With cinema halls currently operating at full capacity across India, big-budget films such as Etharkkum Thunindhavan and Radhe Shyam are hitting theatres this week. Meanwhile, OTT platforms continue to consistently provide content to keep audiences engaged, and there are still films like Maaran and Clap opting for direct digital premieres.
On that note, here is a list of seven films and shows that are releasing on streaming platforms this week.
1. Maaran (March 11) – Disney+ Hotstar
Continuing his OTT release streak, after Jagame Thandhiram and Atrangi Re, actor Dhanush will next be seen in Maaran, essaying the role of a journalist. The action-thriller is directed by Karthick Naren, and also features Malavika Mohanan as the female lead. With music composed by GV Prakash Kumar, Maaran is backed by Sathya Jyothi Films. The film will be released in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada.
Written and directed by Prithivi Adithya, Clap is a Tamil-Telugu sports film starring Aadhi Pinisetty. In an earlier conversation with Silverscreen India, the filmmaker had said that Aadhi plays the character of a 400-metre athlete. “The crux of the story is about the events that occur in his life as a sportsman. Clap focuses on politics in sports, the hardships and responsibilities faced by an athlete’s family members, and the hard work that goes into someone becoming an inspirational sportsman,” he had added. Aadhi had previously said that it is a “very emotional film that incorporates beautiful human emotions.” Clap has music by Ilaiyaraaja.
3. Kadaisi Vivasaiyi (March 11) – SonyLIV
Post its theatrical run, this critically-acclaimed Manikandan directorial is set to stream digitally from Friday. The film revolves around the last active farmer in a village, who finds himself detained by the police for a crime he did not commit. Featuring late real-life farmer Nallandi in the lead, the film also stars actors Vijay Sethupathi and Yogi Babu. In her review for Silverscreen India, Nithya Gnanapandithan observed that the film “makes us slow down and engage with something beautiful – and that’s a very precious thing.”
4. The Adam Project (March 11) – Netflix
Led by Ryan Reynolds, this sci-fi adventure film is directed by Shawn Levy. The synopsis on Netflix reads, “After accidentally crash-landing in 2022, time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed teams up with his 12-year-old self on a mission to save the future.” The director and actor said The Adam Project was their chance to pay tribute to films like Back to the Future and E.T.
5. Qubool Hai (March 11) – Aha
This investigative crime thriller is a six-part series that will be available in Dhakni and Telugu. The show revolves around a father who is forced to sell his 12-year-old daughter via child marriage due to poverty. The daughter goes missing and a vigilante and a cop try to find her, going against child trafficking mafia.
6. Rowdy Boys (March 11) – ZEE5
This Telugu film is set against the backdrop of two college campuses, one medical and the other, engineering. Rivalry between the two institutes gets fuelled when a student from one campus, tries to court a girl from the other campus. The film stars Ashish, Anupama Parameswaran and Komalee Prasad, among others. Harsha Konuganti has directed the film.
7. Rider (March 11) – ZEE5
This Kannada film follows the friendship between Kitty and Chinnu, who share a great bonding during their childhood at an orphanage. They get separated and later, embark on a journey to find each other. Directed by Vijay Kumar Konda, the film features Nikhil Gowda, Anusha Rai, and Kashmira Pardeshi, among others.
