Here are mid-day OTT recommendations that will pull at your heartstrings, make you think and some even manage to tickle your ribs.
Raya and the Last Dragon, Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, The Family 2 and Photo Prem stills (Photo/PR)
What to watch
In the sea of unlimited content and continuous scrolling, it is sometimes confusing to choose what to watch. Every mood swing caters to a different kind of content. With the unending lockdowns and low morale, I hoped to keep things light, without indulging in too many dark shows/movies. But it still creeps in when you least expect it. While movie watching has always been a group activity, people have binge-watched things in solitude for the last two years. So, here’s mid-day with a few new and old recommendations that will pull at your heartstrings, make you think and some even manage to tickle your ribs.
Loki: On Disney Plus Hotstar
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Owen Wilson and Tom Hiddleston
It was a no-brainer to watch Tom Hiddleston’s Loki, going by Marvel Studios’ history of superhero movies in the past. Of course, if you are not a Marvel fan, it may be a tad confusing to keep up, make all the connections to previous releases and get the humour, but there’s a little something for everyone who watches this series. Loki is the first anti-hero [call it grey-shaded] character to have ever received a solo outing. You ask why? Well, because there’s a little of Loki aka mischief in all of us. I went to see what new mischief he was up to and got hit with the softer and lonely side of the character. While only two episodes have come out, stay tuned every week to catch all the six episodes of this one.
The Family Man 2: On Amazon Prime Video
A still from The Family Man 2
Raj & DK – The creators of the Family Man franchise finally released the second instalment. Of course, all those glued to their screens when the first season came out, were waiting with bated breath to know what happened to mission Zulfiqar and to Zoya (Shreya Dhanwanthary), Milind (Sunny Hinduja) after getting knocked out at the gas factory. Season two doesn’t take off from where season one ended, which came as a surprise, but the makers weaved the past in so well that the second season can stand on its own. Shrikant (Manoj Bajpayee) is back on another mission, this time dealing with remaining members of the LTTE trying to avenge the past. Samantha Akkineni, unlike her South films, is a surprise package in this one.
Raya and the Last Dragon: On Disney Plus Hotstar
A still from Raya and the Last Dragon
The child in me loves animation, especially how they knit it together with some life lessons. It narrates the story of the people living in the fictitious land of Kumandra and how the Druun (call it a virus or evil spirits) turned everything to stone. Putting aside the vibrant graphics and storytelling, the 107-minute-long movie engages you and how in a world that is divided by greed, jealousy and lack of trust. Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) is on a quest to find the last dragon Sisu (Awkwafina) to help bring the world back in order, starting with her father, who has turned to stone. This obviously by tone is a perfect film for children, but also for the adults, who’ve forgotten the strength in unity and have come to trust no one over time.
Also Read: 5 female animated characters who shattered norms and broke stereotypes
Photo Prem: On Amazon Prime Video
Neena Kulkarni in Photo Prem
This Neena Kulkarni-starrer pulls at your heartstrings, albeit slowly. So, you got to have patience with this Marathi film. It takes a while to get adjusted to the life of Maee and her inhibitions of getting photographed until she realises that her picture will one day become her identity after she passes away. No matter what she tried, she just couldn’t seem to get accustomed to smiling for the camera. It’s like a Chandler problem (FRIENDS’ reference). Did she succeed or not, is something you will have to find out, because that is the best part of the film, and it almost takes you by surprise.
Also Read: Koi Jaane Na, Supergirl: Binge-watch most captivating storylines this week
Guardian: The Lonely and Great God: On Netflix
A still from Guardian: The Lonely and Great God
Now, this South Korean drama was originally released in 2016. For all those who have taken up Asian shows during this pandemic, must have already crossed it off their list going by the accolades it has received. I didn’t know that when I chanced upon this show. This 19-episode series narrates the story of a 939-year-old immortal goblin, who was once a decorated military general from the Goryeo Dynasty, in search of his bride. As a goblin, he saves or rather nudges people in the right direction, during which he also ends up saving his future bride. There’s romance, comedy, drama and the whole to and fro between past and present lives. If reading subtitles comes easy to you, then watch this one for sure.
Also Read: We have five reasons why Huma Qureshi’s Maharani is perfect weekend binge-watch
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