Netflix India is having a dream run. Year 2023 saw the streaming giant put out one winner after another — Kaala Paani to Kohrra, The Railway Men to Guns & Gulaabs, Trial by Fire to Kho Gaye Hum Kahan. An Oscar (The Elephant Whisperers) and an International Emmy (Vir Das: Landing) were the perks, with Netflix going big and reaping bigger dividends.
Intending to take forward this purple patch, Netflix India announced its slate for the first few months of 2024 at the ‘Next on Netflix’ showcase in Mumbai’s Mehboob Studios last weekend. As many as 22 titles covering the gamut of thriller, comedy, drama, reality, musical and more were unveiled in front of a packed audience.
“We are always looking at entertainment ka next level,” said Monika Shergill, vice president of content at Netflix India, before the showcase kicked off, outlining Netflix’s reach across the world. “About 260 million households all over the world subscribe to Netflix. If we conservatively consider that only two members in each household watch Netflix, that is easily half a billion in terms of an audience to target,” said Shergill. Staggering numbers indeed, and something tells us that these new titles will play a huge role in upping those figures. Here is what was announced with t2 in the house.
Amar Singh Chamkila
Release date: April 12
Without a doubt, one of the most exciting titles to look forward to is Imtiaz Ali’s film on the untold story of Punjab’s OG rock star Amar Singh Chamkila. The highest-selling artiste of his time, who was killed in broad daylight at age 27, Chamkila’s name is hardly unknown in households in Punjab, and for the makers of the film, it is time the world knew his story.
Diljit Dosanjh, who plays Chamkila, and Parineeti Chopra as Chamkila’s wife Amarjot, were accompanied by the original Rockstar team of Imtiaz, music maestro A.R. Rahman, singer Mohit Chauhan and lyricist Irshad Kamil.
“When you make a story about a musician from such a musically rich state of India, it is special. We have given our take and in parts, the film is like a Broadway musical,” said Rahman, with Imtiaz pitching in with how exciting it was to see the two-time Oscar winner “dive into the heart of Punjabi music in Chamkila”.
Do Patti
Release date: To be announced (TBA)
Kajol and Kriti Sanon team up for a gritty thriller whose first look at ‘Next on Netflix’ promised a rollercoaster ride. Kriti turns producer with Do Patti, which is described as “the perfect puree of mystery, suspense and drama” and takes place in the hills of North India. “I always wanted to be more than just an actor on set and Do Patti is a perfect film to debut as a producer with,” said Kriti, statuesque in an oversized green pantsuit. Writer Kanika Dhillon is also a producer of the film. “Seeing the screen light up with Kriti vs Kajol is a dream for any writer or producer,” said Kanika at the launch.
Murder Mubarak
Release date: March 15
Anuja Chauhan’s bestseller Club You To Death gets the Bolly treatment by Homi Adajania in this intriguingly-named thriller which focuses on, well, murder. Boasting an eclectic cast — Sara Ali Khan to Pankaj Tripathi, Karisma Kapoor to Vijay Varma, Dimple Kapadia to Tisca Chopra and more — the film is set against the backdrop of the lives of Delhi’s swish set.
Present to showcase their film were Sanjay Kapoor, Vijay, Tisca and Suhail Nayyar. “Netflix is making me work very hard the whole year round,” joked Vijay whose IC814: The Kandahar Hijack was also unveiled at the same event. In Murder Mubarak, the popular young actor plays a lawyer who fights cases pro bono.
“Murder Mubarak is a delicious recipe of wacky humour, deception and intrigue. Imagine seven off-the-wall suspects, each more peculiar than the other, in a plot so twisted that the guessing game is anyone’s guess!” said producer Dinesh Vijan.
Maharaj
Release date: TBA
Aamir Khan’s son Junaid makes his acting debut with this period drama which, after The Railway Men, marks another Yash Raj Films x Netflix project. Directed by Hichki maker Siddharth P. Malhotra, Maharaj is inspired by true events and is described as a David vs Goliath story.
Wild Wild Punjab
Release date: TBA
Perhaps a riff on Netflix’s hugely popular Osho documentary Wild Wild Country but as different from it as chalk is from cheese, is this comedy about a bunch of friends taking off on a road trip through “wild wild Punjab” after one of them suffers a breakup.
