Web series and movies to watch on OTT platforms – this weekend

Director: Siddharth Sengupta

Cast: Tahir Raj Bhasin, Saurabh Shukla, Anchal Singh

Language: Hindi

Platform: Netflix

Release date: January 14, 2021

Synopsis: In our annual review of the Best web series that we expect to see sequels to in 2022, we included the underappreciated Undekhi on SonyLIV. The same director, Siddharth Sen Gupta, is behind the most recent Netflix Original series release. It also stars Anchal Singh and the excellent Surya Sharma from the Undekhi cast in key roles.

As the title suggests, this is a story about obsessive love, with a man attempting to resist the advances of a woman who has pursued her since school. All of his efforts to reclaim his life are futile when the obsessive lover happens to be the local politician's daughter, who believes a good husband is merely a trophy. The series is about how his drastic actions affect the families.

SKYLAB

Director: Vishvak Khanderao

Cast: Nithya Menen, Satyadev Kancharana, Rahul Ramakrishna

Language: Telugu

Platform: SonyLIV

Release date: January 14, 2021

Synopsis: In the late 1970s, the American space station Skylab was in free fall, causing a global uproar. There was trepidation and anxiety everywhere about where the colossal object from space would collide. It eventually fell somewhere in Australia, causing no harm to anyone.

But for a few days, the world was on the verge of collapsing. And the subject of this film, with the eponymous title, is taken up from a remote village in Karimnagar, Telangana. The small village of unpretentious people is unprepared for a potential global catastrophe. This lends itself to simple comedy and enjoyment. Science and a small town seem an unlikely pairing. Perhaps this is what drives the plot of the film.

RAJA VIKRAMARKA

Director: Sri Saripalli

Cast: Kartikeya Gummakonda, Tanya Ravichandran, Pasupathy, Tanikella Bharani, P Sai Kumar

Language: Telugu

Platform: SunNXT

Release date: January 13, 2022.

Synopsis: The Sun network is one of the largest in India, with a strong presence in South India. However, as an OTT platform, it has not generated much interest. Because its film selection has left something to be desired. Raja Vikramarka is one of the season's major releases. However, when it was released, the film had a mediocre box-office performance.

In any case, this action thriller is a good weekend watch. The plot revolves around a secret agent who falls for the daughter of the state's Home Minister. But she has no idea he is a commando-type. As it happens, the Minister is being pursued by the bad guys in order to settle some old scores. The Minister's daughter is kidnapped. The hero must now save his lover while also uncovering the villain's and Minister's backstory.

HUMAN

Director: Vipul Amrutlal Shah and Mozez Singh

Cast: Shefali Shah, Seema Biswas, Kirti Kulhari, Ram Kapoor, Mohan Agashe

Language: Hindi

Platform: Disney+ Hotstar

Release date: January 14, 2022.

Synopsis: This ten-episode web series is about human clinical drug trials, a topic that has never been explored on Indian television. This suspense thriller delves into the topic of unethical human drug trials. Shefali Shah, who plays Dr. Gauri Nath, the head of the Manthan Hospital, is collaborating with her husband Vipul Shah, the series' director, for the first time in a long time.

The tense thriller, which deftly blends emotions, shows glimpses of the pharmaceutical industry and how often business profits trump ethics.

Aside from Human, we have an intriguing web series Yeh Kaali Kaali Aankhein, a Hindi web series that will be available on Netflix beginning January 14.

HUMBLE POLITICIANN NOGRAJ

Director: Saad Khan

Cast: Danish Sait, Prakash Belawadi

Language: English

Platform: Voot Select

Release date: January 6, 2022.

Synopsis: During the lockdown, Danish Sait, a well-known comic in Karnataka, rose to national prominence with his one-minute videos featuring a slew of eccentric characters, including Jaya, Ramamurthy 'Avarre,' and others. Danish Sait's strength is his ability to observe, and his characters are decidedly real, with a natural comedic flair. Nogroj, a humble politician from Karnataka, is also one of his made-up characters. Take away his tendency to lapse into Kannada patois, and Nogroj's politics are pan-Indian.

That is why Humble Politician Nogroj, a Kannada film released in 2018, has been reimagined as a web series in English as Humble Politician Nogroj.

Danish Sait, in his videos, is an equal opportunity offender, taking potshots at all times. The web series is no exception. It mocks politicians who take advantage of the system. Humor must poke fun at current politicians in order to be relevant. And Danish Sait isn't scared of it. The only question is whether material suitable for short gags can be sustained for a 10-episode web series.

CUBICLES - SEASON 2

Director: Chaitanya Kumbhakonum

Cast: Badri Chavan, Khushu Baid, Shivankit Singh Parihar, Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish, Sameer Saxena, Abhinav Anand 

Language: Hindi

Platform: SonyLIV

Release date: January 7, 2022.

The first season of Cubicles, directed by TVF and released in 2019, was a huge success. The series, as the title suggests, was about the life and experiences of a corporate employee. It told the story of Piyush, who is starting his first job, and the changes that come with it.

