A diverse slate of new movies are set to hit cinemas this week, making the Durga Puja festivities even more fun for cine-goers. Apart from the four Bengali releases — DeSu7, Bohurupi: The Golden Daku, Emperor Vs Sarat Chandra, and The Eken: Kerala-e Kurukshetra — there are six Hindi, English, Tamil, and Telugu movies releasing in theatres. Here’s all you need to know.
Jailer 2 (Tamil)
Directed by: Nelson Dilipkumar
Cast: Rajinikanth, SJ Suryah, Mithun Chakraborty, Suraj Venjaramoodu, Ramya Krishnan, Yogi Babu, Mirnaa, Vidya Balan
Rajinikanth reprises his role as retired jailer Tiger Muthuvel Pandian in Nelson Dilipkumar’s Jailer 2, the sequel to the 2023 blockbuster. After taking down an idol-smuggling syndicate in the first film, Pandian finds himself facing a fresh battle as the entire network turns against him. With former allies and new adversaries joining forces, the retired officer is drawn into a fight he believed he had left behind. Mohanlal, Shiva Rajkumar, Hrithik Roshan, Jackie Shroff and Vijay Sethupathi are expected to make cameo appearances in the film.
Prahaar (Hindi)
Directed by: Avinash Arun
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sikandar Kher, Jaideep Ahlawat, Ashish Vidyarthi, Lalit Prabhakar, Ritvik Sahore
Rajkummar Rao plays public prosecutor Ujjwal Deorao Nikam in Prahaar, a courtroom drama centred on the legal battle that followed the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The film follows Nikam as he leads the prosecution against Ajmal Kasab, the lone surviving gunman, determined to secure justice for the victims and ensure the harshest possible punishment for the accused. Wamiqa Gabbi plays Nikam’s wife in the film.
Nayyi Navelli (Hindi)
Directed by: Balaji Mohan
Cast: Yami Gautam, Anurag Thakur, Sunita Rajwar, Suneel Sinha, Sushmita Mukherjee, Mita Vashisht, Addinath Kothare, Sonal Jha
Yami Gautam takes on the role of a dayan (witch) in the horror comedy Nayyi Navelli. Set in a middle-class household in Meerut, the film follows her character as a newly-wed daughter-in-law who quickly wins over the family with her cultured demeanour. However, Bantu, played by Anurag Thakur, remains convinced that his sister-in-law is a witch and is determined to expose her. As his claims clash with the family's growing affection for the new bahu, doubts emerge over her true identity.
Ranabaali (Telugu)
Directed by: Rahul Sankrityan
Cast: Vijay Deverakonda, Rashmika Mandanna, Arnold Vosloo
Set during the Madras famine of 1876-78, the film follows Singanamala Bobbili Ranabaali, played by Vijay Deverakonda, as he resists British forces threatening his village. A horseman deeply connected to his land and traditions, Ranabaali fights to protect his community. Rashmika Mandanna plays his wife, Jayamma, who joins the resistance despite being pregnant. Arnold Vosloo appears as British commissioner Sir Theodore Hector, inspired by Sir Richard Temple.
Whalefall (English)
Directed by: Brian Duffield
Cast: Austin Abrams, Josh Brolin
Austin Abrams stars as Jay Gardiner in Whalefall, an adaptation of Daniel Kraus’ novel of the same name. Following his father’s (Josh Brolin) death, Jay ventures into the waters off California’s central coast to recover his remains. However, the emotional mission turns into a fight for survival when a giant sperm whale swallows him alive. Trapped inside the creature with barely an hour of oxygen left, Jay must draw on his instincts and the lessons taught by his late father to find an escape route before his time runs out.
Street Fighter(English)
Directed by: Kitao Sakurai
Cast: Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang, Joe Anoa'i, David Dastmalchian, Cody Rhodes, Eric André, Andrew Schulz, Vidyut Jammwal, Curtis Jackson, Jason Momoa
This action comedy, based on Capcom’s popular video game franchise, marks the third live-action feature adaptation of the series. Set in 1993, the story follows estranged martial artists Ryu and Ken Masters, who are recruited by Chun-Li to compete in the next World Warrior Tournament. However, what begins as a fighting competition soon takes a darker turn, forcing the two warriors to confront each other and their personal demons. The film marks Vidyut Jammwal’s Hollywood debut.