After the big New Years celebrations and ahead of festival week, things seem to be largely muted on the entertainment front. Several big-budget movies are seeking theatrical releases, but with states adhering to social distancing-driven seat occupancy restrictions, streaming platforms remain a viable alternative. As different regions of India prepare to celebrate Sankranthi, Pongal and Baisakhi next week, OTT platforms are back in full swing. This week, the Tamil film Maara, directed by popular actor Madhavan, is making headlines. There is also Bhoomi, in the same language that attracts attention. Kaagaz, the true-life story of a villager declared dead in official records, arrived on Thursday, while political thriller Tandav starring Saif Ali Khan and Dimple Kapadia is this week's other attraction. And we finished the week's recommendations with a talk where a host actress buttoned up her actor husband. This should be fun, as they're both current high-flying stars, Naga Chaitanya and Samantha. Here is a small description of the departures of the week:
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Director: Satisk Kaushik Cast: Pankaj Tripathi, Satish Kaushik, Monal Gajjar, Mita Vashisht, Amar Upadhyay and Nishant Kaushik Synopsis: There will always be a mention of a movie produced by the great Bollywood actor, Salman Khan (with Nishant Kaushik). And when you introduce someone like Pankaj Tripathi, he will command even more attention. Because he has been on a roll this lockdown season with commendable performances in web series and movies. Kaagaz is an interesting story about a real person who was declared dead and who fought an adventure for almost 19 years to prove that she was alive and well. Obtaining an annulment of death is a life-threatening task. Well almost. This tragicomedy forms the heart of Kaagaz as she plunges into the maddening bureaucracy that a country like India has failed to erase. Language: Hindi Platform: Zee5 Release date: January 7, 2021.
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Director: Dhilip Kumar Cast: Madhavan, Shraddha Srinath, Sshivada, Moulee, Alexander Babu Synopsis: This is a remake of the Malayalam hit Charlie, starring Dulquer Salmaan and Parvathy Thiruvothu. But Maara's leader, Madhavan, made it clear that this was just an adaptation. Madhavan, who is considerably older than Dulquer, says the script has been tweaked to suit his age sensibilities. The film tells the story of a woman searching for a rebellious man while running away from her family to escape marriage. She rents a room where a sketchbook from the former occupant intrigues her curiosity. What follows is a quest to get the story the sketchbook leaves incomplete. It is a suspenseful story with a fun sense of humor often featured in the narration. Language: Tamil Platform: Amazon Prime Video Release date: January 8, 2021.
bhoomi
Director: R Lakshman Actors: Jayam Ravi, Niddhi Agerwal, Ronit Roy Synopsis: Bhoomi is the first direct release in Tamil on Disney+ Hotstar platform. Furthermore, this is also actor Jayam Ravi's 25th film, both of which add to the cheekiness of him. Remember, there is a lot of prestige in the movie. Jayam Ravi plays a farmer, and since it's the feature of his films, it's safe to bet on plenty of politically incisive dialogue. The fate of those who enter agriculture in this country is at the heart of the story. The timing could not have been better as it comes at a time when India is witnessing a riot from farmers. He is a commercial artist but with the social message that is what the director says. Loud movies and preaching have been the vane of Tamil cinema of late. Hopefully Bhoomi doesn't fall into the same rut. Language: Tamil Platform: Disney+ Hotstar Release Date: Jan 14, 2021
Tandava
Director: Ali Abbas Zafar Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Dino Morea, Gauahar Khan Synopsis: New Delhi's on-air politics is another beast. It is not for the faint of heart. It is a Byzantine world where there are no straight lines. And nothing is what it seems on the surface. Hijink politics is the subject of this 9-episode series starring Saif Ali Khan. The always beautiful Dimple Kapadia, fresh off her date with Christopher Nolan's Tenet, is also part of the cast. The story traverses the equally murky world of student politics in India. Since it has a lot of contemporary resonance, you can also expect controversy. But the creators wanted to make an edgy political thriller. For that, they were ready to go further. We look forward to the acting skills of its lead partner, especially Saif Ali Khan who has become a star on the OTT platform. Language: Hindi Platform: Amazon Prime Video Release date: January 15, 2021.
Sam Jam Show
Director: Arun Seshkumar Starring: Samantha Akkineni Synopsis: Sam Jam is a Telugu language television talk show hosted by southern actress Samantha Akkineni. The show is directed by Arun Seshkumar and created by Telugu star Allu Aravind. The show has been airing since November 2020. The show reaches its first season finale this Friday. And to make it memorable, the guest is the star Naga Chaitanya, who is also the husband of Samanatha. Samantha and Chaitanya, who met on the set of their first film Ye Maaya Chesave in 2009, tied the knot in a dream wedding in Goa in October 2017. The adorable husband and wife, released as an excerpt from the show, has now arrived. to the Internet in Telugu-speaking regions. Language: Telugu Platform: Aha Release date: January 8, 2021. Movies, series and talk-shows. This should keep you engaged and entertained before even bigger movies and shows for Pongal/Sankranthi festivals start airing.