The week ahead is action-packed for the Indian audience. Every week, we have one or two big releases that will have you hooked for days. This time, it is practically a deluge — from Spider-Man No Way Home, which is India’s biggest opener of the year, to Allu Arjun-starrer Pushpa: The Rise-Part 1 and The Whistleblower.
On the small screen, The Witcher returns for its second season on Netflix and The Whistleblower on SonyLiv promises plenty. Stepping away from the action genre, The Hand of God, on Netflix, is highly recommended and is Italy’s entry for the 2022 Academy Awards.
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The Whistleblower: SonyLIV
After Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta story, SonyLIV has brought to light yet another scam that rocked the nation. It is inspired by the infamous Vyapam scam. Helmed by Manoj Pillai, the show chronicles the life of Dr Sanket, a medical college intern who gets entangled in the admission scam that leads to chaos in his personal life. It is the steady pace of the story and constant twists and turns in the plot that keeps you hooked to the nine-episode series. This one is a must-watch this weekend.
Read the review of The Whistleblower here.
Decoupled: Netflix
R Madhavan and Surveen Chawla in Decoupled. (Photo: Netflix)
Hardik Mehta’s dramedy Decoupled features Surveen Chawla and R Madhavan in the lead roles. They play a married couple who are on the verge of separation. For the show, Madhavan has let go of his good-boy image and has played the role of an insufferable man brilliantly. You can stream Decoupled to witness Madhavan’s performance.
Read the review of Decoupled here.
Spider-Man No Way Home: In Cinemas
Spider-Man No Way Home released in the theatres on December 17. (Photo: Sony Pictures)
All you Spidey fans, book your tickets and head to the cinema halls as the third film in MCU’s Spider-Man franchise, Spider-Man No Way Home has released in India. The film has mostly received positive reviews. Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Willem Dafoe, Jamie Foxx, Alfred Molina, and Marissa Tomei, the film starts off after the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home where the identity of Peter Parker was revealed to the world by Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio. The Indian Express’ film critic Shalini Langer found the film ‘entertaining’ as she wrote in her review, “The film gives you bangs to the power of three for your buck, as Tom Holland’s Peter remains as likeable and eager as ever.”
Read the review of Spider-Man No Way Home here.
The Hand of God: Netflix
The Hand of God is Italy’s official submission for the Academy Awards.
The semi-autobiographical film has filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino picking up events from his own life. Set in Naples in the 1980s, the movie chronicles the life of a 17-year-old introvert boy Fabietto Schiesi who tries to discover his identity. The film’s title refers to former Napoli footballer Maradona’s infamous goal for Argentina and the player’s influence on the protagonist’s life. For indianexpress.com’s Rohan Naahar, the film is a “masterful epic, and a sure-shot Oscar-contender”.
Read the review of The Hand of God here.
Swan Song: Apple TV+
Mahershala Ali has given a heart-warming performance in the sci-fi mystery drama, Swan Song, directed by Irish filmmaker Benjamin Cleary. The official synopsis of the film reads, “Set in the near future, Swan Song is a powerful, emotional journey told through the eyes of Cameron (Mahershala Ali), a loving husband and father diagnosed with a terminal illness who is presented with an alternative solution by his doctor (Glenn Close) to shield his family from grief. As Cam grapples with whether or not to alter his family’s fate, he learns more about life and love than he ever imagined. Swan Song explores how far we will go, and how much we’re willing to sacrifice, to make a happier life for the people we love.”
Read the review of Swan Song here.
The Witcher season two: Netflix
The first season of The Witcher ended with Geralt (Henry Cavill) and Ciri (Freya Allen) uniting, though Yennefer’s (Anya Chalotra) whereabouts and fate ended with a cliff-hanger. Now, the second season of the show has arrived on Netflix to take the story forward. It follows Ciri (Freya Allan), who was a princess of a kingdom called Cintra, which was lost to invaders from the south, an empire called Nilfgaardian, and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), a sorceress, apart from Geralt. The early reviews of the second season are much better than the first season.
Pushpa: In Cinemas
Allu Arjun in Pushpa.
Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna’s Telugu crime drama Pushpa has released to packed theaters down south and cinephiles are excited to witness all the action on the big screen. Malayalam star Fahadh Faasil has made his Tollywood debut with the film. He is playing the main antagonist in the movie. Until now, the film has received a mixed response from moviegoers. While some have called it a ‘one-time watch’, others feel the second half of the movie failed to hold their interest. There are some who have also found it ‘stunning’.
Read the review of Pushpa here.
Our recommendation
Amar: Eros Now, YouTube
A still from Dilip Kumar’s Amar.
Starring Dilip Kumar, Madhubala and Nimmi in the lead roles, Mehboob Khan’s Amar follows the story of a man who is struggling with his demons after he rapes a woman. The film deserves a watch for the legendary star Dilip Kumar. Appreciating his performance, indianexpress.com’s Sampada Sharma, in her column Bollywood Rewind, wrote, “Dilip Kumar is at his finest here. His joie de vivre lights up a scene when we meet him at the start but as the film progresses, we see him devolve into an outer shell of the man he once was. His stoic silence as he gazes into the horizon is a constant reminder that Amar has committed a crime that cannot be undone.”
Free Willy: YouTube
The 1993 feature Free Willy, which was helmed ably by Simon Wincer is about freeing an elderly predator whale Willy from its captive status. Indianexpress.com’s Anvita Singh suggested the film in her column, Hollywood Rewind as she wrote about it, “If you are craving for some good old 90s nostalgia peppered with tales of heart-warming and transforming friendships, then Free Willy should be your pick of the weekend.”