Given the series' success, a second season was unavoidable. According to the trailer, Piyush is now well-established in his position. His challenges and problems, however, are distinct. He must make a name for himself in the rat race. He also needs to be one step ahead of office politics. The events in the series are presented in both a humorous and emotional manner. That's what set it off in the first place.

CAMPUS DIARIES

Director: Prem Mistry and Abhishek Yadav

Cast: Harsh Beniwal, Ritvik Sahore, Saloni Gaur, Salonie Patel, Abhinav Sharma, Srishti Ganguli Rindani

Language: Hindi

Platform: MX Player

Release date: January 7, 2022.

Synopsis: The story of a college campus never gets old. You're familiar with the clichés. But they have something about them that makes them entertaining to watch. The web series Campus Diaries hopes to capitalize on this popular sentiment.

As with all student life stories, this one is billed as a coming-of-age drama about six university students. The trailer appears to imply that the filmmakers are going beyond the usual fun, love, and games of students to address some serious issues such as ragging, discrimination based on societal biases, unrequited love, drug abuse, and toxic relationships that are unavoidable in the rites of passage of growing up on a college campus.

VARUDU KAAVALENU

Director: Lakshmi Sowjanya

Cast: Naga Shaurya, Ritu Varma, Murali Sharma, Nadhiya, Jayaprakash, Vennela Kishore, Praveen

Language: Telugu

Platform: Zee5

Release date: January 7, 2022.

Synopsis: Breezy romantic comedies are intended for weekend viewing. And Varudu Kaavalenu fits the bill perfectly. It's the candy floss story of two young people with opposing viewpoints falling in love.

It's an urban rom-com in which one person prefers to live life in the fast lane while another prefers to live it in the slow lane. But, as a cinematic story, it's nothing new. However, the freshness quotient and chemistry between the lead pair is critical in such films. The leads in question, Naga Shaurya, and Ritu Varma, certainly look young. She portrays a strong-willed woman who is the CEO of an eco-friendly start-up. And his character is an endearing architect who has returned to India after a stint abroad. The stage is set for a romance between two self-sufficient and mature individuals. But there is an unavoidable snag. That's the end of the story. The pairing appears natural, which is why the film did well in theatres when it was released recently.

KESHU EE VEEDINTE NADHAN

Direction: Nadirsha

Cast: Dileep, Urvashi, Harishree Ashokan, Kalabhavan Shajon, Harish Kanaran, Jafar Idukki,

Language: Malayalam

Platform: Disney+ Hotstar

Release date: December 31, 2021.

Synopsis: Dileep, a former top Malayalam actor, is going through a strange period. However, he is one of the accused in an attack on an actress. Essentially, he is accused of being the one who 'ordered' the attack, which was carried out by a gang of henchmen. The case is in court, and a decision is expected soon. In the midst of all of this, his new film is set to be released. People are divided about whether to watch a film directed by a man accused of orchestrating a heinous sexual assault on a fellow actress and having it filmed. Or whether to give him the benefit of the doubt until the court makes a decision.

We decided to feature his film in this column while the court is still deliberating.

The film will feature Dileep in yet another of his face-altering make-ups, as well as his usual bag of comedy schticks. He and the director Nadirsha are well-known for their ability to create such slapstick comedies. Such roles propelled Dileep's career as an actor. The trailer dispels any doubts about the film's nature. Should be entertaining for the weekend.

MURDER AT TEESRI MANZIL 302

Direction: Pavan Sadineni 

Cast: Rajendra Prasad, Naresh Agastya, Gnaneswari Kandregula, Harshavardhan, Keshav Deepak, and Rakendu Mouli

Language: Telugu

Platform: Aha

Release date: December 31, 2021.

Synopsis: Senpathi appears to be inspired by the Tamil film 8 Thottakkal, which was based on Akira Kurosawa's Stray Dog, based on the trailer. It will be interesting to see which of the two films has a greater impact on Senpathi. The larger plot revolves around an honest cop who inadvertently loses his service pistol, which eventually falls into the hands of a man who goes on a killing spree. 

Rajendra Prasad makes his OTT debut in the crime drama. This would be a new challenge for the veteran, who is known for his comedic abilities. He was the one who portrayed the now-iconic Quick Gun Murugan. Rajendra Prasad's filmi characters appear to have come full circle, from flashy gun to losing pistol.

WAAH ZINDAGI

Direction: Dinesh Yadav

Cast: Sanjay Mishra, Vijay Raaz, Manoj Joshi, Naveen Kasturia, Plabita Borthakur

Language: Hindi

Platform: Zee 5

Release date: December 31, 2021.

Synopsis: In keeping with the theme of this week's film selection, this is another late release. However, the film's plot is timely. It makes a case for Make in India products in the face of Chinese dumping. One man's dream of becoming a home-grown small entrepreneur in order to win the heart of his lady love is woven into this situational satire. It's about cute romance, but it's also about the few options available to a small-time businessman from the country's outskirts. The director's skill lies in fusing the disparate threads into a cohesive whole that leaves viewers with a wry smile on their faces. Things are bound to be'relishably' realistic with a cast that includes Sanjay Mishra, Vijay Raaz, and Manoj Joshi.