March 25, 2020

Binge Watching in the Times of Corona...

My usual sunday routine was to laze around in pyjamas, Netflix, eat, sleep and repeat.. Never anticipated that the world will take a pause and this would turn our lives topsy turvy.  Hence, sunday routine has spilled over to the rest of the week, thanks to the nation wide lockdown.

How to kill time? The most pertinent question in these trying times.  I thought of collating some of the best/semi-best shows/movies i have seen across different OTT (Netflix, Hotstar, Amazon Prime, Voot and Zee5) platforms and do my bit for the people :) 

This post is Janhit mein Jaari.   
Courtesy: Google

Do write back if you liked the reviewing style/loved the suggested titles.



Netflix 


  • Money Heist - A bank robbery is where you would be expecting guns, masks and orders to empty the cashier while holding hostages. But this spanish bank robbery drama is ekdum hatke. Looting the bank isnt the thrill anymore, but printing your own money is ! The mastermind, the Professor, is so good looking and brainy making it impossible not to be in awe of his brilliance. Highly Recommended. Kya pata you will end up changing your name to some place. Start your binge with this. 
  • She - A timid lady constable is thrust into a covert police operation to act as an hooker. Her dressed up avatar makes her act sassy and bold, something which she isnt in real life. How she realises her own sexuality in this covert operation makes it a compelling watch. Aditi Pohankar has got the accent, mannerisms and the fire in the eyes absolutely right! Loved the climax scene. Damn. Kaha aur kaise kya kya mil jaata hai :) 
  • Self made - Portrays the rise of Madame CJ Walker - The first afro-american millionairess in the 1920's. Her hair growth products were the rage! Octavia Spencer is a fabulous actor. 
  • Delhi Crime - The nirbhaya case had rattled the souls of every citizen. Watch, how the delhi police solved this crime efficiently and in time. Dont get too emotional seeing this, unlike me who wanted to beat the living daylights of the criminals. Shefali Shah is a true blue powerhouse of talent. 
  • Toy Boy - A male stripper is accused of killing his client's husband. But he is innocent. Who will help him in finding the truth? will the truth ever come out? This show kinda gets little tedious in the middle. could have been shortened and kept crisp. However the MEN provide the girls, purrrfect nain sukh prapti :) 
  • Virgin River - Simple story. No thrills.. Watch it as you are watching the time go by. Its about a nurse who shifts to a small village and her challenges there. Loved her chemistry with the bar owner. 
  • Addicted - Sex can manifest into more than a physical need. The chemistry with a forbidden person, the lure of  the wilder stuff, the risk of getting caught, the need for  being satisfied etc are various adrenaline pumping reasons to seek out a new adventure. Watch Zoe stray out of her perfect family life . Okay timepass for couple of hours.

  • Lucifer - Lets welcome the king of hell on earth. The devil wants to party crazily but ends up becoming a helping hand to the cute detective cop!
  • Ala Vaikunthapuramaloo -- This telugu movie features Allu arjun, whose dance and action moves can lit your screen up! What will you do when you stumble upon the fact that you are a rich person's son and not a middle class person,exchanged at birth? English subtitles available.
  • Oh Baby! - Motor Mouth granny gets a jolt from her family members and she curses god that she never got a chance to live her youth well and fulfill her singing aspirations. Being in a good mood, God lures her into a photo booth and vanishes 50 years of her life, turning into a 24 year old girl! What happens next? her devotion to her son and her friendship goals with her best buddy is amazing. Watch this for the acting and storyline !! In Telugu, English Subtitles Available.
  • Kingdom - If the Zombies interest you, then hit the play button on this korean royalty drama. Second episode onwards, the story starts sinking in. After the 5th episode. you will be like "Accha more zombies are reproduced, let them chomp their way through".
  • Super Deluxe - Amalgamation of 4 interesting stories in this super hit Tamil Movie. What would you do if your extra marital lover falls dead when he is on top of u? What will you feel when you watch porn with friends and find out that the pornstar is related to u? what makes you believe in anything? English Subtitles Available.
  • Family Tandoncies by Amit Tandon - Such a clean comedy act, which can be enjoyed with the family. No gaali galoch! Highly Recommended! 
  • Awe - Collection of stories which culminate into a unexpected psycho ending! Telugu movie, English subtitles available. 
  • Uyare - Malayalam movie about an acid attack victim, her dreams and her determination. I think this was better than Ms.Padukone's chhapak. Parvathy's expressions spoke volumes. English Subtitles Available.

