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Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
The era of ‘Netflix parents' is here and it's changing Indian living rooms
My parents have witnessed multiple phases of my life. Some are quietly discussed at home, and others form entertaining anecdotes at dinners with family and friends. As a former child who has become somewhat of an adult, with all the newfound perspective your 20s bring, I have come to realise that they grew up with me. And just as they carefully observed and catalogued my phases, I can do the same with theirs, like my dad's brief obsession with newspaper-print wallpaper or the couple of years my mum was really into ghazals when I was in primary school. The most recent one that I have noticed isn't limited to just my home, but is quietly taking place across most Indian households. We were too focused on the iPad babies and the next generation to realise that our parents' TV habits had undergone a significant change. The boredom of the Covid-19 pandemic has ushered in a new generation of parents — the Netflix parents. I had assumed parents would struggle to adapt to Netflix, just as they had with the other technological advancements imposed upon them. After all, they grew up with curated TV schedules and movie stars that were hard to let go of. If there was one thing I believed about their generation, it was their deep attachment to nostalgia and the 'greatness' of the past. I imagined their use of OTT platforms would be limited to reruns of favourite shows or the occasional movie I convinced them to watch. And even if they did warm up to it, I expected it to coexist with cable TV, not replace it entirely. Until last month, when my mum asked me if I had watched 'this show called 'Adolescence''. I would be lying if I said I wasn't taken aback. The show has a grim storyline with no bright sets or on-screen drama. As someone who is chronically online, I had witnessed the praise it had garnered and added it to my watch list. But I had not expected my mum to bring it up. It then struck me that over the last few years, she had been in and out of the many OTT platforms we had access to. In fact, she had recommended shows to me in the past, and I hadn't thought much of it. Now, it made complete sense. For all the high-octane, needlessly dramatic TV serials they were exposed to, the quality of OTT shows being offered is unmatched. Their stories, rooted in ground reality, and casts that don't necessarily look heroic are a refreshing antidote to mass entertainment with poorly-drawn characters, chiselled heroes, light-eyed heroines and tearjerker melodramas. Take, for instance, Scam 1992 (2020), which fed my obsession with the stock market. For my father, the show was enjoyable not just because of the stellar performance of the protagonist, Pratik Gandhi, but because he could recount the turmoil of the stock market crash of the time. Perhaps the biggest takeaway for me was the ease with which difficult topics, rarely discussed in real life, became palatable to them when put in the form of a compelling story—whether it's divorce, crude language, inter-caste marriage or even extra-marital affairs. They watched Made In Heaven (2019), a show based on faltering relationships and the truth behind flashy unions—a concept not often spoken of in most Indian homes—with rapt attention, sympathising with the protagonists. Even Indian Matchmaking (2020), which pokes fun at the traditional and parochial ways of arranged marriages, gets a laugh out of them. You (2018), a show featuring an obsessive stalker and his dark humour, had my mum binge-watching. Top shows today have stories, dialogues, fleshed-out characters, and sets, which are painstakingly crafted to blur the line between fiction and reality, like in Bridgerton (2020). It is this attention to detail and brave choice of topics, such as in Aashram (2020), that make this transition believable and, well, inevitable. It is generally accepted that our parents are 'separate' from us; they don't understand the world we come from. Growing up dispels some of these delusions. Being able to discuss an episode of This Is Us (2016), a brilliant chronicle of complex interpersonal relationships, with your mum over evening chai feels like a huge step in that direction. We may think we are different from our parents, but liking the same shows —right down to my mum's 'rabbit' profile picture on her Netflix account — humanises them so much more. Maybe the next time we contest on something, I could just recommend them a show about it. (Shaima S is a contributing writer with the
Hindustan Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Pratik Gandhi reflects on the box office lull for Bollywood: It's a cyclic thing, it will settle down
The Hindi film industry is struggling at the box office, with work becoming uncertain for even renowned names, let alone new ones. But actor Pratik Gandhi, whose recent release Phule also faced this challenge at the ticket counters, sees it as an imminent phase. 'Any industry will come to that flash point once where innovations will happen and things will change for good. It will settle down and again it will go up to that flash point. So, it's a cyclic thing which will keep happening,' Pratik Gandhi insists. The actor prefers to look at the positive side of it though, crediting the presence of different mediums and kinds of work. 'It is a good time to be any artiste as there are so many avenues right now. Even if you have a story for a short film, you have an audience for that because there is a platform to showcase it. Earlier it was a problem, as you didn't have a medium to show it. Now you have such opportunities. So, it is a great time to be an artiste, be it a writer, director or anybody,' he says. However, Pratik acknowledges that while getting work might not be that difficult, the main challenge lies in entering the mainstream cinema. 'It is very difficult to breakthrough in the mainstream industry. It's highly competitive as there are so many actors. Apart from that, it's very difficult for anyone coming from out of this industry and who doesn't know anybody. You don't know whom to approach. Whom will you meet and ask for work? You don't even know where to go an give audition,' he says. He insists that all an artiste requires is one break: 'One break is what you need, in any form be it ad, films, OTT or whatever. You just want to be seen once in a good project so that people take notice and at least they approach you for auditions. My whole intention was to go to the point where you get to audition, and then people can decide. It's a change that happened with me post Scam 1992,' he ends.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Phule OTT Release Update: Where to watch Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa's social biographical thriller online
