The coming week is full of action for the Indian public. Every week we have one or two big releases that will keep you hooked for days. This time it’s practically a deluge – of 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 a lot. Stepping away from the action genre, The Hand of God, on Netflix, comes highly recommended and is Italy’s entry for the 2022 Oscars.
The whistleblower: SonyLIV
After Scam 1992: The Story of Harshad Mehta, SonyLIV brought to light yet another scam that rocked the nation. It is inspired by the famous Vyapam scam. Directed by Manoj Pillai, the show chronicles the life of Dr. Sanket, a medical intern who becomes entangled in the admission scam that leads to chaos in his personal life. It’s the brisk pace of the story and the constant plot twists that keep you hooked on the nine-episode series. This one is a must see this weekend.
Read the review of The Whistleblower here.
Decoupled: Netflix
R Madhavan and Surveen Chawla in Decoupled. (Photo: Netflix)
Hardik Mehta’s comedy-drama Decoupled stars Surveen Chawla and R Madhavan in the lead roles. They embody a married couple on the verge of separation. For the show, Madhavan let go of his good boy image and brilliantly played the role of an insufferable man. You can stream Decoupd to watch Madhavan’s performance.
Read the Decoupled review here.
Spider-Man No Way Home: In the Movies
Spider-Man No Way Home hits theaters on December 17th. (Photo: Sony Pictures)
All Spidey fans, book your tickets and head to theaters as the third movie in the MCU’s Spider-Man franchise, Spider-Man No Way Home has released in India. The film received mostly positive reviews. Starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Willem Dafoe, Jamie Foxx, Alfred Molina and Marissa Tomei, the film begins after the events of Spider-Man: Far From Home where the identity of Peter Parker was revealed to the world by Jake Le. Mysterio de Gyllenhaal. Indian Express film critic Shalini Langer found the film “entertaining” as she wrote in her review: “The film gives you three for your money, because Tom Holland’s Peter remains so likable and enthusiastic than ever. “
Read the Spider-Man No Way Home review here.
The Hand of God: Netflix
The Hand of God is Italy’s official candidacy for the Oscars.
The semi-autobiographical film has filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino recounting events from his own life. Set in Naples in the 1980s, the film chronicles the life of an introverted 17-year-old boy, Fabietto Schiesi, who tries to discover his identity. The film’s title refers to former Neapolitan footballer Maradona’s infamous goal for Argentina and the player’s influence on the protagonist’s life. For Rohan Naahar of indianexpress.com, the film is a “masterful epic and a sure candidate for the Oscars.”
Read the Hand of God review here.
Swan Song: Apple TV +
Mahershala Ali gave a heartwarming performance in the mysterious sci-fi drama Swan Song, directed by Irish filmmaker Benjamin Cleary. The film’s official synopsis reads: “Set in the near future, Swan Song is a powerful and emotional journey told through the eyes of Cameron (Mahershala Ali), a loving husband and father diagnosed with a phase disease. terminal who is offered an alternative solution by his doctor (Glenn Close) to protect his family from bereavement. As Cam questions whether or not he should change 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 are willing to sacrifice to make life happier for the people we love.
Read the Swan Song review here.
The Witcher season 2: Netflix
The first season of The Witcher ended with the union of Geralt (Henry Cavill) and Ciri (Freya Allen), although the whereabouts and fate of Yennefer (Anya Chalotra) ended in a fender-bender. Now the second season of the series has arrived on Netflix to move the story forward. It follows Ciri (Freya Allan), who was a princess of a kingdom called Cintra, which has been lost to the invaders from the south, an empire called the Nilfgaardian, and Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), a witch, apart from Geralt. The first reviews of the second season are much better than the first season.
Pushpa: in cinemas
Allu Arjun to Pushpa.
Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna’s Telugu crime drama Pushpa has hit theaters in the south and moviegoers are thrilled to witness all the action on the big screen. Malayalam star Fahadh Faasil made her Tollywood debut with the film. He embodies the main antagonist of the film. So far, the film has received a mixed reception from moviegoers. While some have called it a “one-off watch,” others believe the second half of the film did not capture their interest. There are those who have also found it “breathtaking”.
Read Pushpa’s review here.
Our recommendation
Amar: Eros now, YouTube
A photo of Amar by Dilip Kumar.
With Dilip Kumar, Madhubala, and Nimmi in the lead roles, Mehboob Khan’s Amar follows the story of a man grappling with his demons after raping a woman. The film deserves a watch for legendary star Dilip Kumar. Appreciating her performance, Sampada Sharma from indianexpress.com, in her column Bollywood rewind, wrote: “Dilip Kumar is at his best here. His zest for life lights up a scene when we meet him at the start, but as the film progresses we see him transform into an outer shell of the man he once was. His stoic silence as he gazes towards the horizon is a constant reminder that Amar has committed a crime that cannot be undone. “
Free Willy: YouTube
The 1993 feature film Free Willy, skillfully directed by Simon Wincer, is about freeing Willy, an elderly predatory whale, from his captive status. Indianexpress.com’s Anvita Singh suggested the film in her column, Hollywood rewind as she wrote about it, “If you’re craving some good old ’90s nostalgia peppered with heartwarming and transformative friendship stories, then Free Willy should be your choice of the weekend.”
