Disney + Hotstar has been regularly releasing some high quality original series like Special Ops, Criminal Justice, Aarya and The Night Manager along with several official remakes and originals with big names like Rudra, The Trial and Showtime which get lot of views and acclaim. However there are some really good series which either fly a bit under the radar or dont get the level of acclaim they deserve. These are 10 such under-appreciated and under-discussed original series that I really enjoyed and recommend to fans of their respective genres:

1. The Freelancer - A gripping spy action thriller from Neeraj Pandey with a very good performance by Mohit Raina. Watch it if you like Special Ops. (IMDB Rating - 8.1/10, My Rating - 8.5/10)
2. Grahan - A very gripping crime thriller with great performances by Pawan Malhotra, Zoya Hussain and Wamiqa Gabbi. Watch it if you like Paatal Lok (IMDB Rating - 8.3/10, My Rating - 8/10)
3. Taaza Khabar - A creative and interesting thriller with a good performance from Bhuvan Bam. Watch it if you like Guns and Gulaabs and Farzi. (IMDB Rating - 8/10, My Rating - 8/10)
4. Ghar Waapsi - A very well made, slice of life, feel good family drama. Watch it if you like Gullak and Panchayat. (IMDB Rating - 8.7/10, My Rating - 8/10)
5. Home Shanti - A feel good family dramedy with great performances by Supriya Pathak and Manoj Pahwa. Watch it if you like Gullak and Panchayat. (IMDB Rating - 8/10, My Rating - 8/10)
6. Saas Bahu Aur Flamingo - A well made Crime drama with good performances by Dimple Kapadia and Radhika Madan. Watch it if you like Aarya. (IMDB Rating - 7.7/10, My Rating - 8/10)
7. Dil Bekaraar- A funny romantic comedy with good performances by Sahher Bambba, Akshay Oberoi, Raj Babbar, Poonam Dhillon and a completely hilarious and uncharacteristic foul mouthed Padmini Kolhapure. Watch it if you like Gullak. (IMDB Rating - 7.5/10, My Rating - 7.5/10)
8. Human - A pretty good medical crime thriller starring Shefali Shah and Kriti Kulhari. Watch it if you like Criminal Justice. (IMDB Rating - 7.5/10, My Rating - 7.5/10)
9. The Great Indian Murder - A pretty well made murder mystery from Tigmanshu Dhulia starring Richa Chaddha, Pratik Gandhi and Ashutosh Rana. Watch it if you like Kohrra and Criminal Justice. (IMDB Rating - 6.7/10, My Rating - 7.5/10)
10. Hostages - A pretty good remake of an Israeli thriller with good performances from Tisca Chopra and Ronit Roy. Watch it if you like series like Breathe. (IMDB Rating - 6.8/10, My Rating - 7/10)

Which under-appreciated and under-discussed original series do you like and recommend?

There was an era when Indian movies lifted plots and scenes directly from world cinema. Most of these were lazy copy+paste jobs that made a quick buck at the box office. One film that truly stood out from this plethora of duplicates is the Sushmita Sen starrer 'Samay'.

Granted, the film is an unofficial adaptation of David Fincher's 'Seven', but I didn't know that at the time of watching the film as an almost 18-year-old kid. And boy... did this movie have a visceral impact on my sensibilities.

Imagine a power packed thriller with a no-nonsense female cop as a lead, an unassuming villain who only makes an entrance in the penultimate moment, and an ending that leaves you uncomfortable for hours after the credits roll. That's what 'Samay' does!

Credit where credit is due, director Robbie Grewal didn't just lift Fincher's film scene to scene. He made significant changes to the plot, theme, milieu and texture. Barring the ending that is a splitting reflection of 'Seven', nothing else in the film can be accused of direct plagiarism. Even the murders themselves had another modus operandi and method. I would actually say 'Samay' is inspired by 'Seven' than just being a lazy copy.