Phule OTT Release Update: Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa recently headlined this biographical drama, which arrived in the theatres amid massive backlash. Released theatrically on 25th April this year, this thriller was based on the lives of activists Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule. For the ones who are OTT lovers, Phule will be streaming on ZEE5 after its theatrical run concludes, as per a Jagran report. Phule's cast and crew Directed by Anant Mahadevan and jointly produced by Dancing Shiva Films Kingsmen Productions Films and Zee Studios, Phule is cinematographed by Sunita Radia and edited by Raunak Phadnis. Other than the lead duo, this Rohan-Rohan musical also stars Vinay Pathak, Suresh Vishwakarma, Sushil Pandey, Vishal Tiwari, Joy Sengupta, Amit Behl, Akshaya Gurav, Jayesh More, Dhanjay Madrekar, Darsheel Safary, Asit Redij, Abhinav Patekar, Akanksha Gade, Abhinav Singh Raghav, Alexx O'Nell and Ellie among others. Phule's plot overview Phule begins in plague-stricken Pune in 1897, where the death of Savitribai Phule (Patralekhaa) sets off a journey into the past. The story traces her early years learning under her husband, Jyotiba Phule (Pratik Gandhi), who becomes a fierce advocate for education as a tool to fight caste oppression. Together, they begin teaching children from marginalised communities, particularly girls, facing violent resistance from orthodox Brahmins and Jyotiba's own family. As opposition grows, Jyotiba parts ways with his father and, with the support of allies like Usman Sheikh and Fatima, expands their mission to include widow rehabilitation. With no backing from the British, Jyotiba funds their work by selling his family property. Phule captures the couple's unyielding struggle against social injustice, charting a path of courage, sacrifice, and reform in the face of systemic resistance. Phule's review The Times of India rated the film 3.5 out of 5, and a part of their review read, 'Phule' is, in many ways, an unflinching film that confronts some deeply uncomfortable truths about 19th-century Indian society under British rule. What makes Phule particularly compelling is its understated storytelling. The film avoids melodrama and instead unfolds in a natural, lived-in manner. One could argue that the film might have been more aptly titled 'Phules,' as Savitribai's role, if not greater, is certainly at par with that of her husband.'
Pink Villa
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Phule Lifetime India Box Office: Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa's biographical drama to wrap up tepid run at around Rs 5.75 crore
Phule Lifetime India Box Office: Directed by Anant Mahadevan, Phule was released in cinemas on April 25, 2025. Based on the lives of Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule, the recently released movie starred Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa. The biographical drama has almost reached its finish line with a net business of around Rs 5.75 crore. Produced under the banners of Dancing Shiva Films Kingsmen Productions Films and Zee Studios, Phule has been maintaining a solid hold at the box office these days. The Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa starrer is running in its fourth week. The biographical drama is tripling its first-week figures and that doesn't happen too often. Phule is expected to end its journey with a net business of Rs 5.75 crore in its lifetime run. The cumulative business of the movie currently stands at Rs 5 crore net. It will add another Rs 75 lakh or so in a few days. Phule had a poor start at the box office, bringing in a net collection of Rs 25 lakh on the first day. The biopic, which is based on India's social reformers, Jyotirao Phule and Savitribai Phule, earned Rs 1.20 crore in its opening weekend. The first week's collection of the film stood at a mere Rs 2 crore. Verdict: DISASTER Also featuring actors like Vinay Pathak and Darsheel Safary, Phule will close its curtains with a disastrous fate. It underwent various censorship issues ahead of its release. With a lack of buzz, the biographical drama couldn't sustain itself well at the box office. The word of mouth also didn't turn out to be fruitful for Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa 's movie. Phule ran parallel to movies like Kesari Chapter 2: The Untold Story of Jallianwala Bagh, Raid 2, The Bhootnii, Mission: Impossible—The Final Reckoning and Final Destinations: Bloodlines.
News18
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Patralekhaa On Industry Shift: ‘Women No Longer Stand Behind The Hero'
Last Updated: Patralekhaa was last seen in Phule alongside Pratik Gandhi. She portrayed Savitribai Phule in the film. Like any other sector, India's entertainment industry has also evolved. With fresh talent coming in, stronger stories being shared, and more meaningful roles for women, the industry has transformed. And Patralekhaa truly agrees. Once a male-dominated field, the entertainment industry has seen a noticeable shift, and Patralekhaa believes things have truly changed with time. In an interview with Zoom, she said, 'Such good parts are being written for women. You're just not standing like a post behind the hero. With platforms coming in, so much content being made, I feel women are getting better roles." This statement comes after the theatrical release of her film Phule last month, in which she stars alongside Pratik Gandhi. The film sees Patralekhaa portray Savitribai Phule, a social reformer who played an important role in challenging caste and gender norms in 19th-century India. Further elaborating on the changing landscape in the industry, the 35-year-old actress recalled her last released film Phule and highlighted, 'Pratik and I had equal parts in the film." She added that the position of women in society is steadily improving. Patralekhaa believes women today are more confident and assertive, ensuring that if something is deemed right for their male counterparts, it is equally right for them too. When asked if she feels she has received her due in the industry, Patralekhaa told the portal, 'I don't know whether I got my due or not, that I'll never be able to say. But to be offered a film like Phule is a very big achievement in itself. I don't have any regrets. I'm really happy with the work that comes my way, bit or small that's irrelevant. I just want to work with good makers and good scripts." Phule was released on April 25, 2025, after undergoing several changes and facing challenges from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) before finally reaching audiences. Patralekhaa made her acting debut with the critically acclaimed 2014 film CityLights and her performance received widespread praise. She starred opposite her now-husband, actor Rajkummar Rao. In 2017, she ventured into the OTT space with Bose: Dead/Alive. Before Phule, she appeared in Anubhav Sinha's web series IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack. First Published:
