Aarya is streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar.Bejoy Nambiar’s creation Taish is available as a film, as well as a show on ZEE5. It is a stylish but somewhat messy narrative which boasts of excellent production. What Taish lacks in substance, it makes up with style. Here are a few more shows and films that are similar to the Bejoy Nambiar directorial.
Shaitan
Yes, we start with a Bejoy Nambiar film. Because Shaitan does what Taish is unable to do. It tells a compelling story, while keeping the narrative style intact. There are some credible performances too, thanks to actors like Rajeev Khandelwal, Rajkummar Rao, Kalki Koechlin, Neil Bhoopalam, Kirti Kulhari and Gulshan Devaiah. A black comedy thriller, Shaitan is gripping, at times intense, but always engaging.
You can watch Shaitan on YouTube.
Ugly
An upgrade on both Shaitaan and Taish, Ugly is an Anurag Kashyap directorial. Ugly is not stylish like the aforementioned movies, but it does offer an intriguing story that is told with a convincing voice. That voice never wavers, from dingy rooms to police stations, we travel with Ugly’s promising cast and stay with the story until the end. Perhaps the only similarity it does bear to Taish is that Ugly is also a crime-drama, and a much more convincing one at that.
Ugly is available to stream on Disney Plus Hotstar.
Aarya
Sushmita Sen’s comeback series Aarya has everything Nambiar’s Taish has and more. It has a solid crime angle, a great cast and is also quite the looker. Aarya tells the story of a reluctant mob boss (Sen) who has to step up after her husband dies, leaving a messy business and a scared family behind. Aarya also stars Chandrachur Singh, Flora Saini, Sikandar Kher, Namit Das, Jayant Kripalani and Vikas Kumar.
You can watch Aarya on Disney Plus Hotstar.
Sacred Games Season 1
Yes, it’s a little late now. But if you still haven’t seen Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane’s show on religion, politics and crime, then you are missing out on essential desi original content. Netflix India’s first original series was a big hit and became an instant classic for its themes, performances and production. It also marked Saif Ali Khan’s big digital debut.
Both the seasons of Sacred Games are streaming on Netflix.
David
Another Bejoy Nambiar directorial, and another ambitious, elegant but chaotic movie. Vikram, Vinay Virmani and Neil Nitin Mukesh play the titular role in this feature which is set in 1975, 1999 and 2010. Three men called David in different years, and different places do something that alters their lives in significant ways. The premise is novel and interesting. Unfortunately, the execution is not. However, I would suggest, check David out for its fresh way of approaching storytelling. You will most likely come out on the other side applauding the maker for his efforts. Tabu, Lara Dutta, Monica Dogra and Isha Sharvani also feature in pivotal roles.
David is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.