mid-day's OTT recommendations: Five movies and shows that you can binge-watch

Ever since I made it my mission to discover interesting content language stopped being a barrier While I am yet to catch some good Bangla Gujarati and maybe Konkani web shows the diversity has been enlightening August has had quite a few releases mdash some that resonated and lifted my mood while a few that should not have seen the light of the day But I am here only to tell you what you should watch So here are middays OTT recommendations for the monthAani Kay Hava MXPlayerAre you bored of the constant husbandwife bashing jokes in movies shows and even in standup comedy Well I am The context is either about subjugation or extramarital affairs or the lack of chemistry between couples Despite being a country where someone is always getting married going by my social media feed we rarely see content that showcases the good side of this relationship At a time like this I chanced on the Marathi series Aani Kay Hava Its a lighthearted comedy that explores the life of a newly married couple and no it is not a love marriage Reallife couple Priya Bapat and Umesh Bapat bring forth their cutesy banter onscreen through three seasons The first season became an instant favourite Season three went on air on August 6 While it has been a hit among Marathi content viewing audiences it was a treat to discover this easybreezy chemistry a tad similar to Mithila Palkar and Dhruv Sehgals Little ThingsNavarasa NetflixThis collaboration was kickstarted to support the daily wage workers in the Tamil film industry during the pandemic and also happens to mark Mani Ratnams debut on the web but thats hardly a reason to watch this series Navarasa is an anthology of nine stories that boast spellbinding performances kudos to the stellar casting as they capture nine emotionsrasa in each episode mdash anger compassion laughter wonder courage disgust fear love and peace Among the nine stories a few that stuck with me were Priyadarshans Summer of 92 which is borrowed from Malayalam actor Innocent Vareed Thekkethalas life Project Agni featuring Arvind Swami felt like someone overheard a conversation I often had with close friends when we sit to wonder about the universe Parvathy Thiruvothu and Sidharths Inmai showcased how fear makes you do the unimaginable even if you are the most rational person out there And lastly the feeling of love through Suriyas Guitar Kambi Mele Nindru However one thing that ran common through all the nine stories was the music So after watching the series log on to any music app and listen to each song and see the magic unfoldShershaah Amazon Prime VideoIts independence month and filmmakers often plan a few patriotic movies around August 15 But dont ignore this one assuming it is like any random patriotic film Shershaah is a story of true valour and commitment to the country Lets be honest how often do you hear someone opting to join the army when they are making career decisions The number by far is quite low and we are indebted to those who make that choice One such man who contributed to subverting the 1999 Kargil War was Param Vir Chakra awardee and Indian Army Captain Vikram Batra Shershaah traces his journey and ideology with this biopic that took almost five years to finally hit the screen While I am not a big fan of Sidharth Malhotra he resonated the spirit of Captain Vikram Batra with his performance whose life in itself lends to ample drama and romance So dont miss this one and do sit with a few tissues because this one will get you tearyeyedThe Kissing Booth 3 NetflixThis teen romanticcomedy franchise has been a feelgood venture from the getgo The first two instalments were loved and appreciated and the third part followed suit While the first film revolved around the main character Elle Evans played by Joey King who falls in love with her best friends brother Noah Flynn played by Jacob Elordi the second part had her navigating her emotions when she meets another eligible bachelor all the while juggling her friendship with Joel Courtneys character Lee Flynn The Kissing Booth 3 is finally a more mature outlook at doing something for yourself while keeping your loved ones closer What stuck with me most is Elles idea of loving two people so much that she somewhere forgets to choose herself It teaches you about selflove sometimes putting your own dreams before everyone else is important This easybreezy outing is definitely a fun watchWhat Ifhellip Disney HotstarThis animation series is for those who cannot have enough of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and are disheartened by the end of Avengers Weve all at least one time in our life wondered What Ifhellip we had made a different choice And thats exactly what the series discovers The series explores alternate timelines in the multiverse that show what would happen if major moments from the MCU films occurred differently The first episode is What If Agent Peggy Carter was the first Avenger instead of Steve Rogers The interesting bit the creators roped in some of the original actors to lend voice to their characters We will also hear late Chadwick Boseman voice the character of TChalla and StarLord but that episode will come much later The first 23minute episode is quick covers all the crucial points intertwined with brilliant action and MCUs trademark humour So if you are a curious soul this one is definitely worth the watch