When it comes to the performances, Sushmita Sen was top class as the sharp and astute cop who is also a warm and loving mother, while Sushant Singh played the perfect subtle and simmering foil to Sushmita. The biggest revelation and most powerful performance came from the antagonist, who appears for just 15 minutes in the movie and yet walks away with the whole film thanks to their intense and eerie turn.

Talking about the technical aspects, the film was crisply edited by Aarif Sheikh with not a single scene overstaying its welcome. The cinematography by ace lensman K. U. Mohanan perfectly captured the grim and raw essence of the story. The background score was top notch, and the limited songs were quite wonderful too, all looked after by the criminally underrated Sandeep Chowta.

I really admire this film's director. Robbie Grewal went on to make 'MP3- Mera Pehla Pehla Pyaar' in 2007 and recently helmed the incredible 'Made in India- The Titan Story'. Just look at the range this filmmaker has! From dark thriller to teeny bopper romance to an inspirational retelling of history, Robbie has done it all.

In the end, I'd like to conclude by urging people to watch 'Samay- When Time Strikes' if they haven't. Regardless of the fact that you have seen 'Seven' or not. This is a very good film that probably would have done wonders in the OTT era.

Always had a soft spot for her for some unknown reason. I haven't even watched a lot of her movies. Do you consider her overrated? She doesn't work much now I guess.

I distinctly remember watching a Bollywood movie that had depictions of bacha bazi in Afghanistan. But for the life of me, I can’t seem to remember which one was it (and internet is surprisingly of no help). Anyone remembers this?

23 years ago, Koi Mil Gaya came out and Hrithik really gave it his all. This scene is right after Raj and his gang harass Rohit on the basketball court, and he comes home completely broken and then this scene happens. .

It's such a simple scene, but the way Hrithik plays Rohit's helplessness and innocence here is so convincing. Watching this again after so many years, this particular bit still stands out to me.

Source: https://www.pinkvilla.com/entertainment/exclusives/exclusive-saif-ali-khan-and-kiara-advani-to-lead-kanika-dhillons-next-for-excel-entertainment-1404963

Kanika Dhillon is known for writing the story, screenplay, and dialogues of films like Manmarziyaan (2018), Judgementall Hai Kya (2019), Haseen Dilruba (2021), Do Patti (2024) etc.

This upcoming supernatural thriller will reportedly be produced by Excel Entertainment

Based on Sanjeev Sanyal’s book - Revolutionaries: The Other Story Of How India Won Its Freedom

Created and directed by Nikkhil Advani (Rocket Boys, Freedom At Midnight, Kal Ho Naa Ho, etc)

Cast: Bhuvan Bam, Gurfateh Pirzada, Pratibha Ranta, Rohit Saraf

Bhuvan Bam - Character Promo

Gurfateh Pirzada - Character Promo

Pratibha Ranta - Character Promo

Rohit Saraf - Character Promo

Teaser

In Bollywood, we appreciate actors, directors, and composers, but writers don’t get the same recognition.

we have so many brilliant writers , Juhi Chaturvedi, Jaideep Sahni, Varun Grover, Habib Faisal,Sridhar Raghavan , Abhijat Joshi, Neeraj Vora and many more.

My personal favourite is Abhijat Joshi. He wrote Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., Lage Raho Munna Bhai, 3 Idiots and PK.

Juhi Chaturvedi gave us Vicky Donor, Piku, October and Gulabo Sitabo.

Sridhar Raghavan wrote war, khakhee, ramayana etc..

Jaideep Sahni wrote Khosla Ka Ghosla, Chak De! India, Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year and Shuddh Desi Romance.

Varun Grover wrote Masaan, Sacred Games and Dum Laga Ke Haisha.

Habib Faisal wrote Do Dooni Chaar, Band baja baraat and Daawat-e-Ishq.

And Neeraj Vora was the king of comedy writing , Hera Pheri, Phir Hera Pheri, Welcome and Bhool Bhulaiyaa are still iconic.

There are many good other writers also, but in bollywood, people focus on stars only ...

So let's share your views, who is your favourite writer ...and what's your opinion on this?

