What are the OTT releases this week? With so many releases across platforms, unfortunately, I couldn’t find many great options for you this week, since most releases are average; if you have time, try Ponman (Malayalam) or Kaadhal Enbadhu Podhu Udamai (Tamil) Why I Pick That; scroll down to read more.
Ponman (2025): A Gritty Drama That Goes Beyond the Gold
📺 Streaming on: JioStar
🎬 Director: Jyothish Shankar
⭐ Cast: Basil Joseph, Lijomol Jose, Sajin Gopu, Anand Manmadhan
Plot & Highlights
This is not just another film about dowry; Ponman doesn’t preach; it shows; it makes you feel the pain; finally, it’s your judgement, not the writer’s.
Gold dealer Ajesh lends gold for a village wedding in Kollam. However, the reluctant bride, Steffi, is not ready to return the gold after the marriage. The story takes a tragic turn when Mariano (Sajin Gopu), her husband, confronts Ajesh.
❤️ Basil Joseph shines —far from his comfort zone
❤️ A realistic, layered take on dowry, without cliché melodrama or preachiness
❤️ Well-written screenplay with gripping moments set in unexpected places
❌ A slow-burn that demands patience
My Opinion: Ponman doesn’t just criticise a system—it immerses you in it, making you see its victims and perpetrators as flawed, complex individuals. A smartly written, must watch film, considering the impact it is worth more than just its weight in gold.
Ramam Raghavam (2025): A Gritty Tale of Family, Betrayal & Redemption
📺 Streaming on: Sun NXT
🎬 Director: Dhanraj Koranani
⭐ Cast: Dhanraj Koranani, Samuthirakani, Satya, Pramodini, Harish Uthaman, Sunil, Mokksha
Plot & Highlights
Raghava (Dhanraj Koranani) is stuck in life, making one bad decision after another. His father, Ramam (Samuthirakani), tries to guide him, but the gap between them only grows. One day, Raghava does something shocking, changing everything. From there, the film becomes a tense battle of emotions and consequences.
❤️ A raw, intense family drama that doesn’t sugarcoat emotions
❌ Misses the emotional depth needed to fully connect with Raghava’s journey
❌ Some characters feel underdeveloped, limiting their impact
My Opinion: Ramam Raghavam takes a complex moral dilemma and presents it in a brutal, unfiltered way. While the execution stumbles, the film stays with you—especially in its haunting final act. Can give it a try if you have time.
Kaadhal Enbadhu Podhu Udamai (2025): A Bold Step for Queer Cinema
📺 Streaming on: Tentkotta
🎬 Director: Jayaprakash Radhakrishnan
⭐ Cast: Lijomol Jose, Anusha Prabhu, Rohini, Vineeth, Deepa, Kalesh Ramanand
Plot & Highlights
Kaadhal Enbadhu Podhu Udamai isn’t just about love; it’s about how society decides who deserves it.
When Sam (Lijomol Jose) reveals she is in love with Nandhini (Anusha Prabhu), her mother Lakshmi (Rohini) and father Devaraj (Vineeth) struggle to accept it. The film focuses on their hypocrisy, their contradictions, and the silent pain of those forced to justify their existence.
❤️ A rare Tamil film that puts queer identity at the centre
❤️ Rohini delivers a stunning performance as a mother caught in conflict
❌ Sam and Nandhini’s relationship feels underdeveloped
❌ At times, the film feels more like a debate than a story
My Opinion: Kaadhal Enbadhu Podhu Udamai is not perfect, but it’s important. It doesn’t just argue—it demands to be heard. A much-needed step for Tamil cinema, even if it leaves you wishing for a deeper, more personal look at its queer leads.
2K Love Story (2025): A Forced Take on Friendship That Lacks Heart
📺 Streaming on: Aha Tamil
🎬 Director: Suseenthiran
⭐ Cast: Meenakshi Govindarajan, Jagaveer, Bala Saravanan
Plot & Highlights
Can a man and a woman just be friends? 2K Love Story sets out to prove they can, but instead of exploring their bond naturally, it forces the message with clichés and weak storytelling.