Hotstar 

  • Out of Love - Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned can be revised as "a woman who doubts and confirms her husband's infidelity".  I loved this show purely for Rasika Duggal's acting. Her eyes smoldered! Beautiful locales, cast and a different storyline. Give this a shot!
  • Special Ops - Stellar starcast in this spy thriller. Kinda predictable after a while, but nonetheless a racy watch. Purely for KK menon's acting.
  • Chappad Phaad ke - Loved this one! A middle class family who take pride in their "sanskars" and a non-corrupt life, come across Rs.5 crore! kya inka imaan dolega? Will they touch the money and fulfill their deepest desires? AMAZING vinay pathak, story and climax! Must watch! 
  •  City of Dreams- Political drama featuring a brother-sister duo. Gaddi kiski hogi? Where is the laxman rekha drawn in politics? How far are u ready to destroy yourself and your family. Watch this one. 
  • The Hostages - Powerhouse of talent, Ronit Roy and Tisca Chopra are the captor and captive respectively. I had mixed feelings about this one. Why was the Dr held captive? What secrets do her family members have?
  • Chernobyl - 5 series show which portrays the nuclear disaster occured in the 80's. Trust me, this will give you goosebumps and make you pray that nothing of this sort ever ever happens again in the world! MUST WATCH!
  • Hidden Figures - Just watch this! Saying no more.

Voot

Asur - Intriguing murders which churn your intestines out are spread over different coordinates in India. Why does barun sobti gets this info sitting in the US? Who is this crazy killer who spouts pure hindi shabdakosh? His radical ideas are based on hindu mythology.. will the CBI be able to catch him? Waiting for season 2 eagerly ! 

Amazon Prime 

  • Contagion - Its like a decade ago, hollywood writers accurately wrote a story which is our current reality. Surely there is a surge of viewers for this movie. Need i say more?
  • Family Man - Manoj Bajpayee all the way !! If you havent watched this yet, go ahead and stream it ! Thriller series! How does a timid husband/father handle the role of a intelligence officer with aplomb?
  • Mirzapur - Really? should i even write about why this should be watched? Pankaj tripathi, the gaalis and the katta! :) Season 2, kaha ho tum?
  • One mic stand - Shashi Tharoor's episode was the only one outstanding. Dont miss this! His charms coupled with angrezi meets his sarcastic side! 
  • The Marvelous Mrs.Maisel - The world is going ga-ga over this show. I just went cuckoo over her looks, the gorgeous dresses she wore and her kick ass confidence as a stand up comedienne. Keep some patience while streaming this.
  • Pushpavalli 1 and 2 - Sumukhi Suresh is the perfect stalker in this series. Bangaloreans will love the kannada accent of her landlady. At the end of the season 2, I was happily cursing pushpavalli for her scheming mind, mindless obsession and stalking. 
  • Mahanati - Telugu biopic on the life of Savitri, the leading female superstar of yesteryears. Amazing acting by Keerthi Suresh. The sarees will make you yearn for a similar wardrobe. English subtitles available. 
  • Goodachari - Amazing spy thriller from the land of Telangana/Andhra Pradesh. Loved the twists and turns.
  • Helen - What will you do if you get locked overnight in a cold storage room? What happens to your relationships? Super hit Malayalam movie. English subtitles available. 
  • Tumbbad - Mythology meets human greed in this story. The cinematography is so amazing that even the rain drops scare the hell out of you. This horror movie has to be on your watch list. Thank me later. So jaao, nahi toh hastar aa jayega :) 

Zee 5 


  • Final Call - The mysterious disappearance of the MH 370 has spewed a whole lot of conspiracy theories. One of the theories, which says the pilot was suicidal is highlighted in this show. Arjun Rampal plays the role of the pilot who is devastated due to personal reasons and wants to commit suicide to perfection. What happens next? The stories of the co-passengers/air hostesses gives this a human touch. Highly recommended.
  • Mentalhood - Maximum of Alt Balaji shows stream on zee5. Taking this subcription makes better sense. This show is the "comeback" vehicle for karisma kapoor. Wow, how did we ever like her and her nauseating voice? Other ladies were better than her. The apparel worn was classy. The parenting tips shown were alright. Your wish if u wish to see this wishful parenting :) 
  • Gandi Baat - Oh boy! If soft porn is your preffered poison, then this provides the required cheap thrill. Lots of heaving bosoms, woman on top and cheap storylines. Sasti tharak assured. Yes, Its an Ekta kapoor production. Avoid the last season like the bubonic plague. Ghatiya mein bhi, maha ghatiya.