The Best Films & Series Of 2020 Across OTT Platforms In India
A turbulent year is about to end and when we sit back and retrospect on things that seem to have brought comfort or rather was our guilty pleasure in these tough times, it has to include binge eating and binge watching, almost anything and everything possible. Some we regretted, some were okayish and some others were just stupendously fabulous.
So let’s begin and see which films and series across platforms became the talk of the town this year –
SonyLIV
Series – Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story
Nothing’s been more hot than SonyLIV’s ‘Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story’ this year and very rightly so. This series by national award-winning director Hansal Mehta is a captivating and thrilling account of India’s biggest earliest scam. The story is set in the 1980s-90s Bombay and follows Harshad Mehta, a middle-class boy from Ghatkopar who found his way into the stock market. Pratik Gandhi is undoubtedly the biggest revelation of 2020 thanks to Scam 1992’s casting director Mukesh Chhabra. Also, the BGM in the seires is super cool.
Film – Bhonsle
Bhonsle is a masterpiece and Manoj Bajpayee has proved his mettle yet again as an actor of sheer brilliance in it. The film whose first look was launched at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival is the story of a retired Mumbai cop Ganpat Bhonsle who finds a family in a brother-sister duo from Bihar. When a taxi driver who aspires to become a politician tries to oust the siblings form the locality, Bhonsle comes to rescue and fights for them. The script and the acting both make Bhonsle an absolute must watch.
Amazon Prime Video
Series – Paatal Lok
This series, produced by Anushka Sharma, upon its release had been in news for all good and bad reasons. The story follows a regular Delhi cop who was assigned a high priority case which could make or break his career. What he unravels on his journey to find the truth changes his life. The show touches many angles ranging from political, communal, racial, social and cultural and all that made it a hotbed for controversy. The performances from Jaideep Ahlawat, Abhishek Bannerjee, Neeraj Kabi and Swastika Mukherjee received huge applause from the viewers.
Film – Soorarai Pottru
Amazon Prime Video has taken special care of the regional audience with continuously bringing vernacular content on the platform. While not all tasted success, Suriya starrer Soorarai Pottru was one such incredible film, from talented director Sudha Kongara, that just won everybody’s heart. The film revolves around Nedumaaran a.k.a Maara’s unrelenting quest to come up with a low-cost airline and make air travel accessible and affordable to the common man. Special mention needs to be given to the spectacular performance by Aparna Balamurali, who plays the role of Maara’s wife Sundari.
Netflix
Series – Jamtara
The story of Jamtara is set in the titular village in Jharkhand and how this sleepy little place becomes the center of one of the biggest phishing scams across the country. Youngsters here are an expert at honey trapping mobile users into sharing their bank account details with the lure of a cash prize, luxurious holiday and so. The series has it all, from outstanding performances, brilliant cinematography, relatable dialogues to deft direction.
Film – Ludo
Ludo is an anthology of four stories and just like the game of Ludo has four players, all vying to get their chips home, here, four sets of characters are caught in fantastical situations that soon spiral out of each one’s control. Sattu Bhaiya is the lynchpin that connects the four stories to each other. Every actor of Ludo’s ensemble cast has aced his/her role and brought the best out of it in every possible way. Well, to say that the Bhagwan Dada’s delightful black and white number ‘Ooh Beta ji’ brought the calm to the chaos in the film wouldn’t be wrong at all.
Disney+ Hotstar
Series – Aarya
Aarya is a crime-thriller drama with a female protagonist and an intriguing plot. It is the official adaptation of the Dutch crime drama Penzance and was widely applauded for its strong performances and skillful direction. The nine-part thriller revolves around Sushmita Sen’s character Aarya who is compelled to take over the drug business after her husband is killed. The series by Ram Madhvani is a must watch, if not for anything else then for Sushmita Sen’s classy performance.
