Last week saw a couple of big wins for theatres in Kerala. Dulquer Salmaan-starrer Kurup, one of the biggest Malayalam films to release in cinemas in the state post their reopening, collected Rs 7 crore at the Kerala box office in its first two days. And in a major turn of events, the makers of Mohanlal-starrer Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham decided to first release the film in theatres on December 2.
Cinema halls across the country are witnessing the return of audiences in large numbers and the makers of several major films like Akhanda, Thali Pogathey, Skylab, and Pushpa – The Rise, have announced their theatrical releases in December.
At the same time, many new films and shows are also releasing on OTT platforms. Here are seven new titles you can stream from this week.
1. Dhamaka (Netflix) – November 19
Kartik Aaryan plays a frustrated former news anchor named Arjun Pathak in this drama-thriller. The film follows Pathak as he ends up having a conversation with a mysterious terrorist who blows up a portion of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. The terrorist and the anchor converse live on television and during the course of the interview, the former raises demands. With the series of ups and downs that follow, the anchor must choose between his career and humanity.
2. Pon Manickavel (Disney+ Hostar) – November 19
Starring actor-choreographer-filmmaker Prabhu Deva in the titular role, this Tamil film is touted as an emotional action thriller. In an earlier conversation with Silverscreen India, director AC Mugil Chellappan said Prabhu Deva’s character is inspired by a real-life IPS officer named Ponn Manickavel, who was posted in Salem during the time the filmmaker studied there. “He was known as a strict officer and made an impact on me then. Prabhu Deva and I were initially looking to work on another project, but that did not take off. So then, I narrated a line of this script to him and that’s how it all started,” he added.
3. Churuli (SonyLIV) – November 19
Churuli is a Malayalam fantasy film directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery. According to the streaming platform, the film follows a few people who go in search of a man named Mayiladuparambil Joy and get trapped in a terrifying time loop in this sci-fi/horror tale of insanity, fear and aliens. The film stars Chemban Vinod Jose, Vinay Forrt, and Joju George.
4. Oka Chinna Family Story (Zee5) – November 19
This Telugu film starring Sangeeth Shoban, Simran Sharma, and Tulasi is a comedy-drama that follows Mahesh and his mother, who embark on an adventurous journey filled with hilarious situations as they try to make quick money to repay a huge loan.
5. The Princess Switch 3: Romancing The Star (Netflix) – November 18
The third film in The Princess Switch series, which was first released in 2019, stars actors Vanessa Hudgens, Sam Palladio. The second part of this Christmas romantic comedy franchise was released in 2020. The synopsis of the latest instalment reads, “When a priceless relic is stolen, Queen Margaret and Princess Stacy enlist the help of Margaret’s audacious look-alike cousin Fiona who teams with a dashing, mysterious man from her past to retrieve it rekindling the sparks of a tantalizing Christmas romance and resulting in a very unexpected switch.”
6. tick, tick… BOOM! (Netflix) – November 19
Pulitzer and Tony Award-winner Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his feature directorial debut with tick, tick…BOOM! It is an adaptation of the autobiographical musical by Jonathan Larson, who revolutionised theatre as the creator of Rent. The film follows Jon, a young theatre composer who waits tables at a New York City diner in 1990 while writing what he hopes will be the next great American musical. On the brink of turning 30, he navigates love, friendship and the pressure to create something great before time runs out.
7. A Boy Called Christmas (Netflix) – November 24
Directed by Gil Kenan and adapted from the bestselling book by Matt Haig, A Boy Called Christmas revolves around a determined young boy named Nikolas, who meets his destiny in a magical land inhabited by elves, while on a quest to find his father – and bring home the gift of hope.