Pyaar Ka Punchnama and Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar man Luv Ranjan brings together Jassie Gill, Sunny Singh, Varun Sharma, Manjot Singh and Patralekhaa, among others, in this crazy ride where the drunk pals decide to avenge the friend’s breakup by crashing his ex’s wedding. “Hollywood has stoner comedies, ours is a drunk comedy,” laughed Ranjan at the launch.
Dabba Cartel
Release date: TBA
Shibani Dandekar Akhtar turns showrunner for this production from husband Farhan Akhtar’s Excel Entertainment. The teaser showcased at ‘Next on Netflix’ makes Dabba Cartel — which shows five ordinary women from the Mumbai suburb of Thane beginning to peddle drugs through a dabba delivery business — a must-watch. Dabba Cartel is powered by a strong female cast comprising Shabana Azmi, Jyothika, Sai Tamhankar and Nimisha Sajayan, along with Gajraj Rao and Jisshu Sengupta. “Shibani is the creator of Dabba Cartel and that makes it even more special for me,” said Farhan who strode in with Shibani and the show’s other creators.
Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar
Release date: TBA
Auteur Sanjay Leela Bhansali brings sweeping spectacle and strong storytelling to his web debut with this tale of love, loss, revenge and retribution set in the world of courtesans in British-ruled India. Present at ‘Next on Netflix’ was the as-good-as-it-gets cast — Manisha Koirala, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Richa Chadha, Sanjeeda Shaikh and Sharmin Segal — looking stunning in pink Rimple & Harpreet lehngas.
While Sonakshi was all praises for Manisha, the latter spoke about how Bhansali had “grown as an artiste and genius” in the 28 years since she had worked with him in his debut film Khamoshi. “Shooting a show has given us more time with him and we have seen how his soul goes into everything he does,” said Aditi who worked with SLB in Padmaavat.
Richa summed up the magic of Bhansali with: “Everyone can give costumes and sets but he has the vision of an aesthete. Bees kilo ka costume pehnake, aath round ghumaake, phir bithake aur ek aankh se ek aansoon nikaalna sirf Sanjay Leela Bhansali kar sakte hain.”
Sikandar Ka Muqaddar
Release date: TBA
Filmmaker Neeraj Pandey teams up with Netflix for a heist thriller that spans 18 years. Sikandar Ka Muqaddar — a smart turnaround of the title of the classic Amitabh Bachchan ’70s hit — will be shot in India and abroad.
Vijay 69
Release date: TBA
Bringing quirk to the delectable 2024 menu is Anupam Kher’s Vijay 69 which traces a sexagenarian (played by Kher) attempting to beat all the odds to compete in a triathlon. From YRF, Vijay 69 had Kher in the house at Mehboob Studios. “When I was narrated the story of this film, I didn’t know how to swim. I learnt swimming last year and even broke my shoulder while working on this film. I can safely say that Vijay 69 is one of the best among the 500-odd films I have done so far,” said the actor.
IC814: The Kandahar Hijack
Release date: TBA
One title that has t2 very excited is this retelling of the harrowing IC814 hijack of 1999, which lasted seven days and was the longest in Indian aviation history. Anubhav Sinha assembles some of the best names in the business — Naseeruddin Shah, Pankaj Kapur, Arvind Swami, Vijay Verma, Aditya Srivastava, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Dibyendu Bhattacharya and many more. Describing it as a great script with mind blowing performances, Sinha said at the showcase: “This is a story of those seven days of mayhem, skill and tact. This is a story that created unexpected heroes out of the most unprecedented crises.”
Mandala Murders
Release date: TBA
Vaani Kapoor makes her OTT debut with Mandala Murders
This YRF-Netflix collab has Vaani Kapoor making her digital debut. Mardaani 2 man Gopi Puthran directs this gritty story about two detectives investigating a series of murders which are tied to a century-old secret society. “I had never done action before and this is also my foray into the thriller genre. I can’t wait for the audience to watch it,” said Vaani, fetching in a mint-green body-hugging number and sporting bangs.
The Great Indian Kapil Show
Release date: March 30
Six years after their fallout which made them part ways as professionals, Netflix has managed a coup by getting funny men Kapil Sharma and Sunil Grover together. The Great Indian Kapil Show, which premieres at the end of the month, also comprises Kapil’s core team of Archana Puran Singh, Krushna Abhishek, Kiku Sharda and Rajiv Thakur.
“Ghar badla hain, parivaar nahin,” is the promise from this much-awaited title that saw the gang engage in some fun (and familiar) banter, with the “awkward” reunion between Kapil and Sunil bringing on the laughs. Can’t wait!
