The best films are not necessarily the most successful -- that would be another list altogether -- although sometimes quality and commerce do converge.
Make your Oscar predictions, and see them come true on Hollywood's biggest awards night.
Stories of rural India, campus capers, realistic family dramas and urban romance that are no longer picked up by film-makers, find their way to the Web, and the viewing experience is richer for the variety available.
Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya is as breezy and it is earnest, discovers Deepa Gahlot.
Max, Min And Meowzaki is not something Bollywood audiences are used to in their cinema that thrives on melodrama and noise. Still, it captures a slice of city life that has made space for cat lovers, movie buffs and Carnatic rockers, discovers Deepa Gahlot.
Heer Sara needed a lot more fizz, humour, and maybe even some stranger danger, suggests Deepa Gahlot.
Toy Story 5 delivers a timely and visually stunning narrative that gently but firmly advocates for protecting children's imagination from the pervasive influence of digital devices, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Try as it might, Who's Your Gynac? is just not funny, complains Deepa Gahlot.
Dive into the chaotic world of Ab Hoga Hisaab, a revenge drama that attempts to weave a complex narrative of crime and retribution but often loses its way amidst a multitude of bizarre subplots, notes Deepa Gahlot.
If Elle is to turn into its own franchise, it needs a lot more substance, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Vijaya Mehta's eyes were always twinkling, her smile was always warm, her sari usually a collector's piece. She put on no elder statesman airs. But when she was in director mode, she allowed her actors and technicians no slack. Deepa Gahlot doffs her hat to the undisputed doyenne of Marathi theatre and one of India's most influential directors and actors, who shaped the landscape of Indian experimental theatre.
The visitor returns not just with the jewel-like beauty of the country imprinted on the mind, the body rejuvenated by hot stone massages, but also with the captivating stories and myths that are built into every important structure -- whether a tourist magnet or an off-the-beaten track spot.
TVF's popular family series, Gullak, returns for a fifth season, offering a refreshing contrast to crime shows with its focus on the mundane crises of the Mishra family, who navigate new challenges like home renovations, Wi-Fi installation, and the arrival of opinionated relatives.
Karisma Kapoor makes a powerful return to the screen in Brown, a compelling series, applauds Deepa Gahlot.
Ali Fazal brings a wounded ferocity to his role that makes it one of his best performances so far, notes Deepa Gahlot.
It is possible that Chand Mera Dil has more depth than a tub of popcorn, notes Deepa Gahlot.
The Sheep Detectives is delightful and wholesome in the way family movies used to be before kids started getting too smart to be easily pleased, observes Deepa Gahlot.
The blandness of the script and the just about passable performances make Mercy a wearying watch, particularly since the complexities of euthanasia are not adequately explored, observes Deepa Gahlot.
The fourth season of Undekhi attempts to conclude the saga of the powerful Atwal family but struggles with an overcomplicated plot and a multitude of characters, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Lukkhe plunges into Chandigarh's dark underbelly, exploring a drug epidemic, political corruption, and a burgeoning rap scene, though its narrative often feels like a familiar crime drama, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Sapne vs Everyone is dark, and often depressing. At the same time, it is not completely hopeless, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Sean Baker's indie film, Anora, hits a streaming channel soon after the Oscar triumph. For the cinema aficionado, gems of world cinema are available on OTT-- some free, some to rent or buy-- it just needs an eye out for films worth watching, and the patience to search across platforms. A pick of 10 recent films that currently streaming.
The Dhurandhar 2 teaser shows shootouts and and explosions, which just means that there's no let up in the violence that Dhurandhar had been criticised for, observes Deepa Gahlot.
If you're staying home this Valentine's Day weekend, and need a good movie to watch with your date, Deepa Gahlot gives you many options to choose from.
The second season of Beef delves into a new, class-driven conflict at an elite Southern California country club, in a compelling narrative of escalating domestic disputes, blackmail, and corporate intrigue, notes Deepa Gahlot.
It is a pleasure watching Pankaj Kapur and a radiant Dimple Kapadia, two outstanding actors effortlessly portray complex emotions in Jab Khuli Kitaab, raves Deepa Gahlot.
Panchayat Season 5 is officially confirmed for 2026 on Amazon Prime Video with the beloved cast returning, fresh twists, and new plot developments.
Every lead character is nuts in Psycho Saiyaan, observes Deepa Gahlot.
As bombs fall and fascists rise in Britain, it is left to an over-the-hill thug to save his country from Nazi-engineered ruin, observes Deepa Gahlot.
The last scene in Hamnet will be seared in movie memory, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Talented actresses are still struggling to get challenging parts, but the advantage of OTT is that age or star status are not insurmountable hurdles.
Some of the most vicious killers are on the loose on streaming channels.
What Subedaar lacks is that element of surprise that makes a film worth the viewer's time and willingness to engage, observes Deepa Gahlot.
The film uses the romcom template, but hampers itself with a plodding pace, flimsy conflicts and an almost absent sense of humour.
'There is a fortune in stolen money, counterfeit notes floating around, and political skullduggery afoot, along with treachery, double dealing, kidnapping and all manner of wickedness packing the series so densely that the pace never flags and a profusion of twists keeps the story engaging even when it strains credibility,' notes Deepa Gahlot.
Will these brilliant Iranian filmmakers reflect the turmoil in their country?
The visuals in Mayasabha are overwhelming, the treatment is heavy-handed, and the performances overdone, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Bugonia's ending, though not unexpected, is still shocking, reveals Deepa Gahlot.
