As ever, our weekend pickings on Indian streaming platforms for your viewing was a challenging exercise. It is always difficult to decide on what to leave out, as in the Indian context, the options across languages can be many.
This week we have settled for a big blockbuster Tamil movie that has made it to streaming platforms even while it is running in the theatres (Master), a beautiful anthology of stories that has been dubbed from Tamil to Telugu (Naarinja Mithai), a comedy Hindi web series (Metro Park 2), a fun-filled youthful web series in Hindi (College Romance - Season 2) and we round off the week's offerings with the Malayalam movie (Kilometers and Kilometers)
We have been broad-based in our selection as we want our choices to appeal to a large cross section of the viewers. There is an offering for every kind of viewer.
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Naarinja Mithai
Director: Halitha Shameem
Cast: Samuthirakani, Sunaina, K Manikandan, Nivedhithaa Sathish, Krav, Leela Samson
Synopsis: As we had said earlier in this column, Aha platform has carved a niche for itself by going for Telugu dubbing of successful and sensitive movies from other Southern languages. This time they have gone for the highly acclaimed Tamil movie Sillu Karupatti released in 2019. It was a romantic anthology of four different tales. Directed by the talented Halitha Shameem, the film, while being commercially successful, also did the rounds of festival circuit in India.
The movie got the tone and timbre right for a film of its type. It dealt with the various shades of love and its ramifications. From first crushes to post-marriage relationships, love and connection were at the heart of the four interwoven stories in this anthology.
The acting, across the board, was top-notch with Samuthirakani and Leela Samson leading the pack.
Language: Telugu
Platform: Aha
Release date: January 29, 2021.
Master
Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj
Cast: Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan, Andrea Jeremiah, Shanthanu Bhagyaraj, Arjun Das
Synopsis: A high-budgeted movie making it to an OTT platform within 15 days of its release in theatres is in itself a huge coup in the entertainment circles in India. Master, it can be recalled made it to cinema halls on the Pongal day in Tamil Nadu amidst huge fanfare. And now it is already streaming.
The film is a typical masala fare that intelligently infuses interesting content with mass elements. An alcoholic professor is sent to a juvenile school, where he clashes with a gangster, who uses the children of the school for criminal activities.
The clashes between the villain Bhavani (Vijay Sethupathi) and John Durairaj (Vijay) are high octane stuff. The two top heroes in Tamil industry facing off on screen is the major calling card of the movie.
Language: Tamil
Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Release date: January 29, 2021.
College Romance - Season 2
Director: Apoorva Singh Karki
Cast: Manjot Singh, Apoorva Arora, Keshav Sadhna, Gagan Arora, Shreya Mehta
Synopsis: Buoyed by the success of College Romance, the second season is now upon us. The entire fun gang seen in the first season is back. Trippy, Bagga, Naira, Karan, and Deepika are all set for another year where they will struggle a little through their situations in life but laugh it all out, like most youngsters, at the end of the day. The accent as ever is on fun and youth sentiments. Love and laughter are confirmed.
The cast is by and large the same, reprising the roles they did in the first season. But what is added are new situations and more contemporary situations. After all there is nothing more dynamic than life in college campus. Heart-break and mad-capers rest cheek-by-jowl by each here.
Language: Hindi
Platform: SonyLiv
Release date: January 29, 2021.
Metro Park 2
Director: Abu Varghese and Ajayan Venugopalan
Cast: Milind Soman, Omi Vaidya, Ranvir Shorey, Purbi Joshi, Sarita Joshi, Pitobash
Synopsis: NRIs, especially those settled in Europe tend to be a quirky lot. It might be a stereotype. But one that is closer to truth. And Guajaratis in Europe tend to be a whacky lot. They lend themselves easily to all kinds of caricature. And that is what Metro Park 2 will do in a large measure.
The Metro Park family of Patels that we saw in the first season will continue their happy and funny shenanigans in the season 2 as well. You know the plot. Actually, there isn't any. It is just the funny situations and funnier response to them that make the series such a popular one.
A shop owning Gujarati man and his extended family that also includes a typical South Indian drive the plot. The scenes are loaded with humour and one-liners that can be engaging.
This 12-part series has a stellar cast including Ranvir Shorey, Om Vaidya and Sarita Joshi.
Language: Hindi
Platform: Eros Now
Release date: January 29, 2021.
Kilometers and Kilometers
Director: Jeo Baby
Cast: Tovino Thomas, Joju George, India Jarvis, Sidhartha Siva, Basil Joseph
Synopsis: This is a quintessential 'road' movie but the accent is on situational comedy and evolved humour based on real-life contretemps.
As it is well-known now, the film's title borrows from the popular Mohanlal dialogue from his yesteryear film Mazha Peyyunnu Maddalam Kottunnu. The story is about the escapades of an American woman who comes to Kerala and sets out on a trip from Kottayam to the rest of India by road with the bungling and bumbling Josemon, played with felicity by Tovino Thomas.
The film is also a tale of discovery for the two protagonists. During their journey, their personalities clash amid culture shocks and they both gain new perspectives. This leads to a warm bond of friendship despite the vast differences in culture and world view.
Language: Malayalam
Platform: Netflix
Release date: January 27, 2021.
Three big movies should cover your entertainment needs for the weekend. And when you have two more comedy web series to fall back on, all we can say is: Happy viewing!