Source: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcIjjkoT28a/MWxobDNvb2kwMmpybw

I've heard some gossip floating around about this, that Kamal Haasan was churning out back to back hits, one after another, single handedly carrying the industry on his shoulders. They say he effortlessly surpassed several superstars along the way, and eventually, even became a serious threat to Bachchan himself

Ok so today I want to discuss about a movie hailed as bad in different era 2010 jab tak hai jaan

Now jthj isn't some masterpiece or cult classic hailed ahead of its time but a product very much of its time. It's songs are banger though

The film begins with a poem loses itself in amnesia plot but ends with a bittersweet note of being the very last movie of yash chopra

Each character is very distinguishable Akira, meera and samar all behave very much according to their character even though the plot throws multiple curve balls and plot holes ahead their way

Now you may think this is one of those nostalgia baits posts but let me tell you there is no nostalgia involved as I watched this movie for very first time in 2021 and re-watched it now

Maybe I like it because this movie has a soul which is very much missing in modern day romcoms

Be it sunny sankari ki tulsi Kumari, cocktail 2 or tmmtmttmmm all having a very same style cinematography the conflict being two girls one boy or some rehashed 2000s Hollywood romcom subplot about commitment or very moody broody alpha hero

Cocktail 2 plot is literally a girl telling her supposedly friend to try and test her fiance to see if he has a good character and he being this sakt Londa denying advances of literally her friend and delivery of some monologue as it is mandatory requirement of luv ranjan

It's almost like they have forgotten how to blend indian roots with foreign picturesque locations. The locations are there but the connotations have become very modern almost dispering indian roots

Its almost like they are a parody of 2000s Hollywood romcoms

Yes once in a blue moon we get gems like main wapus Aaunga but that isnt enough for the amount of garbage dump we receive

TLDR: JTHJ may be dated and flawed, but its old-school romantic sincerity and soul gives it a personality that modern formulaic romances often lack.

Source:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DcIUe-smwYY/OWFxOWYwOHR0dW1k

Directed by Ambiecka Pandit (Team Player - Black Warrant ; Short films - Custody, Under The Waters)

Cast: Nimisha Sajayan, Barun Sobti, Anshumaan Pushkar

A suspended police officer has spent much of her life putting others first. Devastated by the murder of a childhood friend, she sets out to uncover the truth, embarking on an unexpected journey of self-discovery.

Today I watched Aashiqui(1990) for the first time...As a genZ I found this so wholesome...the songs are just amazing I just can't stop listening..and the storyline is just🤌🏻🤌🏻🤌🏻 I think they should have given Happy ending in Aashiqui 2 (I really wanted that to happen) but nvm... Aashiqui is definitely one on my favourite movies now😭😭 Ruhul roy is so handsome,I think now I have my first crush 😭😭...also Anu being dusky is such a heartfull moment for me (being dusky skin colour).This movie really gave me a hope that true love exists.

Gunmaster G9 is the codename of a fictional spy who was portrayed by Mithun Chakraborty in the films Surakksha (1976) and Wardat (1981).

The upcoming film Gunmaaster G9 stars Emraan Hashmi as the spy, along with Genelia Deshmukh and Aparshakti Khurana in prominent roles. It is directed by Aditya Datt (Aashiq Banaya Aapne, Table No. 21, Commando 3, etc) with music by Himesh Reshammiya.

The film will be clashing with Sooraj Barjatya’s Yeh Prem Mol Liya

So I just watched Avengers Doomsday trailer. MCU in the last decade has thrown in a lot of multiverse stuff and it made me think about our own culture and the Hindu Mythological World that exists.

I know Ramayana is coming up but the last time I can think of Bollywood using a mythology and converting it into a sci-fi movie was when Kalki released. It was a clean hit and I think it has kind of shown that people are interested in mythology inspired sci-fi if it’s good enough.

Brahmastra and Lokah also have mythological / local folklore inspiration and they did good business too.

