It will be a long weekend as the Christmas holidays collapse on Saturday and Sunday. This is the time when the whole family is together and having fun. And what better way to enjoy the fun and festivities than by watching a movie/series or two with the whole house. Thanks to OTT platforms, it's easy to catch new releases together without having to relocate. There are a handful of newcomers to streaming platforms in India this week that should make watching interesting. The emphasis is on comedy and thrillers - these two always work in familiar situations. Let's take a look at them:
Pawn No 1
Director: David Dhawan Cast: Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan, Paresh Rawal, Javed Jaffrey Synopsis: It should be interesting. Stay with us carefully. This Coolie No 1 directed by David Dhawan is a remake of the 1991 film Coolie No 1 directed by, er, David Dhawan. Both movies are of course remade versions of a Tamil movie called Chinna Mapillai. Also, there are Telugu and Bhojpuri movies with the title Coolie No 1. They have no relation to this Coolie No 1. Also, Coolie No 1 is perhaps the title with which maximum number of movies have been seen. Made in India. With the title confusion out of our way, we can handle the story: It's a fun hug with a fake identity. A poor coolie who poses as a rich man and wins the hand of a rich man's daughter. Govinda was a riot in the original Hindi movie. Varun Dhawan has a tough act to follow. But an ideal film for festival time. Language: Hindi Platform: Amazon Prime Video Release date: December 25, 2020.
AK vs. AK
Director: Vikramaditya Motwane Cast: Anil Kapoor, Anurag Kashyap, Sonam Kapoor, Harshvardhan Kapoor Synopsis: The title is obvious for the leads Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap. The AK clan is also represented in the cast by Sonam Kapoor and Harshvardhan Kapoor, daughter and son of Anil Kapoor. The movie's publicity stunts did the talking. The story is also a topic of discussion. The comedy thriller has Anurag Kashyap, the brash director who kidnaps the daughter of famous movie star Anil Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, and films his investigation in real time to pitch it as his next blockbuster. It's obviously a meta-movie where the leads play the real me. There is a certain Nolanesque loop in the loop of history. It should keep you engaged, if not entertained. Language: Hindi Platform: Netflix India Release date: December 24, 2020.
Criminal justice: behind closed doors
Director: Rohan Sippy & Arjun Mukherjee Cast: Kirti Kulhari, Pankaj Tripathi, Jisshu Sengupta, Adrija Sinha, Anupriya Goenka, Mita Vashisht, Ashish Vidyarthi, Deepti Naval Synopsis: This is Season 2 of hit series Criminal Justice released last year ( adapted from the British series of the same name). The eight-part web series is a mystery thriller with legal ramifications that keeps you hooked from the start. Initially, a man is stabbed by his wife. The story is basically about understanding the reasons for the crime. With plenty of terrain-related imagery, this makes for a captivating watch. The acting is top notch. It is titled by Pankaj Tripathi. He is on the right path and apparently can't harm his current form. You can see this just for him as a defense attorney. Language: Hindi Platform: Disney+ Hotstar Release date: December 24, 2020.
Shoot Alair
Director: Anand Ranga Starring: Prakash Raj, Teja, Meka Srikanth, Sampthraj Synopsis: This web series is produced by Telugu star Chiranjeevi's daughter Sushmitha with her husband Vishnu Prasad. This crime has the ever-reliable Prakash Raj in mind. This crime thriller is based on real life events. A man kills a policeman every year on the day of the Mecca Masjid explosions (this happened in Hyderabad). He is soon killed during an "encounter" with the police. However, after several years, another policeman dies on the same day. Now the question is that the original criminal is still alive. This question will keep you on your toes until the end. There is action as well as adventure. Police procedurals are always interesting. Language: Telugu Platform: Zee5 Release date: December 25, 2020.
Sandwiched forever
Director: Rohan Sippy Cast: Kunaal Roy Kapoor, Aahana Kumra, Atul Kulkarni, Zakir Hussain, Divya Seth Shah, Lubna Salim Synopsis: This web series is said to be a throwback to Doordarshan's heyday in the 80s, when Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi and Dekh Bhai Dekh ran the chicken coop. The emphasis is on fun and family oriented jokes. A newlywed couple with love in their eyes start their life, but their problem lies elsewhere: their parents. Typically Indian, they are adorable, but intrusive. In this case, the couple's apartment is flanked on either side by the apartments of their respective parents. There are many misunderstandings. so there is even more fun. Simple life situations written and staged with an eye for comedy and fun. It is ideal for a weekend like this Language: Hindi Platform: SonyLiv Release date: December 25, 2020. As we said, it is Christmas. So get on your feet, grab something to eat and drink and start watching the endless entertainment on OTT platforms. You deserve the break at the end of a difficult year for everyone.