Not too many films directly released on OTT. While some of them were excellent, most were passable. But many were far superior to the theatrical releases.
Deepa Gahlot picks the Top 10 Original Films for OTT in 2025.
The Mehta Boys
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Boman Irani co-wrote and directed this dramedy about an disgruntled man on being forced by circumstances, to reconcile with his estranged son (Avinash Tiwary) after his wife’s death.
Mrs
Where to watch: Z5
Aarti Kadav’s film is a remake of the Malayalam hit The Great Indian Kitchen, and takes a look at the dreary life of a young homemaker (Sanya Malhotra) in a traditional family, who slogs all day to please her unappreciative husband and in-laws.
Dhoom Dhaam
Where to watch: Netflix
Rishabh Seth’s boisterous comedy uses the opposites attract theory to good use, as a mild-mannered man (Pratik Gandhi) and his fiery new bride (Yami Gautam Dhar) have to go on the run when attacked by goons on their wedding night.
Costao
Where to watch: Z5
Based on a true story, Sejal Shah’s film is about an upright customs official (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) who takes on a corrupt system to stop gold smuggling in Goa.
Stolen
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
In this terrifying film, directed by Karan Tejpal, two city guys (Abhishek Banerjee, Shubham Vardan) are trapped in a nightmare when they decide to help a poor woman whose baby has been stolen from a rural railway platform.
Tehran
Where to watch: Netflix>
In Arun Gopalan’s film, John Abraham plays an angry cop who witnesses a bombing in Delhi and goes rogue to punish the perpetrators. He gets pursued by the enemy and abandoned by his own department.
Inspector Zende
Where to watch: Netflix
Written and directed by Chinmay Mandlekar, Inspector Zende sees the eponymous cop (Manoj Bajpayee) go after the ‘bikini killer’ Carl Bhojraj (Jim Sarbh), who has escaped from a Delhi jail, always staying a few steps ahead of the cops.
Songs of Paradise
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video
Inspired by the music of Kashmiri singer Raj Begum, Danish Renzu’s film tells the story of a determined woman (Saba Azad), who defies a conservative community to become the first female radio singer in the state.
Baramulla
Where to watch: Netflix
In Aditya Suhas Jambhale’s gripping film, a cop (Manav Kaul) starts investigating a case of missing children and is caught in a chilling supernatural situation, when strange things happen in the house he has moved into with his family.
Raat Akeli Hai: The Bansal Murders
Where to watch: Netflix
Honey Trehan’s dogged cop Jatil Yadav (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) returns to solve a case of mass murder of a wealthy family and hits a wall of privilege and cronyism.
Photographs curated by Satish Bodas/Rediff