Karthik (Jagaveer) and Moni (Meenakshi Govindarajan) run a wedding planning business together. Despite being constantly thrown into situations where love could bloom, they stick to their “friends forever” pact. But when a new person enters their lives, their friendship faces the ultimate test.
❤️ A refreshing idea that challenges relationship stereotypes
❌ Tries too hard to be progressive, but lacks emotional depth
❌ Tonally confused—part love triangle, part comedy, but never compelling
❌ Shallow character development makes it hard to care about their struggles
My Opinion: 2K Love Story wants to be different but ends up feeling staged and empty. Friendship deserves a better story, one with real emotions—not just a forced message.
Emergency (2025): A Selective Retelling of History
📺 Streaming on: Netflix
🎬 Director: Kangana Ranaut
⭐ Cast: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Satish Kaushik, Mahima Chaudhary
Plot & Highlights
Kangana Ranaut plays Indira Gandhi, recreating the events surrounding the 1975 Emergency. While the film captures key moments—the power struggle, the political arrests, and the press censorship—it often feels like a highlight reel rather than a layered exploration. Indira’s strengths are downplayed, her insecurities exaggerated, and her adversaries glorified, creating an uneven narrative.
❤️ Kangana delivers a powerful performance, capturing Indira’s intensity
❤️ Cinematography and music elevates the storytelling
❌ More a political statement than a balanced biopic
❌ Key historical events feel oversimplified or conveniently left out
❌ Fails to provide a nuanced take on Indira’s political journey
My Opinion: Emergency is ambitious but one-sided. While Kangana shines as Indira, the film picks and chooses its facts to fit a narrative rather than offering an honest portrayal. Watch it for the performances, but don’t expect the full picture.
Vanvaas (2025): Nana Patekar Shines in a Predictable Tearjerker
📺 Streaming on: Zee5
🎬 Director: Anil Sharma
⭐ Cast: Nana Patekar, Utkarsh Sharma, Khushboo, Simratt Kaur, Ashwini Kalsekar, Rajesh Sharma
Plot & Highlights
A familiar story of an aging father abandoned by his children, Vanvaas follows Deepak Tyagi (Nana Patekar), a man battling memory loss and betrayal. Left alone in Varanasi, he finds an unlikely ally in Veeru (Utkarsh Sharma), a small-time crook with a heart of gold.
The film sticks to the Baghban-style formula, where the noble parent suffers, the children are heartless, and the saviour arrives in the form of a selfless outsider. While it tugs at the emotions, the storytelling feels outdated and exaggerated.
❤️ Moments of poetic monologues add emotional weight
❤️ Visually rich with glimpses of Varanasi’s culture
❌ Predictable, melodramatic, and overly theatrical
❌ Utkarsh Sharma struggles to match Nana Patekar’s intensity
❌ One-dimensional characters with little depth
My Opinion: Vanvaas is powered by Nana Patekar’s presence, but the film itself feels like a relic of the past. It has moments of emotion, but the outdated storytelling and forced drama hold it back. Watch it if you love old-school family dramas, but don’t expect surprises.
Moana 2 (2025): A Visual Spectacle, But an Unnecessary Voyage
📺 Streaming on: JioHotstar
🎬 Directors: David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand, Dana Ledoux Miller
⭐ Cast: Auliʻi Cravalho, Dwayne Johnson, Hualālai Chung, Rose Matafeo, David Fane
Plot & Highlights
Moana is back on the seas, but this time, the waves aren’t as thrilling.
When her ancestors warn her about an ancient storm god’s curse, Moana (Auliʻi Cravalho) sets out on a mission they failed—to reunite the islands and restore balance. Unlike her first solo journey, she’s joined by a crew of fellow islanders, along with the ever-charismatic Maui (Dwayne Johnson).
❤️ Visually stunning, with breathtaking ocean landscapes
❤️ Kakamora pirates steal the show in their brief screen time
❌ Lacks the emotional depth of the first film
❌ Music fails to match the magic of the original soundtrack
My Opinion: Moana 2 is beautiful to look at, but it lacks the soul that made the first film special. While kids might enjoy the adventure, it feels like Disney is just trying to keep the franchise afloat. Not a disaster, but definitely not smooth sailing.
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