Film – Dil Bechara
This one needs no introduction. The much awaited last film of the talented young star Sushant Singh Rajput was received with much love and warmth by the audience. Based on John Green’s novel ‘Fault In Our Stars’, Dil Bechara is a romantic comedy that has sadness at its core. The story revolves around Kizzy (Sanjana Sanghi), suffering from thyroid cancer and Manny (Sushant Singh Rajput), a cancer survivor. When Manny enters Kizzy’s life, which she initially resists, her life changes with all the craziness and happiness he brings into it. But fate has other plans for them and something very tragic happens. The ending of the film coupled with its release timing made it a very emotional watch for everyone who saw the movie.
Aha Video
Series – Kotha Poradu
Aha Video’s ‘Kotha Poradu’ is a comedy show that is high on entertainment value throughout. The story follows Raju, a wastrel who wiles away his time with his good-for-nothing friends, boozing around his hometown PK Palli, much to the concern of his parents. His father Istharayya is also an interesting character – a small-time sari seller, a big-time flirt who has multiple wives and resorts to taking small-time loans from his near and dear to run his family (families). How Raju’s life changes when he falls in love and his father dies suddenly is what is series. Every actor fits right in their character as if they truly belong to the setting in which the series is set. Right from the story to the characters, their conversations and the rustic atmosphere of a sleepy town, everything about this show is raw for a good reason. More so, the folksy soundscape adds richly to the viewing experience.
Film – Colour Photo
Colour Photo follows the story of two engineering students, Jaya Krishna (Suhas) and Deepti (Chandini Chowdhary), who fall in love. But the problem in their love story is related to colour. What happens to their love, in the end, is what the movie is all about. The highlight factors of Colour Photo definitely has to be the way it has been written, the dialogue delivery and performances and the humworthy songs and background score. The best part of the movie is its ending, which very impact fully delivers the message it wants to.
Voot Select
Series – Asur: Welcome To Your Dark Side
Asur brings together, ancient Indian mythology and forensic science, quite nicely. It follows the story of a man fighting his inner demons and troubled childhood in the garb of myth, dharma and religion. He goes on a killing spree and to catch him Nikhil Nair, a former forensic officer-turned-teacher at the FBI HQ is brought in. At the centre of the story is one other character, Dr Dhananjay Rajpoot aka DJ, whose wife is amongst the one that gets killed. The series moves around the investigation and the cat and mouse chase that happens between the criminal and the authorities. The best part of the series is indubitably Arshad Warsi’s splendid performance, a side of his acting skill that has largely remained unexplored until now.
MX Player
Series – Aashram
This crime thriller drama revolves around a self proclaimed god man- ‘Kashipur wale Baba Nirala’ who is no less than a Messiah for the people of lower strata in the society over whom he exerts great influence. But when the skeletons are unearthed during the crucial election time in a nearby forest and all evidence point in one direction – Nirala Baba’s ‘Aashram’, the peace of the city is disrupted. Directed by national award-winning director Prakash Jha, Aashram brings out the best of Bobby Deol’s acting craft in a long time.
Zee5
Series – Taish
Taish is an action packed thriller-drama that will keep you on the edge of your seats throughout. Bejoy Nambiar was the director of Taish, that released both as a film and a six-part web series. The story, its non-linear narrative style and the acting are all the ingredients that make it a must watch. Special mention to Harshvardhan Rane who has absolutely nailed the role of Pali.
Film – Pareeksha: The Final Test
Inspired by the real-life experience of IPS officer Abhyanand, former DGP of Bihar, Pareeksha is a slow paced, gritty social drama that follows a poor rickshaw puller Buchi and his struggle and strife to secure a better education, and hence a better future, for his exceptionally bright son. The film is a comment on the class and caste divide prevalent in society. The performances by the lead actors is one of the best out there.
ALTBalaji
Series – Mentalhood
Parenting is one tough task and mothers are the best at it. Only mothers know how daunting it is to take care of children and everyday tasks simultaneously. Mentalhood tries to show how modern day women handle this overwhelming role. The series follows a woman, who sacrificed her career for her kids, gets an outlet, in the form of a mother’s club, to voice her concerns, find her identity and empathise with each other in the need of the hour. The way this show entertains while dealing with a lot of relevant and relatable issues is something to take note of alongside Karishma Kapoor’s amazing performance.
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