The long wait to watch your favourite movies on television is now over. With OTT platforms redefining the entertainment landscape, you can now watch films tucked in a blanket, all from the comfort of your home. Most movies are now uploaded on to streaming giants like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hotstar within two months of their release or even less.
Among the many south Indian films that have hit OTT platforms in the last few months, here are some recent Telugu releases that are now available for streaming online.
Oh! Baby (Netflix): Starring Samantha in the lead role, Oh! Baby is a fantasy film about a 70-year-old woman who magically transforms into her 24-year-old self after clicking a photograph at a mysterious studio. What follows is a hilarious ride, with actors like Rajendra Prasad and Samantha giving their career-best performances. The movie also has veteran actor Lakshmi returning to the big screen after a long time, along with Rao Ramesh, Naga Shaurya and Jagapathi Babu playing pivotal roles. Directed by Nandini Reddy, the movie opened to extremely positive reviews, with critics appreciating the film for its lessons on love and friendship.
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Evaru (Amazon Prime): A crime thriller starring Regina Cassandra and Adivi Sesh, the movie is a remake of the Hindi film Badla, which is again inspired by the Spanish film The Invisible Guest. Even if you have watched the other two films, Evaru is still worth a watch. Though it comes across like a sincere remake at first sight, Evaru isn’t the same film. It keeps you guessing till the end, a twist at every turn and a little more even when you are convinced that this is the last one.
Directed by Venkat Ramji, Regina and Adivi Sesh’s performances are outstanding, with new-comer Nihal Kodhaty too playing a pivotal role. If you are a fan of crime-suspense thrillers, Evaru is your perfect movie for this weekend.
Manmadhudu 2 (Netflix): Directed by Rahul Ravindran, Manmadhudu 2 is a rom-com starring Nagarjuna and Rakul Preet in the lead roles. A remake of a French film, Nagarjuna plays the role of a man averse to marriage being pressurised by his family to marry Avantika, played by Rakul Preet. Though the film (reminiscent of the 2002 Nagarjuna film of the same title) was released amidst much expectations, it failed at the box-office for lack of a strong script. Critics appreciated the movie for its lack of misogynistic jokes and for giving its women due space, but the film was also criticised for being over-ambitious with a weak script.
C/o Kancharapalem (Netflix): C/o Kancharapalem is probably one of the best movies that Telugu cinema has produced in the past decade. Set in the sleepy village of Kancharapalem in Vizag, the movie revolves around the life of 49-year-old Raju, an unmarried office peon quite content with his single status. The movie also has four romances brewing parallelly, with each character coming together to paint a poignant larger picture.
Directed by debutant Venkatesh Maha with zero star cast, C/o Kancharapalem was praised for its subtle presentation of important social issues without being too preachy. The movie went on to win awards at many international film festivals and was hailed as a game-changer for Telugu cinema.
Jersey (Zee5): Starring Nani and Shraddha Srinath, Jersey is a sports drama that revolves around the life of Arjun (Nani), a talented but failed cricketer. His wife Sarah (played by Shraddha Srinath) struggles to make ends meet after her husband is suspended from his job. Directed by Gowtham Tinnanuri, Jersey opened to positive reviews for not sticking to the trajectory of a clichéd sports drama and for the sound portrayal of its close-to-life, flawed protagonists. The movie also starred Sathyaraj, Sanusha and Viswant in important roles.
Dear Comrade (Amazon Prime): Directed by debutant Bharat Kamma, the movie stars Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna in lead roles. The film revolves around the lives of Bobby, a student union leader, and Lilly, a state-level cricket player. Rashmika was praised for her nuanced performance with the movie addressing the pertinent issue of sexual harassment at the workplace. The film did come with its flaws for the way it handled mental trauma, but also had its strengths in a beautiful soundtrack and impressive cinematography.