Once upon a time, when the world wasn’t ravaged by the menace called Covid, the Independence Day weekend was a plum time at the theatres. The biggest and best films vied for eyeballs at the box office, while audiences reveled in the attention. All that is a thing of the long past. The experience of watching a film in the theatres seems to have receded to a corner of our minds; minds that have been taken over by the OTT experience.
These days, OTT has replaced theatres in the jostle to grab eyeballs on important festivals and national days, Independence Day weekend included. As a result, almost every platform has buzzy content streaming this Independence weekend, or a day or two earlier.
Here’s the complete list of what’s streaming on OTT in the Independence Day weekend, for your convenience and reference –
Amazon Prime Video –
Kuruthi, Malayalam film, already streaming
Kuruthi is a Malayalam home invasion and political thriller film, directed by Manu Warrier. It stars Prithviraj Sukumaran, along with Murali Gopy, Roshan Mathew, Shine Tom Chacko and Srindaa in primary roles. The film depicts how hate is a fire that keeps raging, burning down everyone and everything that comes in its grip. Kuruthi is a home invasion thriller with political and religious undertones.
Shershaah, Hindi film, August 12
A war drama that chronicles the heroics of Captain Vikram Batra in the Kargil War of 1999. Such was his bravery that the Pakistani side had codenamed him Shershaah. Sidharth Malhotra plays the eponymous role in the film, also starring Kiara Advani.
Modern Love Season 2, Anthology – August 13
Modern Love is an eight-part anthology series, based on the New York Times’ column of the same name. Each episode of the anthology is adapted from one installment of the Modern Love column, bringing alive its stories of love, relationships and human connections.
Godzilla Vs Kong – English film – August 14
The film that features the clash of the titans – Godzilla and Kong. The two monsters face off against each other, as a manipulative businessman wants to harness the energy of the “Hollow Earth” to power his weapons of mass destruction.
Disney Plus Hotstar –
Bhuj: The Pride Of India, Hindi film, August 13
A gripping patriotic war drama, set in the backdrop of the 1971 India – Pakistan war. Ajay Devgn plays an Indian Armed Forces officer who stands tall amidst devastating Pakistani attacks on the Air Force base of Bhuj, and retaliates in the most stunning way possible. Sanjay Dutt, Sonakshi Sinha, Nora Fatehi, Sharad Kelkar, Ammy Virk, Pranitha Subhash and Ihana Dhillo make up the rest of the cast.
Netrikann, Tamil film, August 13
Nayanthara headlines this crime thriller, which is a remake of the Korean film, Blind. Nayanthara plays a blind girl who realises that she’s stumbled upon the identity of a serial killer who’s killed 12 young girls. A cat-and-mouse chase between the blind protagonist and the ruthless killer ensues. Besides Nayanthara, the film stars Ajmal Ameer, Manikandan and Saran in prominent roles.
Spin, English film, August 15
Spin is a delightful film set in the backdrop of music. A young Indian-American teenager discovers a flare for DJing, even as she falls for the aspiring DJ who teaches her the art. Abhay Deol plays the father of teenaged girl. The film has been helmed by Manjari Makijany, who had earlier made the Netflix film, Skater Girl.
Netflix –
Beckett, English film, August 13
A gritty thriller, it centres on how one man’s idyllic vacation becomes a desperate race for survival as rogue elements close in on him. The film is directed by Ferdinando Cito Filomarino, and stars John David Washington, Alicia Vikander, Vicky Krieps, Boyd Holbrook, Daphne Alexander, among others.
Brand New Cherry Flavor, Limited Series – August 13
Brand New Cherry Flavour is a horror drama series that features zombies, hit men, supernatural kittens, and a mysterious tattoo artist who likes to put curses on people. A young woman moves to Hollywood to realise her dream of directing a film. But her quest soon turns into a struggle to save her life from unknown elements.
Valeria Season 2, Spanish series, August 13
Valeria is a feel-good drama, with lots of glamour, sex and comedy. The Spanish language series is centred on a writer who lives life in the glitzy world of high society Madrid. She is stuck in an unhappy marriage, along with going through a lot of issues in her life. Through all the turmoil in her life, her three friends are the only people going who offer unwavering support to her, despite going through tough times in their own lives. Season 2 of the show shows the women picking up the threads of their lives and hanging on with each other through thick and thin.
The Kingdom, Argentinian series, 13th August
The Kingdom is a thriller series from Argentina. It is set in the backdrop of crime, politics and evil. The running mate of a priest is murdered just before elections, and the controversial priest becomes Argentina’s presidential candidate. But nothing about him is holy as it seems.
ZEE5 –
India Shayari Project, Hindi show, 15th August
The India Shayari Project is an innovative offering from ZEE5 to introduce the younger generations to the charm of poetry and spoken words. The show brings together well-known wordsmiths, the poets Kausar Munir, and Dr. Kumar Vishwas, and popular comic, Zakir Khan, who will share their views on what freedom of expression means to them. Joining them will be the surprise headline act, poet, lyricist and writer Javed Akhtar, who will give his views on, freedom expression, and lots more.
Apple TV Plus –
CODA, English film, August 13
CODA is a Sundance Film Festival winner, which received accolades and appreciation from audiences and critics alike. The poignant story features a 17-year-old girl (Emilia Jones) who is born to deaf parents, but thankfully can hear. Music is her lifeblood, and when she gets a never-before opportunity to make her musical dreams come true, she’s caught between her love for singing and her responsibilities towards her family. For those who don’t know, CODA stands for “Child of Deaf Adults”.
SonyLIV –
Shantit Kranti, Marathi series, August 13
Shantit Kranti is a Marathi series about friendship, wanderlust and self-discovery. Three best friends, Shreyas, Prasanna and Dinar, take a road trip to Goa to escape their life problems. A simple road trip turns into a life changing journey that gives them a chance to introspect and explore the unexplored crevices of life.
MX Player –
POW: Bandi Yuddh Ke, Hindi series, August 13
POW: Bandi Yuddh Ke is a gripping drama on war and its aftermath. Two Indian soldiers, held in a Pakistani jail as prisoners of war, are released after 17 years of captivity. As they struggle to adjust and integrate themselves back into society, a government agent turns up to expose a deep dark secret of the two prisoners of war. It boasts a stellar cast of Sandhya Mridul, Purab Kohli, Amrita Puri, Satyadeep Misra and Manish Chaudhari.
Hoichoi TV
Robindronath Ekhane Kawkhono Khete Aashenni (REKKA), Bengali series, August 13
Robindronath Ekhane Kawkhono Khete Aashenni (REKKA) is a thriller series that centres on a mysterious restaurant named ‘Robindronath Ekhane Kawkhono Khete Aashenni and its enigmatic owner, who has been branded a witch by the people of the town. When five people disappear under mysterious circumstances, a journalist begins investigating the disappearances. The show stars Rahul Bose, Azmeri Haque Badhon, Anirban Bhattacharya, Anirban Chakrabarti, Anjan Dutt, and Alexx O’Nell.
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