Maamla Legal Hai
Currently streaming
Set within the fictional confines of Patparganj District Court, this gavel-slamming courtroom comedy from the makers of last year’s riveting Kaala Paani is a laugh riot but also makes one ponder. Ravi Kishan leads an eclectic cast in this series that brings to the fore some bizarre cases, which may or may not have been inspired by real life.
Docu Tales
The Greatest Rivalry — India vs Pakistan
Release date: TBA
Cricket is an emotion for Indians and the deepest emotions of every Indian are stoked by an India-Pakistan match. That’s what the makers of The Greatest Rivalry — India vs Pakistan attempt to decode in this documentary that features subcontinental legends of the game like Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Shoaib Akhtar, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Sourav Ganguly. “Rivalries define the intensity and passion behind any sport. And in cricket, there is no greater rivalry than India vs Pakistan. This docu-series delves into the relationship dynamics of this intense engagement and what makes this emotion tick,” said the makers.
To Kill a Tiger
Release date: TBA
Netflix hopes to do a repeat of The Elephant Whisperers with Nisha Pahuja’s To Kill a Tiger, which has been nominated at this year’s Academy Awards for Best Documentary Feature. The documentary focuses on a teenage girl, her father, and their fight for justice after she is sexually assaulted. “This is a conversation about bravery, getting through tough times and never giving up,” said the team.
Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous
Release date: TBA
We all know Yo Yo Honey Singh. But does anyone know who Hirdesh Singh is? This Mozez Singh-directed documentary, produced by Oscar winner Guneet Monga Kapoor, takes a deep dive into the overnight success and sudden disappearance of the Punjabi pop star. Honey Singh, who regaled the audience at the showcase with a few of his hits including Lungi dance from Chennai Express, said: “I have been through a lot and I needed a camera to tell my side of the story. This documentary is the perfect platform for it.”
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Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba
Taapsee Pannu in Phir Aayi Hasseen Dilruba
Release date: TBA
Taapsee Pannu returns as the femme fatale in the sequel to the 2021 hit Haseen Dillruba. Vikrant Massey reprises the role of her husband with Jimmy Shergill and Sunny Kaushal as the new additions to the cast.
The cast and crew were present in full force at the announcement, with Taapsee dressed in character as Rani, right down to the all-too-familiar red rose in the hair. “She has more love, more courage and, of course, more madness,” is how Taapsee summed up Rani in her 2.0 outing.
Khakee: The Bengal Chapter
Release date: TBA
Season 2 of Neeraj Pandey’s much-loved Khakee moves from the badlands of Bihar to the ganglands of Bengal. Set in 2003 Calcutta, expect the same adrenaline rush as Season One with this story of two honest cops hot on the trail of a dreaded don. Pandey promises a “bigger, bolder season”.
Kota Factory 3
Release date: TBA
Kota Factory walked so that 12th Fail could run. The third outing of this immensely popular series about the highs and lows of IIT aspirants brings back Jitendra Kumar aka ‘Jeetu Bhaiya’ and throws Tillotama Shome into the mix. “The upcoming season is filled with emotions and drama, promising to keep the fans engaged,” said the makers.
Mismatched 3
Release date: TBA
The third outing of this Young Adult franchise, which stars Prajakta Koli and Rohit Saraf as a couple falling in and out of love, has their characters Dimple and Rishi back together and in a new city. “There is a lot that happens in Season 3. There is an evolution of all the characters and not just Rishi and Dimple,” said Rohit on stage.
Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein 2
Release date: TBA
Currently in the filming stage, the twisted thriller starring Tahir Raj Bhasin, Shweta Tripathi Sharma and Aanchal Singh turns “deadlier in a game with no rules”. Gurmeet Choudhary makes an entry this season.
Fabulous Lives vs Bollywood Wives
Release date: TBA
Two seasons of fighting and makeup, gossip and ganging up later, the ‘Bollywood Wives’ — Neelam Kothari Soni, Bhavana Panday, Seema Sachdev and Maheep Kapoor — have to up their game when faced with the ‘Fabulous Lives’ this season. It is Mumbai vs Delhi this time, with Riddhima Kapoor Sahni, Kalyani Saha Chawla and Shalini Passi making an entry. Going by what we saw in the showcase (a lot of cattiness and quick-witted replies), be prepared for a cracker from producer Karan Johar!
Which are your Top 3 most-awaited titles from the 2024 slate?
Tellt2@abp.in