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If anything good happened to us during the Covid era, it has to be our familiarity with the OTT platforms and their content. A heartfelt thanks to the platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Dsiney+Hotstar, Zee5, and so on that we have experienced the best of world cinema, be it Bollywood blockbusters, Hollywood classics, or award-winning regional films. These platforms are the main reason that the traditional perspective of the Indian audience began to shift and good and genuine content is finally getting its due credit. However, in the crowd of original contents arriving on our home screen, a few deserving watches are missed here and there. Here we bring you a list of such underrated and hidden gems.
1. The Lunchbox
An unlikely mistake by a tiffin carrier service led to the development of an unusual friendship between two strangers when a tiffin made by Illa, for her husband got delivered to Saajan Fernandes. The Lunchbox is a 2013 epistolary-romance film written by Ritesh Batra starred by
late Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bharti Achrekar, and so on. This movie touches every string of human emotions and is a definite watch if you still have not watched it.
Platform - Netflix
2. Illegal
Illegal is a 10-part web series directed by Sahir Raza starring Neha Sharma, Akshay Oberoi, Kubbra Sait, Piyush Mishra, and Satyadeep Mishra. The story revolves around Niharika Singh, an idealistic lawyer, who is working at a renowned law firm under Janardhan Jaitely. The series of shocking revelations from Niharika, and her confrontation with Janardhan will keep you guessing with the question, ‘What do you do when justice itself is out of order?’. A perfect watch for those who love thrillers and courtroom drama.
Platform: Voot Select
3. Capernaum
The film opens with a 12-year-old slum boy serving a prison sentence for stabbing. The flashback takes the audience to his earlier life where he lived with his parents and 7 siblings making money through illegal schemes. But one day, he decided to run away. Capernaum is a 2018 Lebanese drama film directed by Nadine Labaki. The film stars Zain Al Rafeea, Yordanos Shiferaw, Boluwatife Bankole,and so on. The film takes you roller-coaster ride of emotions and makes you feel how blissful your childhood was.
Platform: Netflix
4. Stanley ka Dabba
Stanley is a student who doesn’t carry lunch, which gets noticed by a greedy teacher who forces kids to share their food with him. He warns Stanley that he must get his lunch or stop attending school at all. Stanley ka Dabba is a 2011 comedy-drama written, directed, and produced by Amole Gupte and starred by Divya Dutta, Partho Gupte, Divya Jagdale, Raj Zutshi, and Amole Gupte himself. A heartfelt and wholesome film that you can enjoy with your family.
Platform: Hotstar
5. Marzi
Marzi is a 2020,6-part crime-thriller web series based on the novel ‘Liar’ written by Jack and Harry Williams. The show is directed by Anil Senior and starred Rajeev Khandelwal and Ahana Kumra. The story is set amidst the valleys of Shimla where Sameera, a school teacher goes on a dinner date with the charming and respectable surgeon Anurag Saraswat. But the date night turns out to be a nightmare when Sameera finds out Anurag has sexually assaulted her. Anurag and Sameera both have different versions of the night. Do you know whom to trust?
Platform: Voot Select
6. The Breadwinner
The breadwinner is an animated film that won the Best Animated Feature at the 90th Oscar awards, based on a best-selling novel by the same name, Deborah Ellis. Parvana and her family live in Kabul, which is ruled by the Taliban. After her father gets arrested, Parvana disguised himself as a boy to earn money to run her family. Nora Twomey directs the movie and the characters are voice-covered by Saara Chaudry, Noorin Gulamgaus, Shaista Latif, Kawa Ada, Ali Badshah, and so on. If you think animated movies are for kids, then this movie is all set to break that taboo.
Platform: Netflix
7. Kaagaz
Lal Bihari, a common man is declared dead on paper by the government. This is a story about his journey and his efforts to prove that he is alive. Kaagazis a 2021 satire based on true events from the life of Santosh Murat Singh, which exposes the labyrinth of Indian bureaucracy. It is directed by Satish Kaushik and starred Pankaj Tripathi, Monal Gajjar, Sandeepa Dhar, Amar Upadhyay, and Satish Kaushik himself. This is a perfect thought-evoking film draped with the element of satire.
Platform: Zee5
8. Fruitvale Station
Fruitvale Station is a 2013 American biographical tragedy-drama film written and directed by Ryan Coogler. It is based on a true event that led to the death of a 22-year-old African-American, Oscar Grant who was shot by BART police on 2009 New year’s eve. The dramatic tragedy poignantly captures Grant’s final moments. The film starred Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray, Ahna O’Reilly, and Octavia Spencer. Make sure you sit with the tissue box, your tears will not dry up anytime soon.
Platform: Netflix
9. Masaan
Set on the banks of the Ganges in Varanasi, the film explores the stories of two different people who eventually converge at the end. Devi is caught in pre-marital sexual relations and struggles to shake off the social stigma. While Deepak and Shalu attempt to transcend the restrictions of their casteist society. The film is directed by Neeraj Ghaywan in 2015 and starred Vicky Kaushal, Richa Chadda, and Shweta Tripathi.
Platform: Netflix
10. The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. is a 2015 action-comedy spy film directed by Guy Ritchie. It is based on the popular 1964 MGM TV series of the same name. The film stars Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki, and Hugh Grant. A CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin put their differences aside and participate in a joint mission against a mysterious criminal organization to combat a global crime organization that is working to reproduce nuclear weapons. A perfect treat for the weekend I must say.
Platform: Netflix
Here is our list of 10 such underrated movies that are out there but you might have missed. As you will go through each one of them, you will realize that many of these films will resonate with you much more than the much-discussed popular web shows or can even change your perspective on the animation genre. Let us know if you have watched any of it, and also share with us the shows that you feel are underrated but are worth a watch. To know more about such films, and series, subscribe to our Youtube channel, follow us on Facebook & Instagram and join our WhatsApp community.
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