Over the past few years, there has been a considerable shift in the way Indian audiences perceive entertainment. With the entry of OTT platforms, the unshakable throne of Indian Television has been disrupted as the viewers in India have begun to prefer quality over quantity. The variety offered, the extensive access is a few factors that attract Indian audiences to OTT platforms. According to betway, there are currently 350 million active users and it is projected to see tremendous growth in 2023, where the number might rise to 500 million active users. According to certain reports, “the OTT market in minutes of consumption in India has risen from 181 billion to 204 billion minutes in 2021.” And it is expected to rise further.
Let us take a look at the top 5 movies that are all the rage in India at the moment. The holiday season is on and here are the five movies to add a tinge of entertainment to the Christmas weekend.
1. Antim : The Final Truth
When it comes to Salman Khan movies, the opinions can be quite divided. However, his movies score well when it comes to the grandeur in the way it is presented and promoted. Even if the cake is not that great, the icing still grabs attention for at least some time. And the exuberance and hype are in sync with the excitement that comes with the festive seasons. Also, the fact that the movie is an adaptation of the Marathi film, Mulshi Pattern adds some much-needed depth at least on the surface.
The trope of the film is something that has been tried and tested in Bollywood for years. The usual locking of horns between a cop and a gangster. However, the film does try to explore the situations in life of farmers that push them towards crime. Whether a Salman Khan-starrer has the ability to embrace deep and complex layers is another question altogether. But hey, he did surprise us in Bajrangi Bhaijaan. So there is still room for excitement and hope.
The movie directed by Mahesh Manjrekar was released on Zee5.
2. Atrangi Re
Atrangi Re directed by Anand L Rai has been receiving equal amounts of excitement and polemics ever since its announcement. Anand L Rai had once impressed the audience with the Dhanush-starrer, Raanjhanaa that left a mark in the minds of the viewers, thanks to its raw energy and passion. Whether Atrangi Re will succeed in doing the same is something we will have to wait and watch. The movie seems to deal with a love triangle between characters played by Dhanush, Sara Ali Khan, and Akshay Kumar. The stark age difference between Sara Ali Khan and Akshay Kumar had brought the film under the radar of criticism, pointing towards the preposterous practice in Bollywood. Leaving aside the controversy, the film does have its share of easter eggs, one being A.R Rahman. The song “ Chaka Chak” has already created enough buzz. Let’s hope the film manages to do the same too. It is to be released on Disney+Hotstar on the 24th of December.
3. Madhuram
For the lovers of Malayalam movies, Ahmed Khabeer is back with yet another soulful treat. Madhuram, which will be released on the 24th of December on SonyLiv is looked at with a lot of expectations since Khabeer’s storytelling in his first movie, June had struck a chord with the audiences. Despite the predictable storyline of June, the director displayed his mastery in presenting an ordinary story with a wholesome and soothing touch. Going by the promos, Madhuram seems to promise the same.
The film revolves around a few people who come together in a government hospital ward. Is there scope for meet-cutes and sweet firsts in the backdrop of a hospital? Perhaps you should watch the movie to find out. The film also boasts a fine cast that includes Shruthi Ramachandran, Indrans, Joju George, Arjun Ashokan, and Nikhila Vimal.
4. Minnal Murali
Ever since the trailer release, the hype around this movie has been monumental. The movie directed by Venkat Prabhu is all set to test a genre that is rarely tried in Malayalam movies. The superhero trope requires a lot of right ingredients to strike the right chord with the audience. This is why people are quite eager and excited about this Tovino-starrer. The actor’s knack for handling humor and action scenes with equal finesse adds some promise to the creation of a superhero with whom the people can connect at an emotional level. The movie is to be released on Netflix on Christmas eve.
This is what Tovino Thomas had to say about the movie, “‘I’ve been attached and committed to the character of Minnal Murali from the very beginning. I spent all my time communicating with my director to ensure the best possible outcome and immense amounts of work went into creating Minnal Murali.”
5. Maanaadu
This movie directed by Venkat Prabhu, starring Simbu and Kalyani Priyadarshan has already been released in theaters and has witnessed stellar success. The time loop concept which is rather new to the Tamil viewers did manage to strike a chord and it was taken up by the audience with utmost excitement. The movie is an entertainer and it did not fail to live up to the expectations of the audience. The movie will be released on SonyLiv on the 24th of December.
What would you do if you had the power to repeat a day over and over again until you got it right? Watch the movie and perhaps you will get some ideas.
