From Mubarak’s assassination to Big Girls Don’t Cry, here are the best OTT releases of the week

This week we have two big Indian originals coming out in the form of Netflix thriller Murder Mubarak and Prime Video boarding school drama Big Girls Don’t Cry. The first is the adaptation of Anuja Chauhan’s 2021 mystery novel Club You to Death — where a Zumba instructor is found dead at the fictional and tight-knit Royal Elite Delhi Club, a hotbed for the mingling of the ultra-rich. As each character has their own dark secrets, finding the culprit becomes an Agatha Christie-style mystery.

Big Girls Don’t Cry, on the other hand, is a sweet coming-of-age drama set in an all-girls boarding school and will surely take you back to your teenage days. It carefully describes the daily challenges of teenage girls in a tightly regulated environment.

Another big release is the concert film Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, which will give you a look at Taylor Swift’s live performances during the tour, as well as never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage. The pop star made sure to include a few surprises for her fans as well.

For documentary enthusiasts, Prime Video has one based on the life of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. The documentary examines her journey through the lens of her diary, revealing letters, essays and print interviews.

Another option to consider is Netflix’s Turning point: The Bomb and the Cold War, which gives an intriguing account of the Cold War. From the development of the atomic bomb to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, this documentary has it all.

On the international front, we recommend Bandidos (Spanish), which revolves around treasure hunters chasing Mayan treasures, and Young Royal Season 3, which is set in a Swedish boarding school landscape. With that, here are some of our top picks from this week’s new OTT releases.

Assassination of Mubarak

Where: Netflix

When: Now streaming

Netflix’s newest murder mystery takes you into the world of Delhi’s hypocritical elites who breathe shallowness and breathe pettiness. The focus is on the fictional Royal Elite Delhi Club, where a Zumba instructor, Leo (Aashim Gulati), is found dead, prompting an investigation.

Under the radar of suspicion are a typical South Delhi girl (Sara Ali Khan), a deadly lover from Chandni Chowk (Vijay Varma), a B-movie actress (Karisma Kapoor), a drunken artist (Dimple Kapadia), a gossip (Tiska Chopra) and her addict to drugs, party son (Sahail Nayar). With each character hiding their own secrets, it’s hard to guess the real culprit.

The case is handled by a meticulous detective named ACP Bhavani Singh who has his own colorful ways to uncover the truth. Pankaj Tripathi performed the role with his usual brilliance.

Chief Atal Hun

Where: Zee5

When: Now streaming

Pankaj Tripathi stars as former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in this biopic based on journalist Sarang Darshane’s biography of the politician. The film attempts to chronicle his political achievements and depicts how the hard-liner navigated the Indian polity during key events such as the Kargil War. Here you will find many key moments from his political career, including his iconic speeches.

While the film also claims to show his poetic side, it avoids exploring the former prime minister’s personal life. The filmmakers have also conveniently left out several controversial aspects, such as the opposition Vajpayee’s ideas found within his parent organisation, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

If nothing else, you can watch this biopic for the brilliant performance of Tripathi, who nailed Vajpayee’s body language, diction and confidence perfectly. However, if you are a history buff or have a strong interest in India’s political history, don’t expect a multifaceted presentation with rich writing.

Big girls don’t cry

Where: Prime Video

When: Now streaming

Nitya Mehra’s Big Girl’s Don’t Cry (Made in Heaven) takes you to a girl’s boarding school in a hill town. Here, Pooja Bhatt plays a strict principal who is more than likely to remind you of Amitabh Bachchan’s Narayan Shankar from Mohabbatein, given that both of them cannot tolerate even a slight deviation from their institution’s deep-rooted core values.

Like all teen dramas for girls, here you will meet a trendsetting gang boss. Featuring “twice failed” Pluggy who just wants to lose her virginity, ambitious Noor who wants to get into an American college at all costs, sporty Ludo who wants to be a sports captain, best friends JC and Roohi, and two of whom are victims of a family freak, the non-stop rebel Dia and Kavya, the new girl desperate to make it to the cool kids table.

The show offers a sweet candy of nostalgia that will make you laugh with relatability. It correctly captures the issues of teenage girls, from heartbreak, jealousy, emotional impulses and camaraderie to ambition and hormonal growth.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour

Where: Disney+ Hotstar

When: Now streaming

Taylor Swift needs no introduction. The American pop singer-songwriter enjoys a global fan following, with her fans often referred to as Swifties. Taylor Swift began her sixth concert tour in March last year in Arizona, with 152 concerts arranged across five continents. This concert film gives a behind-the-scenes look at her musical journey and power-packed performances on tour so far (the final show will be in December this year). The performances conceptualize her evolution through different “eras” of her career.

While the film was originally released in theaters and enjoyed its fair share of success, the digital version has fans excited for the four new acoustic performances in the Disney version, including Maroon and Death by a Thousand Cuts. Some of the bonus tracks included in this music documentary are ‘Wildest Dreams’, ‘The Archer’ and ‘Long Live’.

Grey’s Anatomy season 20

Where: Disney+ Hotstar

When: Now streaming

Primetime’s longest-running medical drama is back with a new season. The TV show follows Meredith Gray, the daughter of a famous surgeon, and the team of doctors at Gray Sloan Memorial Hospital who face life or death decisions every day. Over the years, “Grey’s Anatomy” has covered Dr. Gray’s days as an intern to internship.

This season, she returns to Gray-Sloan Memorial Hospital after moving to Boston. Expect a new batch of interns, intense medical situations, moral dilemmas and much more. For the first time in the show’s history, Ellen Pompeo’s Meredith Gray will not be returning as a regular, with her appearance limited to just four episodes. However, she would provide voices for all episodes.

Another new addition is show writer Meg Marinis, who replaces Krista Vernoff as host. However, Marinis has been associated with the show since its inception.

Pursuit

Where: Apple TV+

When: Now streaming

While the political achievements and assassination of Abraham Lincoln have been the focus of many films and shows surrounding the political figure, the latest on Apple TV focuses mainly on Lincoln’s Secretary of War and longtime friend, Edwin Stanton (Tobias Menzies), who tries to track down against the murderer John Wilkes Booth (Anthony Boyle).

As the investigation continues, political conspiracies unfold. The series focuses on various chapters of Lincoln’s personal life, including the loss of his son and his conflicts with his wife.

Monica Belecki, who wrote the third season of Fargo, wears the hats of writer and producer of Manhunt. Tobias Menzies did an impressive job. The rest of the cast also delivered nuanced performances.