Even as COVID-19 cases are going up across the country and many states have once again reduced the occupancy in theatres, quite a few new films have come out on Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms this festive season.
April marks the New Year in many states, including south India. Though this may be a gloomy period owing to the pandemic, people can find some cheer with entertainment options online.
Here is a list of new south Indian releases on OTT platforms:
Jathi Ratnalu
Starring Naveen Polishetty, Rahul Ramakrishna and Priyadarshi, this Telugu comedy was a blockbuster theatrical release. Directed by Anudeep, the film follows the story of three young men who go from a small town to Hyderabad. It is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Joji
A crime drama directed by Dileesh Pothan, the Malayalam film is inspired by William Shakespear's Macbeth. The film is Fahadh Faasil's third OTT release, following C U Soon and Irul. The film also stars Unnimaya Prasad, Baburaj, Shammi Thilakan and Basil Joseph. It is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
The Priest
This Malayalam horror film is directed by Jofin T. Chacko, and stars Mammootty, Manju Warrier and Nikhila Vimal. The story revolves around a priest who is known for his problem-solving abilities. The film was released on Amazon Prime Video on April 14, marking Vishu.
Mandela
Directed by Madonne Ashwin, this Tamil film released on Netflix right in time for election season in the state. The political satire starring Yogi Babu is about two rival caste groups who vie for political power in the local elections, and an outcast barber who becomes a deciding factor.
Irul
Starring Fahadh Faasil, Soubin Shahir and Darshana Rajendran, Irul is a Malayalam experimental film with minimal characters. It involves a young couple who are stranded in a house with a stranger. It is the directorial debut of Naseef Yusuf Izuddin, who did his studies in Canada’s Vancouver Film School. He had earlier been associated in Bollywood films such as Newton, Badlapur, and Tumbbad. The thriller movie is streaming on Netflix.
Uppena
The Telugu drama, which takes on caste violence, is directed by Buchi Babu Sana. Tamil star Vijay Sethupathi plays the antagonist. Vaishnavi Tej and Krithi Shetty are also part of the cast. The film is streaming on Netflix.
Paramapadham Vilayattu
Directed by Thirugnanam, this Tamil thriller starring Trisha is inspired by the death of late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. The film also stars Vinay Varmaa and Richard Rishi. It was released on Disney+Hotstar on April 14.
Mathil
Mathil is a Tamil movie which was released on April 14 on ZEE5. Directed by Mithran Jawahar, the movie stars KS Ravikumar, Mime Gopi, Madhumita, Kathadi Ramamurthy, Lollu Sabha Swaminathan. The movie portrays the fight of a common man to protect his compound wall from being used for election campaigning.
Yuvarathnaa
This Kannada action-drama film is directed by Santhosh Ananddram and stars Puneeth Rajkumar, Prakash Raj, Sayyeshaa and Sonu Gowda. The movie showcases a story of a reputed college which is on the verge of closing due to the privatization of the education system and politics. The movie is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Anbirkiniyal
Anbirkiniyal is a Tamil survival thriller film, a remake of the Malayalam movie Helen. Starring Keerthi Pandian, C Arunpandian and Praveen Raja, the movie is about a woman who gets locked into the cold storage of a restaurant. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Vellam
The Malayalam starring Jayasurya was released in theatres and is streaming in Sun NXT. Jayasurya plays the role of a drunkard in the movie. It is written and directed by Prajesh Sen. The film also stars Samyuktha Menon, Siddique, Sreelakshmi, Santhosh Keezhattoor, Johny Antony and others.