From an award-winning animated film by a celebrated director to the return of a beloved franchise, there's a lot to explore in cinemas this weekend. Here’s everything you need to know about this week’s theatrical releases.

The Boy and the Heron (Japanese)

Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki

Cast: Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Ko Shibasaki, Aimyon, Yoshino Kimura, Takuya Kimura, Kaoru Kobayashi, Shinobu Otake

Hayao Miyazaki’s animated fantasy film The Boy and the Heron clinched the Oscar for best animated feature film at the 96th Academy Awards. It revolves around Mahito Maki, a young boy who relocates to a rural area following his mother’s passing. While exploring his new surroundings, Mahito stumbles upon a deserted tower and encounters a conversing grey heron inside it.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (English)

Directed by: Wes Ball

Cast: Owen Teague, Freya Allan, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, William H. Macy

Kingdom of the Apes, a standalone sequel to the 2017 film War for the Planet of the Apes, marks the fourth chapter in the reboot series and the 10th overall instalment of the franchise. Set three centuries after the events of the war, it charts the adventures of a young chimpanzee named Noa (Owen Teague) and his human companion Mae (Freya Allan) as they venture forth to shape the destinies of both apes and humans.

Srikanth (Hindi)

Directed by: Tushar Hiranandani

Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Jyotika, Alaya F, Sharad Kelkar

Srikanth is a biopic depicting the remarkable life of Srikanth Bolla, a visually-impaired entrepreneur who established Bollant Industries. Rajkummar Rao portrays the titular role and Jyotika plays his mentor. The film follows Srikanth's inspiring journey, starting from his struggles to pursue science education to being accepted into four prestigious global universities. It also highlights his entrepreneurial spirit, showcasing how he founded a startup aimed at providing employment opportunities to visually impaired individuals.

Chaalchitra Ekhon (Bengali)

Directed by: Anjan Dutt

Cast: Anjan Dutt, Sawon Chakraborty, Bidipta Chakraborty, Suprobhat Das, Subhasish Mukherjee

Anjan Dutt plays Kunal Sen, a filmmaker modelled after the late auteur Mrinal Sen, in Chalchitra Ekhon. Sawon Chakraborty portrays Ranjan Dutt, a character inspired by Anjan himself, while Bidipta Chakraborty takes on the role of Kunal’s spouse. The movie explores the intricate bond between mentor and protégé as they embark on a challenging film project together. They confront personal struggles and societal expectations, ultimately finding comfort in the vibrant cultural milieu of Kolkata.

Dabaru (Bengali)

Directed by: Pathikrit Basu

Cast: Samadarshi Sarkar, Arghya Basu Roy, Rituparna Sengupta, Dipankar Dey, Chiranjeet

Dabaru chronicles the remarkable journey of Surya (played by Samadarshi Sarkar and Arghya Basu Roy), a gifted chess player, as he rises from the streets of North Kolkata to attain the esteemed title of a chess grandmaster. Amidst numerous obstacles—physical, financial and emotional—Surya finds unwavering support from his grandfather Navin Kumar (Dipankar Dey) and mother Karuna Devi (Rituparna Sengupta). His coach Rathindra (Chiranjeet) also plays a crucial role in fostering Surya’s extraordinary talent.

Nayan Rahashya (Bengali)

Directed by: Sandip Ray

Cast: Indraneil Sengupta, Ayush Das, Abhijit Guha, Abhinav Barua, Debnath Chatterjee

Bengal’s iconic sleuth Feluda (Indraneil Sengupta) is set for a new adventure in Chennai in Sandip Ray’s Nayan Rahasya, which is based on a novella of the same name by Satyajit Ray. His cousin Topshe (Ayush Das) and writer-friend Jatayu (Abhijit Guha) also join him in this adventure. The trio are tasked with protecting a wonder kid named Jyotishko aka Nayan (Abhinav Barua), who can answer any question about numbers.