This month, despite cinema halls reopening in most of India, saw a lot of interesting offerings on the OTT platforms. And this week the trend continues with a slew of interesting releases.
In our weekly recommendations we have the much expected The Girl On The Train starring Parineeti Chopra. We also feature the suspense thriller in Telugu Red. The recently released Tamil film Kabadadari is also being streamed this week. There is also the much-hyped series on the ill-fated India-China skirmish of 1962, inevitably titled 1962: The War In The Hills.
And finally, we have a new episode in the Superfactories series on the National Geographic India which will be taking the viewers behind-the-scenes at Oppo’s sprawling state-of-the-art factory in India.
It is not exactly entertainment, but it certainly will make for interesting viewing.
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Kabadadari
Director: Pradeep Krishnamoorthy
Cast: Sibiraj, Nandita Swetha, Nassar, Jayaprakash, Suman Ranganathan
Synopsis: This is the official Tamil remake of the 2019 Kannada film Kavaludaari, the slow-burn investigative story.
It is about a diligent traffic cop, whose real interest lies in handling crime-related cases. One day, he accidentally comes across the skeletal remains of three persons, and he decides to pursue his interest despite warning from his senior officer. His plans hit roadblock when he gets to know that the remains are four-decades old. He gets hold of the retired cop, who investigated the case decades ago. A former actress is thrown into the plot to makes things complex for investigating cop.
The film has made it to the OTT platform in just about a month of its release in the theatres.
Language: Tamil
Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Release date: February 26, 2021.
Red
Director: Kishore Tirumala
Cast: Ram, Nivetha Pethuraj, Malvika Sharma, Amritha Aiyer, Hebah Patel
Synopsis: This is the official remake of the highly successful Tamil movie Thadam. It is an interesting thriller. A murder investigation takes the police to a suspect. Wait, did we say suspect? Scratch it, make it suspects.
The quirk is both the suspects are look-alikes. As it happens, they are twins. But not even on talking terms. They are at loggerheads. And there is an equally interesting backstory to them.
So who is the real killer, and why? And does the real killer get caught? There are no easy answers. The film is slickly made and is full of twists and turns.
Language: Telugu
Platform: Netflix India
Release date: February 23, 2021.
The Girl On The Train
Director: Ribhu Dasgupta
Cast: Parineeti Chopra, Aditi Rao Hyadri, Kirti Kulhari, Avinash Tiwary, Tota Roy Choudhury
Synopsis: The Girl On The Train, produced by Reliance Entertainment, marks the streaming début of Bollywood star Parineeti Chopra (this is a straight to OTT release). This is the Hindi remake of 2016 Hollywood film featuring Emily Blunt. The original was based on Paula Hawkins’ bestselling novel of the same name.
Parineeti reprises the role of Emily Blunt and Aditi plays the character that Haley Bennett donned in the original.
It is an interesting story. A woman suffers from amnesia and is an alcoholic. Post an unfortunate murder, the available evidences point to her. The only way out for her is to remember what transpired on that fateful night.
This quintessential Hollywood story has been tweaked for Indian sensibilities. Should make for gripping viewing.
Language: Hindi
Platform: Netflix India
Release date: February 26, 2021.
1962: War In the Hills
Director: Mahesh Manjrekar
Cast: Abhay Deol, Sumit Vyas, Rohan Gandotra, Rochelle Rao, Vineet Sharma
Synopsis: Directed by the talented Mahesh manjrekar, and lead by the always watchable Abhay Deol, this series on the India-China war of 1962 is exciting. More so, because it arrives when India and China are currently facing off each other at the border again.
The 10-episode series, in a nutshell, is about how 125 Indian soldiers fought more than 3000 Chinese soldiers at Galwan Valley and Rezang La.
Inspired by true events of the war 1962, which India incidentally lost, this is a fictional take about one of the fiercest combats within that.
They band together and hold up a strategic pass that stopped the infiltrating army from taking over a prime airstrip and protect Ladakh.
But this is not all about battlefield mayhem. It is also a story about the warriors' personal battles, their life beyond their uniforms and their times of love, heartbreak, longing and celebration.
Language: Hindi
Platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Release date: February 26, 2021.
Superfactories - Oppo Plant in India
Synopsis: National Geographic India's Superfactories series is taking the viewers to the many sprawling manufacturing sites in India. This week, the show will carry us inside Oppo's factory in India. The series offers a deeper understanding of high-tech factories by showcasing novel production techniques, innovative engineering, and cutting-edge technologies adopted by some of the most renowned brands in the world.
As a media handout from the channel said, the documentary will introduce the viewers to the mechanism behind the operations. "Featuring the mega facility that aims to produce more than 6 million units every month during peak season - that is going to be one smartphone in every 3 seconds, the film will also highlight the crucial role played by operational managers, R&D teams, and engineers."
For novelty sake at least, this show will be worth your time.
Language: English
Platform: National Geographic
Release date: Feb 27, 2021.
These various offerings will keep you engaged, especially since the India-England Test match at Ahmedabad has ended in just two days. Happy viewing!
