PremiumFrom Air, Purusha Pretham to Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai, The Mirror - 10 standout OTT original films of 2023 you can't miss
Viewers enjoyed the social commentary, intrigue, and relationships featured in this year's OTT movies.
Last Updated: 01.30 PM, Dec 13, 2023
Various OTT platforms have released an eclectic mix of captivating and intellectually stimulating original films in 2023. As the year is about to end, we decided to explore the OTT original films of the year, highlighting the work of filmmakers, writers, and performers who have created compelling stories that go beyond categories, from thrilling thrillers to touching tales.
Take a look at the 10 films that delves into the complexities of relationships, the influence of social issues, and the cinematic brilliance of 2023. These films have garnered acclaim for their exceptional cinematography, distinctive stories, and outstanding performances.
Check it out in detail below:
The Malayalam film Aayirathonnu Nunakal is a story of intrigue that begins with a series of falsehoods. In the midst of jokes and feasting, a group of close friends concocts a daring plan: to tell their partners a secret they've been keeping hidden. Thamar directed the film, which features Zhinz Shan, Ninin Kassim, Shamla Hamza, Remya Suresh, and Vishnu Agasthya.
The tense film Aayirathonnu Nunakal brings attention to Malayali married couples. The low-budget independent film uses several tried-and-true plot elements, but it takes a new approach to the subject matter.
In the Ben Affleck-directed film AIR, Michael Jordan, who was unproven at the time, worked with Nike's fledgling basketball division to launch the Air Jordan brand, which sparked a cultural and sporting revolution. The film features Chris Tucker, Viola Davis, Marlon Wayans, Jason Bateman, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon.
After an absence of over seven years following 2016's Live by Night, Ben Affleck has triumphantly returned to directing with AIR. While the film is certainly a departure from his earlier works and isn't quite as riveting as Argo, it does offer a fascinating look at the people who changed the face of sports marketing.
In Ali Abbas Zafar's Bloody Daddy, Sumair Azad (Shahid Kapoor) and Jaggi (Zeishan Quadri) make off with the cocaine bag belonging to Sikandar Chowdhary (Ronit Roy). Consequently, Sikandar abducts Sumair's son; however, events take a twist when Sumair misplaces the bag of cocaine.
The adaptation of the 2011 French film Sleepless Night nearly succeeds as a blockbuster by having all the necessary components. With exciting performances by Shahid Kapoor, Ronit Roy, Rajeev Khandelwal, Sanjay Kapoor, and Zeishan Quadri, the film elevates because of its stylish setup and kickass action sequences.
In the heartwarming film Gulmohar, directed by Rahul V. Chittella, the Batra family must abandon their home, which is 34 years old, in just four days. The film then shows hidden fears and doubts emerge in the midst of chaos and unpredictability. With Sharmila Tagore shown as the matriarch of the family and her camaraderie with Manoj Bajpayee, who plays his adopted son, Gulmohar hits the right note in a beautiful way. The film showcases a fantastic piece of work after a very long time. In addition, the whole cast expertly performs the well-written film.
The satirical comedy drama immediately captured attention upon its announcement. Yashowardhan Mishra directed the film, while Ashok Mishra penned it, showcasing how the disappearance of two highly valued jackfruits from a politician's garden prompts an adventurous police officer to embark on an unusual journey in her pursuit of justice.
The effort at storytelling is admirable, and the writing is too simplistic. The screenplay is clean and precise because the makers expertly omit superfluous subplots. Without trying the patience of the audience, the film keeps a constant pace throughout. However flawed the film is, it still keeps up due to the performances by the lead actors, including Sanya Malhotra, Anant V Joshi, Vijay Raaz, Rajpal Yadav, Brijendra Kala, Neha Saraf, and Raghubir Yadav.
The slice-of-life film is about an elderly couple named Ramateertha (Rajendra Prasad) and Krishnaveni (Gautami Tadimalla) who find social media in their need to maintain contact with their children who are currently living overseas. The Raj Madiraju directorial shows the couple's relationship in doubt after they slip into a social media abyss, despite their early enthusiasm.
Although it has its flaws, KrishnaRama succeeds in all the ways that a well-crafted film should: it entertains, it makes you care about the characters, and it makes you think. A level-headed director uses Rajendra Prasad and Gautami's expertise to guide the ship.
In the Santosh Kata-directed movie, a couple intends to elope to Dubai while two young children from a rural town dream of taking their first trip. Anasuya Bharadwaj, Sangeeth Shobhan, and Saanvee Megghana take on the lead roles in the film, showcasing the irrevocable alteration of their lives after a chance encounter. Prema Vimanam charmingly connects two separate plotlines, and the film's plot is intriguing, the acting is top-notch, and definitely the final thirty minutes are rock solid.
Krishand has directed Purusha Pretham, which follows Inspector Sebastian through his emotional, personal, and procedural quagmire with an unidentified male corpse. The attention shifts to him. All hell breaks loose when he loses track of the body, which occurs somewhere between his personal problems and procedural errors. When the man's relatives come to identify him, Sebastian tries to find time to clean up the chaos.
There are a plethora of interesting characters in Purusha Pretham, and the film is thrilling to see because of the cast's energetic performances: Darshana Rajendran, Alexander Prasanth, Jagadish, Maala Parvathi, Rahul Rajagopal, and Geethi Sangeetha's energetic performances. The police force in Kerala becomes the target of this black comedy, telling multiple stories in each frame of the film.
Apoorv Singh Karki has directed the film, which features a superlative performance by the lead actor, Manoj Bajpayee, portraying Adv. P. C. Solanki, a session court lawyer engaged in a protracted legal struggle against a godman accused of abusing a minor girl, based on true events.
The crisp direction and riveting script are two of the film's many strong points. The accomplished writing of multiple scenes is mostly responsible for this success. It would have been easy for the filmmakers to sensationalise the subject matter in a film like this, yet they succeed in captivating you without doing so. Instead, they approach the issue with great empathy and sensitivity, remaining true to the facts and allowing the actors to deliver performances that are both delicate and powerful.
As it turns out, Konkona Sen Sharma's The Mirror is a delightful combination and the best film in Lust Stories 2. This film follows a fashion designer (Tillotama Shome) who finds out that her maid (Amruta Subhash) and her husband (Shrikant Yadav) were having sex in her bedroom while she was away from the house.
The actor-filmmaker redirects the idea of spontaneous anger and revulsion to different domains rather than delving into them. In a subtle way, it becomes a conversation about the class gap. This film discusses the hypocrisy we display when we acknowledge and embrace our sexual desires. Everything seems more authentic because of the characters' non-verbal knowledge of one another. In addition to Tillothama Shome and Amruta Subhash's outstanding performances, the segment's highlight was the incredible writing.