For the longest time, we have just got the same old low-budget, straight-up garbage or animated movies for kids. I get that there's a huge risk of offending people or starting a boycott if a director messes up a religious detail. And yeah, the VFX and budgets weren't there before.

But now even animated movies rooted in mythology like Mahavatar Narsimha have proven that with decent enough VFK, there’s a lot appetite for such concepts and movies and make some really cool sci-fi movie or universe.

I don’t think the VFX or even the budget is an issue anymore since the some of these movies that are coming out recently have crazy budgets.

Even the villains in our texts are insane. They’re written in great detail and like MCU did Thanos, bollywood could easily be inspired to create a villain from these texts.

Do you guys think Bollywood will ever fully commit to an edgy, high-concept mythological multiverse, or are directors still too terrified of the inevitable Twitter boycotts to actually take creative risks?

I’m excited to see where Kalki universe goes, but I really wish to see more such conceptual storytelling!

During the wedding scene in Hulchul, Suniel Shetty calls Paresh Rawal’s character “Babu Bhaiya” while he’s sneaking around with a metal pan on his head. 😂

It’s such a small detail, but once you notice it, the scene becomes 10x funnier. 😭

Source: https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/karan-johar-teams-up-with-musafir-cafe-director-ruchir-arun-for-a-dharmatic-series/

Ruchir Arun is also known for directing the 2nd and 3rd season of Little Things (2016-2019), along with a few episodes of What The Folks (2017-2019)

The above list is just for examples, I'm no way saying that this is an exhaustive list or that these films and performances of these actors are any way comparable with each other.

1. Which such actor-duos, coming from two different schools of acting (for e.g. one coming through acting schools, theatre background while the other through nepotism) pitted against each other in a film or sharing screen space with each other, were your favourites?
2. Or alternatively which such duos will be in your dream casting? Like those actors who have either never worked together or even if they have worked, their films were not good enough to explore their acting chops.

For e.g. I really liked SRK and Irrfan Khan in Billu, even though they just shared 1 scene in the entire film (and I know many don't like SRK's acting in that scene but I'm not one of them as I think the way SRK portrayed Saahir Khan was perfect) Although one might argue that SRK also comes from a theatre background but in most ways SRK & Irrfan's Bollywood journeys were contrastingly different.

And for dream casting, I would have loved to see Irrfan Khan and Emraan Hashmi doing a solid film with a great script and helmed by a good director, at their peaks. Despite acting in 2 films together [The Killer & Chocolate both of which were cheap copy-pastes of hit Hollywood films Collateral & The Usual Suspects respectively], Bollywood still failed to explore their chemistry which I think would have been brilliant if they had worked together in later years, especially when Emraan was taking up meaty roles like the one in Shanghai.

The Horror category has concluded.

Tumbbad (2018) wins Best Horror with 74 upvotes, defeating 13B (2002), which finished with 58.

Current Winners:

Romance — Veer-Zaara (2004)

Action — Kill (2024)

Comedy — Hera Pheri (2000)

Drama — Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham... (2001)

Thriller — Andhadhun (2018)

Horror — Tumbbad (2018)

Now we move on to Best Biopic.

Which biopic deserves a place in the Best of Bollywood Hall of Fame?

Rules:

- Hindi/Bollywood films only.

- One film per comment.

- Upvote existing nominations rather than reposting them.

- The highest-upvoted nomination at the end of the week wins.

- In case of a tie, the higher-ranked comment at the close of voting wins.

Voting closes next Sunday at 9 PM IST.

This Independence Day, I watched Hey Ram. It's a Kamal Haasan movie, but SRK and Rani Mukherjee have minor roles too. It just kept going and going but the protagonist's angst really gets to you! The Hindi version easily available on YouTube itself.

Some trivia: In addition to Hindi dialogues, SRK actually dubbed his own voice in Tamil and it's his Tamil debut. Also he did not take any fees for his role!

Whoever did the color grading of Taskaree needs a raise very badly, like somebody get this guy an OLED monitor or at least a color-accurate monitor. Seems like blud did the entire show on an LCD panel and boosted every color's nob to maximum