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Pink Villa
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
9 South movies to watch on OTT this week: Pawan Kalayan starrer Hari Hara Veera Mallu to Fahadh Faasil's Maareesan
New South Indian films are here once again on streaming platforms, bringing some of the much-awaited content to the comfort of your home. If you're wondering what to watch this week, check out this list of South OTT releases now. 9 South movies to watch on OTT this week 1. Hari Hara Veera Mallu Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Bobby Deol, Nidhhi Agerwal, Sathyaraj, Vikramjeet Virk, Ayyappa P. Sharma, Dalip Tahil, Sachin Khedekar Director: Krish Jagarlamudi and AM Jyothi Krishna Language: Telugu Genre: Historical Action Adventure Runtime: 2 hours and 30 minutes Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video Streaming date: August 20, 2025 Hari Hara Veera Mallu is a historical action-adventure film that tells the story of Veera Mallu, an outlaw similar to Robin Hood. Initially recruited by the King of Kollur, the warrior impresses Qutub Shah, who entrusts him with a mission to retrieve the Koh-i-Noor from Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. What follows is an alternative historical perspective, with the mission to reclaim the diamond and elements of personal vendetta embedded within it. Whether Veera Mallu succeeds in his mission and what emotional scars he carries form the crux of the story. 2. Soothravakyam Cast: Shine Tom Chacko, Vincy Aloshious, Deepak Parambol, Srikanth Kandragula, Binoj Villya, Meenakshi Madhavi, Nazeef, Anagha, Divya M Nair Director: Eugien Jos Chirammel Language: Malayalam Genre: Comedy Drama Runtime: 2 hours and 24 minutes Where to watch: Lionsgate Play Streaming date: August 21, 2025 Soothravakyam is a comedy drama featuring Shine Tom Chacko in the lead. The film follows the story of Christo Xavier, a sub-inspector who tries to transform his police station into a community hub to uplift local youth. However, conflict arises when one of the students he mentors goes missing, leading to an unexpected turmoil. Apart from Shine, various other actors like Vincy Aloshious, Deepak Parambol, Srikanth Kandragula, Binoj Villya, and more are part of the ensemble cast. 3. Kapata Nataka Sutradhari Cast: Abhirama Arjuna, Dhiraj MV, Murali Shankar, Greeshma Sridhar, Sri Sagar, Varun Gururaj Director: Dhiraj MV Language: Kannada Genre: Political Comedy Drama Runtime: 1 hour and 32 minutes Where to watch: SunNXT Streaming date: August 22, 2025 Kapata Nataka Sutradhari is a Kannada-language political comedy drama that narrates what unfolds when a Muslim boy gets trapped inside a 1000-year-old temple, triggering chaos. The movie, directed by Dhiraj MV in his directorial debut, features him as Mohammad Ismail, who gets trapped beneath an elephant idol of the special temple. The story aims to address societal prejudices through a humorous narrative. 4. Thalaivan Thalaivii Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Nithya Menen, Yogi Babu, Roshini Haripriyan, Deepa Shankar, Myna Nandhini, Chemban Vinod Jose, Saravanan, RK Suresh, Kaali Venkat, Aruldoss Director: Pandiraaj Language: Tamil Genre: Family Comedy Drama Runtime: 2 hours and 20 minutes Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video Streaming date: August 22, 2025 Thalaivan Thalaivii follows the story of Aagasaveeran, a roadside eatery owner seeking marriage, who connects with Perarasi. Despite her higher education, the two bond over their shared love for food. When her parents opposed their match, Perarasi severed ties with her family and entered wedlock with Aagasaveeran. The couple then faces several challenges, mainly due to his mother and sister. How they overcome difficulties and navigate their relationship is the heart of the story. 5. Perumani Cast: Sunny Wayne, Vinay Forrt, Lukman Avaran, Deepa Thomas, Radhika Radhakrishnan, Navas Vallikkunnu Director: KB Maju Language: Malayalam Genre: Comedy Drama Runtime: 2 hours and 17 minutes Where to watch: Saina Play Streaming date: August 21, 2025 Perumani tells the tale of a Bengali man who finds himself in a Kerala village. As the superstitious villagers start to believe he has a divine presence, they do everything they can to make him stay and settle down there. Will they manage to make him stay beyond all odds, and is there any truth to their beliefs, becomes the central focus of the story. 6. Kothapallilo Okappudu Cast: Manoj Chandra, Monika T, Usha Bonela, Ravindra Vijay, Banerjee, Bongu Satti, Phani Director: Praveena Paruchuri Language: Telugu Genre: Comedy Drama Runtime: 2 hours and 5 minutes Where to watch: Aha Video Streaming date: August 22, 2025 Kothapallilo Okappudu follows the story of Ramakrishna, an employee of a moneylender who is in love with Savitri. However, when they're caught sneaking around at night, chaos ensues. What challenges will they face in their relationship make up the rest of the film. 7. Sarkeet Cast: Asif Ali, Orhan Hyder, Divya Prabha, Deepak Parambol, Remya Suresh, Swathi Das Prabhu, Prasanth Alexander Director: Thamar KV Language: Malayalam Genre: Family Drama Runtime: 2 hours and 5 minutes Where to watch: ManoramaMAX Streaming date: TBA Sarkeet, starring Asif Ali in the lead role, is slated to release on the OTT platform ManoramaMAX. The family drama directed by Thamar KV is expected to premiere this week, although an official streaming date has not been announced yet. The story revolves around a Malayali couple living in the UAE, struggling to raise their son, who has ADHD. Their lives take a new turn when an unemployed man enters the picture, leading to unexpected challenges. 8. Kolahalam Cast: Santhosh Puthan, Anusha Aravindakshan, Vishnu Balakrishnan, Priya Sreejith, Swathy Mohanan, Chithra Prasad Director: Rasheed Parambil Language: Malayalam Genre: Comedy Drama Runtime: 1 hour and 35 minutes Where to watch: SunNXT Streaming date: August 22, 2025 Kolahalam is a heartfelt comedy set during the 16 hours between an old man's death and his funeral. A thief's break-in triggers a chain of chaotic events, resulting in a string of hilarious and emotional moments. 9. Maareesan Cast: Fahadh Faasil, Vadivelu, Kovai Sarala, Vivek Prasanna, Sithara, PL Thenappan, Livingston, Renuka, Saravana Subbiah Director: Sudheesh Sankar Language: Tamil Genre: Comedy Thriller Runtime: 2 hours and 30 minutes Where to watch: Netflix Streaming date: August 22, 2025 Maareesan is a Tamil-language comedy thriller starring Fahadh Faasil and Vadivelu, set to stream on Netflix. The story follows Dhayalan, a thief who stumbles upon Velayudham Pillai, an amnesiac. Hoping to trick him, Dhayalan inadvertently embarks on a road trip with him, only to uncover a darker secret about Pillai.
