We had anticipated that 2022 would be the pinnacle of outstanding cinema, but 2023 has started with OTT offerings that are full of dreams, drama, and powerful storytelling. While 2022 was unquestionably the year for suspenseful dramas, comedies, and crime thrillers, this year brings you a programming calendar that has already begun supplying us with a host of family entertainers and slice-of-life stories imparting a very important message. If you are an ardent fan of binge-watching movies, here’s a list that not only has a mass appeal but is also entertaining and is a treat to watch:
Chhatriwali [ZEE5]
A slice-of-life film set in Haryana, ‘Chhatriwali’ is headlined by Rakul Preet Singh who plays the quality control head in a condom factory. Though she is shy and embarrassed about her job initially, she soon realises the importance of safe sex and then takes it upon herself to destigmatize the conversation around sex education. The film stars Rakul Preet Singh, Sumeet Vyas, Satish Kaushik, and Dolly Ahaluwalia and was released on January 20, 2023 on ZEE5.
Uunchai [ZEE5]
Uunchai tracks the journey of three aged friends, Amit (Amitabh Bachchan), Javed (Boman Irani), and Om (Anupam Kher) who decide to embark on a trek to the Everest Base Camp to fulfill the wish of their late friend Bhupen (Danny Dengzongpa), whose heart belonged in the Himalayas. They are joined on the trek by Shabina (Neena Gupta) who is Javed’s wife, Mala (Sarika) who happens to be the long-lost love of Bhupen and Shraddha (Parineeti Chopra) who is their tour guide.
Babli Bouncer [DISNEY+HOTSTAR]
Babli Bouncer is about the titular Babli Tanwar [Tamannaah Bhatia], a girl from the Asola-Fatehpur Beri twin villages near Delhi, which are known as the village of bouncers and follows suit as a ‘lady bouncer’. Her motivation is to escape marriage and meet a cute Delhi boy she saw at a village function. The film then shows Babli’s growth as she re-evaluates her life choices and learns to prioritise what matters.
Darlings [NETFLIX]
The film features Alia Bhatt, Shefali Shah, and Vijay Varma in pivotal roles. The story revolves around these three characters whose lives take a dramatic change when Alia Bhatt’s character encounters domestic abuse. It is a social commentary-based film that will make you reflect on the community and its conditions. It deals with a subject that is kept quiet and discussed only behind closed doors. The use of dark humour brings out the critically important nuances related to the subjects in this Netflix-released social drama.
Jalsa [AMAZON PRIME VIDEO]
Jalsa is a highly engaging and unsettling moral drama as it is a captivating gripping thriller. The film is in many ways an effective commentary on the easy way out for those in power, against the helplessness of the common man in front of the gigantic system. An unfortunate incident turns renowned journalist-single mom Maya Menon (Vidya Balan) and her cook Ruksana’s (Shefali Shah) lives upside down. Through their predicament, Jalsa compels one to look within and challenges our notions of truth, morality, and survival.
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