The best films are not necessarily the most successful -- that would be another list altogether -- although sometimes quality and commerce do converge.
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.
Make your Oscar predictions, and see them come true on Hollywood's biggest awards night.
It does look at times as if Tu Hai Meri Kiran is going off the rails, but Director Karan Rawal brings it to a satisfying close, which is believable even in a fanciful set up, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Abhinay Deo's Doosra attempts to weave together the cricketing triumphs of Sourav Ganguly's 2001 Indian team with the poignant coming-of-age narrative of a young woman navigating the suffocating patriarchy of Rajasthan, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Prem Keetanu feels outdated for its 'boys will be boys' narrative and muddled messaging, failing to deliver a compelling modern romance, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Dupahiya 2 offers a chaotic yet engaging follow-up to its first season, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Chumbak is silly, loud, chaotic and genuinely funny in bits, discovers Deepa Gahlot.
Tigmanshu Dhulia's Ghamasaan brings back the dacoit genre with a gritty and realistic portrayal of ruthless bandits, featuring compelling performances from Arshad Warsi as the menacing Maharaj and Pratik Gandhi as the resolute police officer determined to bring him to justice, applauds Deepa Gahlot.
Coming so soon after Main Vaapas Aaunga, also a Partition era tale with a message of compassion, the flaws in Batwara 1947 are even more grating, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Dive into the gritty world of Mirzapur, as we explore its pivotal characters, intricate plotlines, and the ruthless power struggles that define this popular Indian crime saga ahead of its anticipated feature film.
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.
Heer Sara needed a lot more fizz, humour, and maybe even some stranger danger, suggests Deepa Gahlot.
Try as it might, Who's Your Gynac? is just not funny, complains Deepa Gahlot.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
It is possible that Chand Mera Dil has more depth than a tub of popcorn, notes Deepa Gahlot.
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.
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.
Some of the most vicious killers are on the loose on streaming channels.
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.
Karisma Kapoor makes a powerful return to the screen in Brown, a compelling series, applauds 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.
Ali Fazal brings a wounded ferocity to his role that makes it one of his best performances so far, notes Deepa Gahlot.
Sapne vs Everyone is dark, and often depressing. At the same time, it is not completely hopeless, notes 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.
Panchayat Season 5 is officially confirmed for 2026 on Amazon Prime Video with the beloved cast returning, fresh twists, and new plot developments.
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.
Talented actresses are still struggling to get challenging parts, but the advantage of OTT is that age or star status are not insurmountable hurdles.
Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Ram, Laxmi, stories from the Hindu epics are seen in carvings, paintings and murals, as well as recognisable figures from mythology, like Garuda, Sheshnag, Nandi and Apsaras, notes Deepa Gahlot, savouring the beauty of Cambodia.
Every lead character is nuts in Psycho Saiyaan, observes Deepa Gahlot.
