a wonderful camaraderie shared by its leading female characters, Sweet Magnolias is all about friendship and female bonding. It stars JoAnna Garcia Swisher, Brooke Elliott and Heather Headley in leading roles.
Starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Laura Dern, Meryl Streep, Eliza Scanlen, Timothee Chalamet and Chris Cooper, the Greta Gerwig directorial Little WOmen is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. Read the review here.
The Indian Express' Shubhra Gupta wrote about the film, "Vicky Kaushal’s Prithvi is clearly a haunted man. A shipping officer who lost his wife and daughter to a mishap while doing the rapids, an adventure they took at his initiative — that kind of tragedy is hard on the soul, mind etc etc. However, Bhoot: The Haunted Ship, is far from done with him. Under Prithvi’s watch rolls in, against the perpetually grey and clearly fake skyline of Mumbai, a giant ship with no one aboard. But for the Director General, Shipping, though, no one is intrigued. Even when people who venture into it, start disappearing. That leaves the field wide open for Prithvi to wade in, with loyal-to-death friend Riyaz by his side. There is a nudge, nudge wink, wink between the two friends over “the hand of the neighbouring country” in it." Read More.
Starring Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer, Onward is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. The Indian Express' Shalini Langer gave the film 2.5 stars and wrote, "Once the world was full of wonder, adventure and magic. But then came inventions, some as simple as a light bulb, rendering them superfluous. That’s how Onward starts. However, by the time it comes around to the end, you realise what this latest Pixar animation has been nudging you all along towards: discovering the magic in your everyday life, the adventure and wonder of it." Read More.
David Fincher has directed a few episodes of the second season, as he had in the first. While Season 1 was set in the late 1970s, Season 2 is set in the early 80s. The quietly terrifying Ed Kemper is back, though only briefly. And while the notorious Charles Manson was pitched as the highlight of the season, he is only there for a few minutes in one of the latter episodes. Read More.
While the American version of The Office was inspired by the UK version, it still had enough personality of its own to garner a big fan following. After a nine-season run, the show concluded in 2013. Starring Steve Carell as Michael Scott, Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute, John Krasinski as Jim Halpert and Jenna Fischer as Pam Beasly, The Office is one of the best sitcoms that we have seen in the 21st century. Check out the 10 best episodes here.
“Angrezi Medium could just as well have been called Irrfan Returns. Watching this terrific actor lighting up the screen, of knowing about his medical struggles, and the fact that he did this film while still in treatment, gives it a special bittersweet flavour,” wrote Shubhra Gupta. Angrezi Medium was the last movie of Irrfan Khan. He passed away on April 29, 2020.
The Indian Express’ Shubhra Gupta wrote in her review, “Thappad bears its message, more essential than ever, on its chin: Women are not property. Wives are not owned. Dreams have no gender, and everyone is allowed to realise them. And how all it takes, from a woman who just wants self-respect, is a decision to say no, Not Even One Slap.” Read More.
Modern Family had a glorious end in April 2020 after a successful 11-season run. The sitcom centered around a family in California that challenged traditional familial stereotypes. The first six seasons of the show featured some of the best episodes that made us laugh and cry. While many thought that the show will bow out after a 10-season run, the creators announced Season 11 to be the last one. Check out the best episodes here.
HBO’s comedy drama Bad Education goes behind the real-life embezzlement scandal at a Long Island school district. Based on a New York magazine article titled “The Bad Superintendent,” the film details the crimes of a celebrated school superintendent Dr Frank A Tassone (Hugh Jackman) and his assistant superintendent Pamela Gluckin (Allison Janney). Read More.
The Indian Express’ Shubhra Gupta gave the film 3.5 stars and wrote in her review, “Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan's achievement lies not just in going where Bollywood has not gone before. It is in consistently portraying Kartik (Ayushmann Khurrana) and Aman (a superb Jitendra Kumar in his debut film role) as just a couple, not 'homo' or 'hetero'.” Read More.
Charlie Brooker’s science fiction anthology series Black Mirror is one of the most innovative TV series today. Most of its episodes present a horrifying future, where humanity’s obsession with technology has led it to adverse situations. This show is all the scarier because it rings too uncomfortably true. The technology, while futuristic, is believable and looks exactly like something future humans will invent and want to possess. Check out the best episodes here.
