Emotions run high more than usual on OTT this week.
Sukanya Verma looks at their eclectic career of over two decades as their latest offering Citadel: Honey Bunny, the Indian leg of the Russo Brothers globetrotting spy universe series, drops on Amazon Prime Video on November 7.
It's going to be a party on OTT this September, with a string of interesting releases but the theatre scene looks bare.
The many episodes in which the characters quarrel, sulk and rehearse would have been boring were it not for the music, observes Deepa Gahlot.
This year's Sundance Film Festival was rich with films and the theatres were warm, even as temperatures outside dipped to below freezing point. It snowed only once but the sidewalks remained slippery for a few days.
Coming of age, cyclones, conscience, cubicles, catchwords for OTT this week.
'The demise of #ManmohanSingh ji who (looking back) presided over India's actual 'Acchey Din' feels like the end of an era when India was actually (more) democratic, when Indians were free(er) of fear & intolerance and when Indian public discourse had more decency.'
This is nature at its funniest, courtesy Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards. Some seem to be having a whale of a time. Others, grinning for the camera, or caught in "gotcha" embarrassing moment. These are the best entries so far in the Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards, 2019.
Kahan Shuru Kahan Khatam, with its retro-inspired title song and background score just tries too hard, both with the comedy and the message, feels Deepa Gahlot.
Sonakshi Sinha, Riteish Deshmukh and Saqib Saleem's horror comedy Kakuda will stream on ZEE5 from July 12.
Sukanya Verma lists 10 shows that have her (Korean finger) heart.
'When I am working on a series, be it Paatal Lok on Amazon Prime or Kohrra on Netflix, I never take it for granted that we will be back with another season.' 'It's only at the end of the season that I ask myself if I still have it in me to take the story further and if I would like to meet the characters again.' 'If the answer is yes, then I find ways to make the journey exciting for myself, like taking Inspector Haathiram Chaudhary to Nagaland.'
Between tons of sexual innuendo and Kapil Sharma brand of slapstick gags characterised in loud caricatures, moronic behaviour, flimsy wigs and cartoonish rhythm, Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video's jarring notions of exuberance have nothing novel to offer, groans Sukanya Verma.
It was a hit and miss for some but each one of them revelled in the opportunity to showcase their talent.
'When he played his inner light shone so bright! His joy embraced us all... we experienced divinity.'
'We watched the film many times but each time, we would cry.' 'During the editing and sound mixing, my whole team would cry.' 'When we reached the music composing stage, it happened again.' 'Our producer said it is too much to be crying so many times.' 'But we never thought the film would be such a big hit.'
If Naam was made today, there wouldn't even have been enough audiences to boo it out of the halls, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Images that should keep you grinning for days on end.
A purported video showing the boy dancing to a song with four to five men sitting around surfaced online. In the video, the men were compelling the boy to dance with a smile.
A gleefully hammy Madhuri and Vidya's volley of death stares and evil laughs engage in a ruthless glamorous tug of war in Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, notes Sukanya Verma.
'If I'm playing Shah Rukh Khan's role, then of course, I would have loved to do it.'
The tide has turned for Sunny. He has another actioner in the upcoming Jatt and has reteamed with Rajkumar Santoshi after almost three decades for the Aamir Khan produced Lahore 1947.
'Helmet is a proper family film, just a film on condoms.' 'It can never be a sex comedy.'
When mainstream Hindi cinema is preoccupied with romance, comedy, horror and action, stories about sisters and brothers are very rare. Vasan Bala has made a first-of-its-kind film where the leads play sister and brother, notes Aseem Chhabra.
After Rakul Singh and Jackky Bhagnani's beautiful Goan wedding, we hear Pulkit Samrat and Kriti Kharbanda will get hitched on March 13. Apparently, their shaadi will take place in Delhi.
Decapitated ghosts, ancient ghosts, devil judges, devious cartoons, angry young women, it's a super flavourful platter of assorted goodies on the OTT menu this week.
'What a monstrous year this has been, excited like a child for you guys to be a part of my 2025'
The famous comic departs for the great comedy club in the sky.
'I have no family (in the industry), no network, no mentor.' 'Still, I'm consistently working since 20 years and now I have a National Award.' 'It may take time, but if you're consistently at it, nothing can stop you.'
Diwali always means special for the theatrical business in India.
Superheroes, snowmen, freedom fighters, Sukanya Verma lists everything the OTT channels have to offer this week.
'You can expect bohut kuch. Our dreams are big about the larger plan.'
From the 'khiladi' brand of movies rocking his boat to a love for starring in biopics and scripts inspired by true stories to headlining endless remakes of South Indian hits, there's a pattern to the man and his methods.
The Independence Day holiday weekend is very popular amongst film-makers and film-goers.
Kareena's cop, Rajni's supercop and Samantha's spy, it's a star-studded week on OTT this time. Sukanya Verma lists your options on OTT this week.
'When my mom saw my performance in Dhoka, she loved it.' 'She said, "I don't know why I stopped you for so many years. Ab jaa beta, jee le apni zindagi".'
Manisha has a question...Sanya makes black look good...Krystle's motto...
It's a mixed plate in theatres this October, and OTT has a lot of interesting releases coming up as well.
Raashi Khanna talks about her new film and why it wasn't difficult for her to do comedy.
