This week, among the Indian originals, we have anthology-style drama Sharmajee Ki Beti and Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s hilarious murder mystery Rautu Ka Raaz. The former focuses on the challenges that women of different age groups face. At the same time, the latter introduces us to a funny murder mystery.
Amongst the post-theatrical releases, we have A24’s action-packed Civil War, set in a dystopian future where America is under a dangerous civil war. We also have Aavesham, a funny saga where we see Fahadh Faasil as a bizarre gangster helping three collegegoers.
Those looking for a critic-certified pick can go for Hulu’s The Bear on Hotstar, which has also been renewed for a third season. The show has been time and again praised for its writing and nuanced performances and offers a perfect platter of humour and drama.
Documentary and music enthusiasts could go for Prime Video’s I Am: Celine Dione, an emotional account of the Canadian singer’s tryst with stiff person syndrome, an autoimmune neuro disorder which causes muscle stiffness and painful spasms.
Some other binge-worthy options are animated sci-fi WondLa, teenage drama That ’90s Show’s second season, and Zac Efron’s rom-com A Family Affair.
Top OTT Releases This Week
Here are the top OTT releases of the week that we recommend for your weekend binge-watching marathon.
Sharmajee Ki Beti
When: Now Streaming
Where: Prime Video
Sharmajee Ki Beti is a heartfelt ode to women and femininity, as it gives a peek into the lives of three middle-aged and two teenage “Sharma women”.
In the film, we are introduced to a working mother (Sakshi Tanwar) who is trying to balance the roles of a mother and a teacher. We also have her constantly complaining teenage daughter (Vanshika Taparia) who is desperately waiting to get her periods, a lonely housewife (Divya Dutta) who is having a hard time adjusting to the fast-paced city of Mumbai, her nerd daughter (Arista Mehta), and their neighbour (Saiyami Kher) Tanvi, an aspiring cricketer whose boyfriend’s fragile masculinity gets threatened with her achievements.
Through these stories, we explore the various prejudices and challenges that women battle daily. Although full of cliches, the film makes for a decent watch. Tahira Kashyap directs.
The Bear Season 3
When: Now Streaming
Where: Hotstar
The Bear won big time at the Emmys and the Golden Globe Awards last year. The series follows Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), a young chef from the fine dining world who returns to his hometown after a personal tragedy and decides to run his failing family-owned sandwich shop, The Beef. In the previous two seasons, we see Carmy give the venture his all. In this season, we see him try harder to establish the Beef into a fine dining melting pot. The stakes are higher than ever.
My Lady Jane
When: Now Streaming
Where: Prime Video
If you are a history buff, chances are you know about Lady Jane Grey, the English noblewoman who was crowned the Queen of England in 1553 for nine days and then beheaded.
Prime Video’s latest historical fiction, My Lady Jane, re-imagines the infamous event and gives an account of how things would have turned out had Lady Jane (Emily Bader) not died. We see her battle through rivalries, regicidal maniacs, and swordfights, and live her happily ever after.
The eight-episode-long series is available to stream in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, French, Spanish, Dutch, and other international languages.
Rautu Ka Raaz
When: Now Streaming
Where: Zee5
Rautu Ki Beli is a quaint village in Mussoorie which hasn’t seen a murder in over a decade. So, when a warden of the region’s blind school dies mysteriously, and the possibility of a murder pops up, the local police department – that’d be SHO Deepak Negi (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) and his laidback team – get more excited than ever. As the officers put on their Sherlock Homes hats, an intriguing investigation begins.
Aavesham (Hindi Version)
When: Now Streaming
Where: Hotstar
Malayalam cinema has lately been in the cinephile’s spotlight, attracting multi-lingual audiences. The latest headline from the industry is Fahadh Faasil’s Aavesham, touted as a fun masala movie. The film follows three boys who have just been admitted into a prestigious engineering college in Bangalore. As they get into bad books of their seniors and have an ugly fight, the trio decides to seek help from a local eccentric gangster called Ranga to seek revenge. The rest of the film follows Ranga’s colourful tactics, strange behaviour, and yet heart-winning personality. The original Malayalam version is available to stream on Prime Video.
Fancy Dance
When: Now Streaming
Where: Apple TV
Apple TV’s latest is an intense tear-jerker with a moving storyline. Jax (Lily Gladstone), a former drug dealer, has been taking care of her niece Roki (Isabel DeRoy-Olson) after her sister went missing. The two have developed a beautiful bond over time, which has changed Jax.
Things take an ugly turn when the authorities run a background check on Jax and threaten to shift Roki’s custody to her grandfather. Shaken by core, Jax decides to take Roki along with her illegally on a frantic search for her mother while helping Roki prepare for the upcoming powwow ( a festive gathering).
Civil War
When: Now Streaming
Where: Prime Video
The United States is under a (fictionalised) civil war in a dystopian future where secessionist movements have fractured the States into multiple factions. The President isn’t ready to step back and has ordered a shoot-on-sight for journalists.
As the rebels plot to take down the White House, a few war journalists head onto a dangerous journey from New York City to Washington, D.C., for an exclusive interview with the beleaguered President.
Civil War is A24’s most expensive film till date and the second-highest-grossing film after the Academy Award winner Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022).