With the pandemic restrictions being eased, film industries across India, including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam, are gradually gearing up for the theatrical releases of big-budget, star-studded films. However, OTT platforms still seem lucrative for show business, as they provide filmmakers and artists with the freedom to work with different formats, such as series and anthologies, as evidenced by the recent success of the Malayalam anthology Freedom Fight.
Ahead of the premiere of films such as Valimai and Bheemla Nayak later this month, Silvercreen India brings you a list of series and films that you can watch in the comfort of your home, before catching up with those big releases.
Irai (February 18) – Aha Tamil
Following the launch of Aha Tamil recently, Irai, led by Sarath Kumar, is set to be one of its first originals. Helmed by Rajesh M Selva, the series is based on a novel named Birds of Prey, written by Archana Sarat. The filmmaker, who is directing a series for the first time, earlier said to us that Irai discusses sensitive topics of child abuse and trafficking. In the show, Sarath Kumar plays a cop named Robert Vasudevan, alongside Nizhalgal Ravi, Abishek Shankar, Sri Krishna Dayal and Gouri Nair, among others.
A Thursday (February 17) – Disney+ Hotstar
According to the streaming platform, the two-hour long thriller film follows a playschool teacher Naina, who takes 16 students as hostage. “Rattling the police and the leaders, her demands send shockwaves through the country,” reads the plot of the film that features actor Yami Gautam Dhar in the lead.
This investigative thriller series, starring Vimal in his OTT debut, is directed by Prashanth Pandiraj. Speaking to us earlier, the director mentioned that Vimal plays a cop in a police station set in contemporary times, amidst a rural backdrop, in Trichy, Tamil Nadu. The director added that the title, which means both animal and handcuffs in Tamil, will have a significant connection to the story. Vilangu will have seven episodes, each with a running time of 30-40 minutes. Other cast members include Munishkanth, Bala Saravanan, and late RNR Manohar as police officials, and actor Ineya.
After its theatrical release on Diwali 2021, Enemy is set to make its digital premiere now, nearly three and half months later. The film stars Arya and Vishal and is about “two childhood friends” who end up on “opposite extremes of morality,” and come together for a face off. The film is directed by Anand Shankar and marks the second collaboration of the two actors after Avan Ivan.
Bestseller (February 18) – Amazon Prime Video
Headlined by Shruti Haasan, Bestseller is an eight-episode psychological thriller. It also features Mithun Chakraborty, Arjan Bajwa, Gauahar Khan, Satyajeet Dubey, and Sonalee Kulkarni, among others. It is directed by Mukul Abhyankar and written by Anvita Dutt and Althea Kaushal. The synopsis from the streaming platform reads, “When the lives of two strangers suddenly collide, their hidden motivations and ambitions surface and create a domino effect on many lives.”
Hridayam (February 18) – Disney+ Hotstar
Directed by Vineeth Sreenivasan, and featuring actors Pranav Mohanlal, Kalyani Priyadarshan and Darshana Rajendran, in the lead roles, Hridayam is a coming-of-age drama. It revolves around Arun Neelakandan (Pranav) and follows him from his late teens until his late twenties, as he matures through the various stages of his life. “It looks at his friendships and romantic relationships, his brief descent into anarchy, his transformation into a family man and a successful commercial photographer,” according to Silverscreen India‘s review.
Bangarraju (February 18) – Zee5
Following its theatrical opening on Sankrathi, Bangarraju is set to make its digital premiere now. Led by actor Nagarjuna and his son Naga Chaitanya, this Telugu film is directed by Kalyan Krishna, and is a sequel to the 2016 film Soggade Chinni Nayana. Besides the father-son duo, the film also features Krithi Shetty and Ramya Krishnan.