New Indian Express
05-07-2025
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
Kapata Nataka Sutradhari Movie Review: A sharp political satire that hits home
When satire is done right, it doesn't just make you laugh, it makes you think. Kapata Nataka Sutradhari, directed by Dhiraj MV, begins as a rural comedy but soon unfolds into a bold political satire. Tackling religious divides, caste bias, media hypocrisy, and performative politics, this film becomes a mirror to society. The film opens with a devotional hymn to Lord Eshwar, setting a spiritual tone. From there, we are taken to a higher primary school, where Manoj (Murali Shankar), a timid teacher in his mid-30s, struggles to maintain control. 'My name is ordinary, and so is my life,' he says—a line that lingers. Manoj takes leave from school and travels to Raibag, a historic town, to visit a thousand-year-old temple that opens to devotees only two days a year, and also to meet a prospective bride. He is joined by his colleagues, and as they arrive in Raibag, he meets Shivu (Shivakumar), a software engineer earning ₹20 lakh a year who also works as a temple priest. Also present is Abhirama (Abhirama Arjuna), a man preparing for the panchayat elections, known for his shallow charity and loud moral posturing. Director: Dhiraj MV Cast: Dhiraj MV, Abhirama Arjuna, Murali Shankar, Greeshma Sridharand Sri Sagar
The Hindu
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Kapata Nataka Sutradhari' movie review: Dhiraj MV debuts with a brave political satire
In Dhiraj MV's Kapata Nataka Sutradhari, a 1000-year-old temple, known for producing miracles, opens only twice a year. Despite boasting such a special temple, the fictitious town Raya Bagha is a surprisingly quiet place, or rather, it's an ignored town, as there is nobody to look into a transgender woman's complaint of the absence of a toilet for her, or why there is only one school in the entire village. It takes a Hindu-Muslim conflict for the village to come alive. At the centre of the controversy is a Muslim man, Mohammad Ismail (played by Dhiraj), who gets stuck below an elephant idol. It is believed that those who crawl below the idol will have their wishes fulfilled. The overweight Ismail takes the risk of following the ritual, and gets stuck below the idol. All hell breaks loose when he reveals his identity. Naturally, people are divided about the situation, with one group vocal about the safety of Ismail while the other vociferously behind the protection of the idol from destruction. Kapata Nataka Sutradhari (Kannada) Director: Dhiraj MV Cast: Abhirama Arjuna, Dhiraj MV, Murali Shankar Shastry, Varun Gururaj Runtime: 92 minutes Storyline: In a 1000-year-old Hindu temple, all hell breaks loose when a Muslim boy gets stuck below a elephant idol. What unflods is a political satire that aims at addressing societal prejudices and inequalities humorously. Kapata Nataka Sutradhari conveys how religion is used as a political tool by the power-hungry. The character Abhirama, who nurses political ambitions, senses an opportunity and fuels communal discord. In the 90-minute film, Dhiraj populates his screenplay with strong characters. Apart from the evil-minded Abhirama, the film has a young woman with a mind of her own. In a backward town, it's refreshing to see her discuss her desires with her potential husband. A perennially drunk guy who spits facts is also a hoot. He represents many homeless strangers in villages who are more intelligent than they appear. The sarcasm in the writing is on point. My favourite is when a YouTuber gets ridiculed as a product of the free internet. Kapata Nataka Sutradhari takes sharp potshots at the TRP-obsessed television media, reminding us of the Hindi film Peepli Live (2010). The idea, which works brilliantly to an extent, becomes the film's undoing when the director gets stuck with showcasing media's exploitation of the ill-fated, moving away from the core concept of religious harmony. From a political and religious satire, the movie suddenly becomes a media satire. A twist reveals how those in authority are ineffective and biased in handling religious conflict. Kapata Nataka Sutradhari works best when it subtly reflects the current state of affairs. Despite many proposing a possible idea to ensure both — Ismail's safety and the idol remaining unharmed — the situation remains the same in the film, showing how people want to or get conditioned to contest and quarrel instead of coexisting peacefully. And the elephant idol, perhaps, reflects our flawed system. While an innocent like Ismail gets stuck beneath it, the gullible get brainwashed by powerful people with vested interests. ALSO READ:The short film surge in Kannada: Young filmmakers are oozing promise with relatable stories After deftly handling a sensitive subject for most of the movie, Dhiraj throws his hands up in the climax. He opts for a rosy, idealistic finish, dampening the effect of the movie. The climax reveals how filmmakers are worried about their films being pulled from theatres. Movies with important subjects pivot to convenient climaxes to avoid censorship troubles. That said, Kapata Nataka Sutradhari is a promising debut for Dhiraj, who also makes a mark as a writer. The film speaks about the temple's capacity to deliver miracles. In the end, you witness a miracle, too good to be true. Kapata Nataka Sutradhari is currently releasing in theatres
