This week, the Indian government has allowed cinema halls to throw their gates open for their full capacity, which, of course, means OTT platforms may not get big-tickety releases as speedily and regularly as they were doing for the better part of last 6-7 months.
Having said that the experience of the Tamil film Master shows that the streaming platforms may not entirely lose out.
This week's releases on OTT platforms are by and large middling, and our choices are four films and a web series. And they would be Krack (Telugu movie), Cheeni (Bengali movie), Doob: No Bed of Rose (Bengali movie), Love, Scandal and Doctors (Hindi web series), and Lahore Confidential (Hindi movie).
With live Test cricket on offer this weekend, the releases have been understandably relatively low-key.
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- 5 crackling offerings for your weekend viewing on Indian OTT platforms
Cheeni
Director: Mainak Bhaumik
Cast: Aparajita Adhya, Madhumita, Saurav Das
Synopsis: Mom and daughter relationship is a strange thing. They can be complicated in ways that we can't imagine. Cheeni is one story that grapples with one such intriguing relationship. It is about mom-daughter ties that are sometimes tender, and sometimes prickly.
The story is pivoted on a millennial woman and her recently widowed mother. As circumstances force the woman to move in with her mom. She and her mom slowly work their way around their fraught relationship. In the event, some strange secrets of the past tumble out and forbidden issues are brought into the open, eventually leading to healing and redemption. The acting is top-notch, and the tone of the film is even.
Language: Bengali
Platform: Hoichoi TV
Release date: February 5, 2021.
Krack
Director: Gopichand Malineni
Cast :Ravi Teja, Shruti Haasan, Samuthirakani, Varalaxmi Sarathkumar
Synopsis: This is another movie, like Master, that had its theatrical release in January. Even as it is deemed success in theatres, it has made its ways to the streaming platform. With Ravi Teja in the lead you can be assured of mass masala moments in plenty. Shruti Haasan is a fun actress who is known for youthful glamour as well as acting chops.
Krack is a gritty cop story that adroitly mixes commercial elements with smart story-telling.
The director Gopichand Malineni had a major success with the duo through the rollicking 'Balupu'. Krack, which has elements of the successful Tamil movie Sethupathi, is expected to be equally impressive. Language: Telugu
Platform: Aha
Language: Telugu
Release date: February 5, 2021.
Doob: No Bed of Roses
Director: Mostofa Sarwar Farooki
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Nusrat Imrose Tisha, Rokeya Prachy and Parno Mittra
Synopsis: This is a Bangladesh-India co-production and was the late Irrfan Khan’s 10th international film. He was cast opposite Bangladeshi actor Nusrat Imrose Tisha.
The film was Bangladesh’s official entry at the Oscars 2019 in the category of Best Foreign Language Film, but could not win the nomination.
As it happened, it was banned in Bangladesh because of speculation that the movie was based on author and filmmaker Humayun Ahmed’s life who after divorcing his wife, married an actor 33 years younger to him.
The story, as said, centres on the infidelity of a well known filmmaker and how his affair with another woman outside of his marriage affects his family. Watch it for Irrfan. He is as ever superb.
Language: Bengali
Platform: Netflix India
Release date: February 5, 2021.
Love, Scandal and Doctors
Director: Saqib Pandor
Cast: Rahul Dev, Ishaan Khanna, Siddharth Menon, Neha Hinge, Ashmita Jaggi, Tanaya Sachdeva, Srishti Ganguli Rindani, Ayush Shrivastava, Pulkit Makol, Punit J Pathak
Synopsis: Stories, in the backdrop of the medical community, are not exactly new. There have been quite a few. But Love, Scandal and Doctors gives it a youthful flavour and adds the spice of murder mystery to it.
It is a medley of murder, love, friendship, and betrayal. Set amidst the backdrop of a premier Delhi hospital, this web series focuses on five interns whose life turns topsy-turvy after a murder in the hospital. But, how did these medical interns end up in such a sorry predicament? Did they actually plan the killing? Or they the fall guys, victims of a larger conspiracy?
These questions are effectively answered at the end while the suspense and momentum is sustained till the denouement.
Language: Hindi
Platform: Zee5
Release date: February 5, 2021.
Lahore Confidential
Director: Kunal Kohli
Cast: Richa Chaddha, Arunoday Singh, Karishma Tanna, Khalid Siddiqui
Synopsis: This is an espionage tale with a sensitive side to it.
The story follows an intelligence operative with a penchant for Urdu poetry. Her colleagues think she is “too emotional” to take up spying activities.
But she finds herself on a mission in Pakistan as a spy, and as it happens, she meets a man and falls in love with him. Only to find out that he is a spy for Pakistan and against India. Sounds like an interesting premise, no? Must make for a gripping watch.
Language: Hindi
Platform: Zee 5
Release date: February 5, 2021.
These variety of offerings along with live Test match cricket between India and England should keep you engaged for the week-end.
