Ahead of the big lineup of Telugu films like Pushpa, RRR and Shyam Singha Roy, scheduled to release in theatres in the coming weeks, the Andhra Pradesh High Court suspended the state government’s order on the reduction of ticket prices in cinema halls and theatres. Theatre owners argued that the government intervening in the ticket prices was not “appropriate” and it is up to the theatre owners to decide on the prices. Subsequently, the court granted permission to sell the tickets at the old rates.
Meanwhile, Nandamuri Balakrishna-starrer Telugu film Akhanda, which released in theatres on December 2, has entered the 100-crore club. Ayushmann Khurrana and Vaani Kapoor-starrer Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui film meanwhile has recorded a decent opening at the box office with a collection of over Rs 12 crore (nett) over the first weekend. On the other hand, Marvel Studios’ Spider-Man: No Way Home, the third film in the Homecoming series, has collected Rs 50 lakh net within the first hour of pre-booking on December 12.
Even with the boom in business for theatres across the country, new titles continue to hit OTT platforms. Here are seven new titles you can stream this week.
1. Decoupled – December 17 (Netflix)
The series starring actors R Madhavan and Surveen Chawla is created by Manu Joseph. Decoupled revolves around a separating couple who navigate through their crazy marriage. The show’s logline reads, “A misanthropic writer and his startup-founder wife juggle their impending divorce with the absurdities and annoyances of life in their affluent world.”
2. The Whistleblower– December 16 (SonyLIV)
The Hindi drama thriller is a nine-episode series. Directed by Manoj Pillai, the series stars actors Ravi Kishan, Ankita Sharma, Ritwik Bhowmik. According to the streaming platform, the story follows Sanket, an intern doctor studying at a government hospital. He discovers a massive medical entrance exam scam that has been running for years, lured by greed becomes a part of it, only to lose everything that his perfect life was made of. “Now, determined to find his father’s killer, he turns into a whistleblower, unaware of how deep the rot runs.”
3. A California Christmas: City Lights– December 16 (Netflix)
It is a sequel to the 2020 film titled A California Christmas. The official logline reads, “A year after their romance took root, Callie and Joseph are leaving the ranch for the family business in San Francisco — with wedding bells on the horizon.”
4. Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham– December 17 (Amazon Prime Video)
Nearly after two weeks of theatrical run, the Mohanlal-starrer Malayalam period drama will be releasing on the streaming platform in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu. The official synopsis reads, “Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea is a biopic on a real-life character who is considered one of the greatest naval chiefs of India. Set in the late 15th century and early 16th century, the movie is based on the story of the fearless seafarer of the Malabar Coast, Kunjali Marakkar, who later became the naval commander of the Zamorin (Samoothiri), the Ruler of Calicut, and defeated the Portuguese in a naval battle.”
5. 420 IPC– December 17 (Zee5)
The courtroom drama’s plot revolves around a chartered accountant, played by Vinay Pathak, who is arrested for an economic offence. He is defended by Rohan Vinod Mehra. Actor Ranvir Shorey plays Parsi public prosecutor and Gul Panag plays the accused CA, Vinay Pathak’s wife.
6. Bulgasal: Immortal Souls – December 18 (Netflix)
This South Korean television drama series, according to IMDb, is about “a woman who repeats death and reincarnation as a person for 600 years and remembers her past lives, and a man who cannot die because he has been an immortal for 600 years”.
7. Emily in Paris Season 2– December 22 (Netflix)
The American-French comedy-drama series stars Lily Collins in the titular role. Created by Darren Star, the first part of the series premiered on Netflix in October 2020. Following that, the series was renewed for the second season. The story follows Emily who lands her dream job in Paris. According to the streaming platform, in the second season, “As Emily finds her footing in Paris, the fallout from a night of passion could send her stumbling into trouble.”