The Hindu
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
‘Kapata Nataka Sutradhari' trailer: Dhiraj MV and team promise a relevant religious satire
Kannada film Kapata Nataka Sutradhari is set to hit the screens on July 04, 2025. Written and directed by Dhiraj MV, the film is a religious satire. The film's trailer, which dropped on June 19, 2025, gained praise for its fresh treatment of a hot topic in today's India. The trailer shows a temple, in which devotees diligently follow the practice of crawling under an elephant idol. It is believed that prayers of those who follow this custom will be answered. One day, all hell breaks loose when an overweight boy gets stuck below the idol, and it is revealed that he is a Muslim. The trailer then showcases the confusion and chaos around the incident in a humorous manner. 'The agenda of the film is not to offend any community. What happens if a small incident gets a religious angle? I wanted to explore this idea,' Dhiraj says. The teaser begins with the quote, 'Left blames right. Right blames left. Nothing moves forward.' Kapata Nataka Sutradhari seems to touch themes such as the effect of political ideologies on society, patriarchy and gender. The debutant filmmaker adds that he sent drafts of his script to senior journalists and people from the film fraternity as part of his research. ALSO READ:'X&Y' movie review: Satya Prakash's human drama is an audacious attempt 'We didn't want to provoke people who believe in any particular ideology. I was handling a sensitive topic, and I had to convince my team members that I can execute my idea. That was one of the major challenges,' explains Dhiraj. Having assisted filmmakers such as Guruprasad and Sunil Kumar Desai, Dhiraj always aimed to make a relatable yet entertaining movie. 'I identify myself as a frustrated film buff. Most of the time, I cannot relate to what I see on the screen. So, when I was directing a film, I wanted to pick a relatable topic and convey it in an engaging manner.'
Hindustan Times
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
‘Inspired from politicians': Bengaluru film director promises 111 free pressure cookers if RCB wins IPL
As Royal Challengers Bengaluru chase their elusive first IPL title after 18 long years, the excitement has sparked not just emotional tributes and superstition-fueled gestures — but also some quirky giveaways. In a unique twist, a Kannada film director has promised to distribute 111 pressure cookers for free if RCB lifts the trophy. Also Read - Bengaluru fan wraps car in nimbu-mirchi to ward off 'Nazar' ahead of RCB's final IPL clash with PBKS Dhiraj MV, director of the upcoming political satire Kapata Nataka Sutradhari, announced that the film's team would give away 111 pressure cookers to lucky fans selected online. The offer? Simple: if RCB wins the IPL 2025 final, fans who send 'Jai RCB' to the film's official Instagram page stand a chance to win. Speaking to Dhiraj said, 'Kapata Nataka Sutradhari is India's first new-age political satire. We wanted all our promotions to carry the spirit of political campaigns — with a layer of humour.' The giveaway, he added, is part of the film's first promotional push and is designed to mirror real-world political freebies — with a cheeky nod to the ongoing cricket craze. 'Since politics and cricket are the two biggest obsessions in this country, we thought: why not merge both?' he said. 'If RCB wins tonight, the pressure cookers will go out to 111 winners — and we'll announce them on the day our film's trailer releases, June 11.' The film, produced by VSK Cinemas, stars Abhiram Arjun in the lead. Veeresh NTA handles cinematography, Prasanna Kumar MS is in charge of the music, Murali Shankar serves as co-director, Harish Rangarav as Creative Head, and Varun Gururaj as Production Head. Also Read - 'Red sea' takes over Ahmedabad as RCB and Virat Kohli fans flood streets ahead of IPL 18 final Slated for a theatrical release on June 19, Kapata Nataka Sutradhari hopes to ride the momentum of IPL fandom to build buzz. And if RCB wins tonight, fans could find themselves not only celebrating their team's historic victory — but also receiving a cooker in the mail.
