Top 10 Telugu Movies and Web Series Across OTT streaming Platforms In 2020
What the last two years were for Indian digital space, the year 2020 is the same for Telugu. It is a game-changing moment. The covid-19 only hastened the pace.
Here are the top 10 Telugu movies and web series from the Telugu film industry, across various OTT streaming platforms from the year 2020.
10. Orey Bujjiga (Aha Video)
The made for big-screen release Orey Bujjiga eventually arrived on the OTT platform, Aha Video App. It had no choice due to the long delay. However, it seems a well-made decision. Director Vijay Kumar Konda shows sparks of his debut Gunde Jari Gallanthayyind here. It is a fun outing despite the routineness on offer.
9. Honeymoon Web Series (Aha Video)
Honeymoon is a guilty pleasure sort of series where you just go with the flow. It is a simple and straightforward story that has substantial feel-good factor going for it. The lead pair (Nagabhushana, and Sanjana Anand), writing and music make it a pleasant viewing overall. If you are a newlywed, you should give it a try.
8. Gatham (Amazon Prime Video)
The only reason Gatham is so down in the list is because of the amateur cast and acting they do. The other minor quibble is the ‘inspiration’ from a foreign film. If we leave out these two, Gatham is one of the exciting indie attempts made in Telugu. The story hooks one from the beginning and takes on an unexpected thrill ride holding the attention until the end. Give it a try if you haven’t seen it yet.
7. Bhanumati And Ramakrishna (Aha Video)
The rom-com starring Naveen Chandra and Salony Luthra was a big moment for the former. He won lots of appreciation for his small-town guy portrayal. Even before Middle Class Melodies here we had Tenali as the backdrop for the lead actor. It added freshness to the narrative. And the setting helped the overall feel. Srikanth Nagothi impressed with his debut attempt.
6. Loser Web Series (Zee5Telugu)
The sports drama is an anthology series featuring an impressive ensemble of cast. An alumnus of Annapurna College, Abhilash Reddy helms the project. He makes an impressive debut despite criticism of lack of depth. The basic story of every sportsperson getting a chance of redemption finds a universal appeal.
5. Krishna And His Leela (Netflix)
Krishna And His Leela starring Siddhu came unannounced out of the blue one night. It was an instant winner with the younger crowd. The natural youthful language, entertainment and romance with beautiful ladies (Shraddha Srinath, Shalini Vadnikatti, Seerat Kapoor) helped it penetrate among the youth. It turned to be the first Telugu movie to see success in an OTT platform.
4. Masti’s Web Series (Aha Video)
The Aha Video App’s original series backed by Krish was one of the earliest significant successes (and buzz creator) for the platform. It came with a lot of publicity blitz and recognisable faces. Also, the visuals too were grand for a web show. It was a far cry from what has been the norm, until then.
The premise comprises of six individual character’s ambitions and relationship. The urban setting and narrative are what makes it different from the usual, and also makes it look like a pre-curser to what’s coming ahead on Telugu digital medium.
3. Uma Maheshwara Ugra Roopasya (Netflix)
It is the Telugu remake of cult Malayalam film Maheshinte Prathikaram. Venkatesh Maha, the man behind the immensely lovable C/O Kancharapalem, helmed the remake. It proved that he is no one-film wonder. However, more than anyone Uma Maheshwara Ugra Roopasya was a major win for actor Satyadev.
There were unanimous acclaim and praise for Satyadev’s act of innocent-looking guy. It was a tough act for him in many ways. But, he surprised everyone with his sincere and believable action.
2. Middle Class Melodies (Amazon Prime Video)
The second film of Anand Devarakonda (after Dorasani) is a perfect OTT outing all things concerned. The simplicity of the setting (Guntur) and the authenticity of the characters (and their colourful language) proved to be the right combination to leave a healthy impact on the audience.
The Vinod Ananthoju directorial gave instant recognition to actor Goparaju Ramana. He is a star in the social-media-driven world and a hit among the youngsters. The other supporting artists too stood out for their convincing portrayals in Middle Class Melodies, making it a winner.
1. Colour Photo (Aha Video)
Colour Photo garnered a lot of attention even when it was poised to be a theatrical release. It is mainly due to the unique theme and the blockbuster single ‘Taragathi Gadhi’. It eventually had a digital release on Aha Video App.
The setting, casting (Suhas’ debut as a hero, Sunil as the villain and Chandini Chowdhary) along with the beautiful music (Kaala Bhairava) made it an easy winner. The OTT space further allowed the audience to take in the ending and experience it. It is no surprise that Colour Photo has managed to impress the audience beyond Telugu cinema. Sundeep Raj turned director with Colour Photo.
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