The Heartbreak Club
Platform: Netflix
Language: English
This is an Indonesian romantic comedy that is understated and extremely poignant. It touches a chord and yet gets a chuckle out of you at some point or the other. The narrative is simple: A near-bankrupt coffee shop gets a new lease of life when the owner finds love, but sadly, it doesn’t last. However, there is a silver lining as he learns his broken heart may be just what he needed. If you enjoy emotional comedies, this is for you.
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer
Platform: Netflix
Language: English
This four-part Netflix series delves into the mind of serial killer Richard Ramiraz. It’s 1985 and LA is the hub of party-hoppers, however, beneath the glitzy gloss lurks a dark abyss, which is haunted by a cunning serial killer who masterminds evil and torturous death. Thankfully, two detectives relentlessly follow the trail of the killer and will not rest until they catch the wily murderer. Dark and filled with suspense, this show is an edgy thriller that refuses to glamourise the killer, but instead paints the detectives to look like heroes.
One Night In Miami
Platform: Amazon Prime Video
Language: English
This may be Oscar laureate Regina King’s directorial debut, but her touch is so smooth that it reflects in every scene in the film. Regina narrates a dramatic imaginary chronicle of a night between Malcolm X, Sam Cooke, Jim Brown, and Muhammad Ali, and then unfolds a kaleidoscopic celluloid drama that envelops a range of moments from celebrations to arguments, from debates to introspections. The cast consists of top-notch actors including Kingsley Ben-Adir, Leslie Odom Jr., Aldis Hodge, and Eli Goree…and we put our money on it — this film will rake in the awards for sure.
Bhoomi
Platform: Disney+Hotstar
Platform: Tamil
Bhoomi is incidentally the first Tamil direct release on Disney+Hotstar. The movie is set in a village and it tells the tale of farmers and their woes, touching the subject of corporatisation of farms, which is very pertinent in this scenario where so many debt-ridden farmers have committed suicide. The film aggressively handles a socio-economic subject that plagues rural India and indeed, packs a punch. Jayam Ravi is absolutely brilliant, though the rest of the cast is just about okay.
Gullak Season 2
Platform: SonyLIV
Language: Hindi
The first season of Gullak was hilarious and the small-town crazy antics of the Mishra family were a big hit with the digital bingers. The second season is here at last and it is as witty and entertaining as season one. The Mishra family is as amusing and comical as before and their anecdotes are hysterically funny. Guaranteed to blow away the cobwebs and put you in a good mood.
Also releasing...
Obviously, viewers are waiting with bated breath for the dark political drama Tandav (Amazon Prime Video) with its stellar star cast of Saif Ali Khan and Dimple Kapadia. Tandav explores the manipulative thorny world of politics and does keep you hooked throughout. But we seriously loved Renuka Shahane’s Tribhanga (Netflix), which is about a dysfunctional family comprising three women (Kajol, Tanvi Azmi and Mithila Palkar). Derived from Indian classical dance poses, this film is sensitively made and of course, the three women are truly amazing. Renuka Shahane scores with this film. Her writing is on point and her direction is deft and sensitive.
