Upcoming movies and shows on Prime Video, Hotstar, Netflix, and more for October 2021

In September we had some interesting and big-ticket movies releasing directly on OTT, despite the fact that theatres have started to reopen in India. Many long-pending films that had waited it out patiently are now slowly making it to the theatres. Does that mean OTT platforms would be starved of fresh content? Far from it, streaming platforms have carved a niche for themselves in the last two years, and quality and new content are not a problem.

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And October will see the kick off of the festival season in India, and that would mean some fresh content for the OTT platforms is assured.

So what is in store for the month? As ever, our primary focus is on Indian titles. We have the Bhramam in Malayalam, an adaptation of the Hindi hit Andhadhun. It stars the OTT favourite Prithviraj Sukumaran.   There is also Thalaivi in Tamil, a biopic on the feisty and controversial J Jayalalithaa.

• Disney Plus Hotstar: New price, plans, and subscription details in India

What if...?

Synopsis: Two episodes of the series will be streamed in October. What if..? Is Marvel Cinematic Universe’s fourth series of the year after Wanda Vision, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and Loki. However, this is an animated series that flips the script of the MCU thereby reimagining key events from the past in an unexpected way. In September, you can watch five episodes of What if…? will be released (every Wednesday). 

This is also MCU’s first animated series that focuses on different heroes from the MCU, featuring a voice cast that includes Peggy Carter, Nick Fury, T’Challa, Doctor Strange, Killmonger, Thor, and many more. The series is directed by Bryan Andrews with Ashley Bradley as head writer. The series consists of 10 episodes in total. 

Break Point

Synopsis: For decades, Indians have celebrated the country’s biggest tennis heroes who made India proud by winning many iconic matches and have also speculated about their much public split. However, for the first time, the speculation will be put to rest as Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi get candid and honest about their bromance and breakup and tell the world – what happened, how it happened and why it happened. Break Point, the 7-episode series, will not only construct their epic tennis matches but also deconstruct their relationship, both on and off the court.

It is a telling narrative on their friendship, brotherhood, partnership, belief, hard work and ambitions which made them one of the most feared doubles pair during the late 1990s, and ranked world number 1 in the year 1999. At core, it’s a tale of two friends who had planned for success.

Bhramam

Synopsis: Bhramam is a Malayalam remake of the 2018 Hindi thriller Andhadhun, directed by Sriram Raghavan with Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu and Radhika Apte in the leads. It has already been remade as Maestro in Telugu, and released on Disney+ Hotstar last month. The story is about a blin pianist who ‘witnesses’ a murder.

So does it make sense for a suspense-movie to go for another iteration? The point is the end twist is known to all. Well, according to Prithviraj "When one is attempting a remake, one needs to acknowledge and respect the original. It is important that one remains faithful to the core of the film. From there, it is crucial to sit down and adapt it intelligently. It's important, especially for a cult film like Andhadhun, that one presents an engaging viewing experience to somebody who has seen the original."

Bhramam is funnier, in fact, it is more wicked. That makes it an engaging watch, he added.

Young Sheldon Season 5

 Synopsis: The Young Sheldon sitcom series is a spin-off prequel to one of the most popular sitcoms, The Big Bang Theory. The series started off with  Sheldon Cooper at the age of nine and now, in season 5, Sheldon will be 14. The series deals with Young Sheldon starting in East Texas with his parents, his brother, and his twin sister. 

The season 5 trailer reveals Sheldon’s dad feeling guilty about cheating with Brenda who we can see in the video was having an interaction at a club. The Season 4 finale ended with Sheldon following his twin, Missy, to a forest house as she was dealing with her first romantic heartbreak. Season 4 ended with a cliffhanger and fans are now excited to see what the new season will bring.

Raja Raja Chora

Synopsis: Raja Raja Chora was one of the few movies that got released immediately after the theatres were opened to limited audiences. It got positive reviews from the audience and the critics. The movie was appreciated for its quirky humour and hefty emotional content. Though a slow-paced urban centric movie, the film also had some catchy music from Vivek Sagar. The story and its treatment belongs to the cinematic universe of Brochevarevarura, which too was a lark-filled film that was not mindlessly silly. 

Thalaivi

Synopsis: Right upfront it has to be made clear that Thalaivi's Hindi version is already streaming on Netflix. But Thalaivi, meaning woman leader, is about the life and times of one of India's most charismatic leaders J Jayalalithaa, who hailed from Tamil Nadu. A film on her needs to be enjoyed in her native language. The nuances will stand out. And the film is all about Tamil films and Tamil Nadu politics --- the two fields that Jayalalithaa left a strong mark behind. 

The life of Jayalalithaa makes for a good story. A misfit in an unforgiving industry who turned into an authoritative politician. Though this is a real-life story, the makers have tweaked some of the names so that there is no problem with touchy Tamil Nadu politicos. The film also sees the resurfacing of yesteryear actresses Madhoo and Bhagyashree. 

Little Things

Synopsis: One of the most loved Netflix series in India, the Little Things will be available for streaming from mid-October. Season 4 will also be the series finale. The romantic drama series is about a young couple living together in Mumbai. 

The series deals with the everyday conversations between Kavya and Dhruv. In the final season, the series will showcase how their relationship grew over the years with their highs and lows 一 from young lovers to a mature relationship. 

Rashmi Rocket

Synopsis: It is the spirited story of a young girl, who hails from a small Gujarat village but is blessed with amazing athletic (running) skills.

What seems like an athletic contest turns into her personal battle for respect, honour, and even her very identity. The human drama that unfolds in her life makes it much more than a regular story of an athlete.  Rashmi Rocket is based on an original story by Nanda Periyasamy.

The film touches upon the most sensitive but burning issue of gender identity in women's athletics. Hormonal changes and related issues are at the core of the story. Taapsee Pannu had undergone several months of rigorous training to look the part of a muscular athlete.

Director Akarsh Khurana said, “As a viewer, I've always been fond of courtroom dramas, mature romances, and sports films. As a storyteller, I've always been drawn to characters on journeys, both external and internal. This film gave me the unique and exciting opportunity to work on something that had all of these elements, with a fantastic ensemble of actors.”

Best movies and shows on OTT 一 October 2021