The Big Bang Theory started as the story of two geeky scientists Leonard (Johnny Galecki) and Sheldon (Jim Parsons) who have a new neighbour Penny (Kaley Cuoco). The socially awkward science geeks live in a different world as compared to Penny, who works as a waitress and is an aspiring actress. It’s the clash of these two worlds that forms the base of this sitcom. Over time, supporting characters like Raj (Kunal Nayyar) and Howard (Simon Helberg) were given leading parts and Amy (Mayim Bialik) and Bernadette’s (Melissa Rauch) characters were also given top billing. Read More.
Watch the web series starring Sayani Gupta, Kirti Kulhari, Bani J and Maanvi Gagroo on Amazon Prime Video. The first two seasons of the show are already streaming and the show has now been picked for a third season.
A poignant story of a strong-willed girl and her relationship with her equally strong-willed mother. Saoirse Ronan has done a marvellous job in bringing out on the screen the angst of adolescence. There is subtlety here, and the viewer never feels overwhelmed. We rarely see the relationship between a mother and her daughter put on screen in such a believable way.
A gripping drama about a dysfunctional Indian family, Kapoor & Sons explores family dynamics in Indian, or more broadly South Asian families, in a surprisingly mature way — a rarity for Bollywood. Ratna Pathak Shah, Alia Bhatt, Sidharth Malhotra, Rishi Kapoor and Fawad Khan star.
Each episode has interesting plot twists. The courtroom sequences, where a rape case is being debated, is devoid of theatrics. There is simply an argument with both the lawyers citing the laws and presenting their evidence. Despite being a legal drama, the writing never gets heavy. With 30-minute episodes, it is an easy binge-watch which doesn’t require you to pay too much attention. While the courtroom sequences leave you thrilled, the drama that unfolds out of the court unravels the reality of the political and judicial system. Read More.
Forgotten is a mystery-thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seats throughout its 109 minutes run. The film follows Jin Seok who witnesses his brother’s kidnapping. Although the brother returns after 19 days with no memory, Jin Seok starts to realise that his entire family is acting strange, which leads him to seek the truth. It’s a very dark and tragic movie, but the plot twist is guaranteed to blow your mind. I highly recommend it.
A Viral Wedding is the story of a couple Nisha (Shreya Dhanwanthary) and Rishabh (Amol Parashar) who are planning their special day. On March 24, all their plans go for a toss as PM Modi announces the nationwide lockdown. After the initial panic and calculation of the monetary loss involved, Nisha suggests an online wedding. Read More.
Indianexpress.com’s Kshitij Rawat wrote about the film, “The world can be too overwhelming right now. The coronavirus outbreak has spread across pretty much all over the globe, and while the rate of infection is slowing down a bit, experts believe we will not be completely out of danger until a vaccine is developed. Wish to make sense of this virus called SARS-CoV-2, its origin, the disease it causes (called COVID-19), relief efforts surrounding it by governments, NGOs, individuals, the challenges and so on? The Netflix documentary series Coronavirus, Explained has you covered.” Read More.
In the HBO miniseries I Know This Much Is True, Mark Ruffalo essays the double role of identical twin brothers. Based on the eponymous 1998 novel, the six-episode fare is written and directed by Derek Cianfrance. Ruffalo’s characters, Dominick and Thomas Birdsey, do not resemble each other much beyond looks. While Dominick has to deal with the difficulties of life like the rest of us, Thomas is a man who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia. Read More.
Hellaro, directed by Abhishek Shah, won the 66th National Award for Best Feature Film. Based in a village in Gujarat, the movie tells the story of a group of women who break the shackles of patriarchy.
Train to Busan is definitely one of the most popular films to come out of Korea, and it is easy to see why. The zombie-horror film will keep you at the edge of your seat the entire time. The movie is set on a train where the passengers, especially a father-daughter duo, are trying to survive a zombie attack till they get to their destination in Busan.
The Indian Express' Shubhra Gupta gave the Amazon Prime Video web series 3.5 stars and wrote in her review, "A celebrity TV anchor is the target of a group of killers. Why do they want to kill him? Who is behind it all? The case is handed over to a cynical, seen-it-all, from the wrong-side-of-the-tracks cop, and as he starts digging, startling connections between the most unlikely people in the most unlikely places start popping up. Paatal Lok is fashioned as a crime thriller-cum-police procedural set mainly in Delhi, spinning off into several threads, some really solid, a few comparatively weak, but managing to keep its hold on us. Weaving in an awareness and recognition of contemporary India makes it political, and elevates it: Paatal Lok is intelligently written, fast-paced, and engrossing, and I thoroughly enjoyed it." Read More.