A diverse slate of new movies are set to hit cinemas in the coming days, making the Durga Puja and Navratri festivities even more fun for cine-goers. Apart from the four big Bengali releases — Raghu Dakat, Raktabeej 2, Devi Chowdhurani and Joto Kando Kolkatatei — there are eight Hindi, English, Kannada, Telugu and Japanese movies releasing in theatres. Here’s all you need to know.
SEPTEMBER 26
Homebound (Hindi)
Directed by: Neeraj Ghaywan
Cast: Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, Janhvi Kapoor
Two childhood friends struggle to land a government job in a small town in India, in Neeraj Ghaywan’s Homebound, which is set for a theatrical release in India following a successful international festival run. The plot follows Chandan (Vishal Jethwa) and Shoaib (Ishaan Khattar), who aspire for a prosperous life and earn respect for themselves and their respective families. But their identities — of belonging to backward communities — act against their wishes. The film also stars Janhvi Kapoor as Sudha Bharti, a PhD aspirant and Chandan’s love interest.
Tu Meri Poori Kahani (Hindi)
Directed by: Suhrita Das
Cast: Hirranya Ojha, Arhaan Pateel, Shammi Duhan, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Juhi Babbar, Avtar Gill, Uday Chandra
Kolkata-born screenwriter Suhrita Das is set to make her directorial debut with Mahesh Bhatt-backed romance drama Tu Meri Poori Kahani. Debutant actress Hirranya Ojha plays a rising star in the romance musical. The story explores her pursuit of fame and success that leads to emptiness, until true love walks into her life. The film marks the reunion of composer Anu Malik with Bhatt.
One Battle After Another (English)
Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, Wood Harris, Chase Infiniti, Alana Haim
Leonardo DiCaprio’s revolutionary Bob strives to save himself and his daughter from law enforcement agents pursuing him for his ties to a vigilante group in the trailer of Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another. Bob’s wife was abducted by authorities who are now after his daughter. But, Bob will stop at nothing to protect her. The film is loosely inspired by Thomas Pynchon’s 1990 novel Vineland.
Shin chan: The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers in India (Japanese)
Directed by: Masakazu Hashimoto
Cast: Yumiko Kobayashi, Miki Narahashi, Satomi Kōrogi, Toshiyuki Morikawa, Kento Kaku, Viking
The 33rd movie in the Shin Chan franchise, Shin chan: The Spicy Kasukabe Dancers in India, follows the Kasukabe Defense Force winning a dance contest and earning a trip to India. However, things take a turn for the worse when Bo gets possessed by a mysterious force and goes rogue. After Bo transforms into a tyrant, Shin Chan and the others embark on an adventure to save Bo and stop him from going on a rampage while indulging in Indian culture and Bollywood dance numbers.
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc (Japanese)
Directed by: Tatsuya Yoshihara
Cast: Kikunosuke Toya, Reina Ueda, Fairouz Ai, Tomori Kusunoki, Shogo Sakata
Chainsaw Man – The Movie: Reze Arc is a Japanese dark fantasy action film adapted from Tatsuki Fujimoto’s manga of the same name. Serving as a sequel to the first season of the anime, it continues the story of Denji, the boy with a Devil’s heart who fights as “Chainsaw Man” under Special Division 4. After a date with Makima, his long-time crush, Denji takes refuge from the rain and encounters Reze, a café worker who changes the course of his life.
They Call Him OG (Telugu)
Directed by: Sujeeth
Cast: Pawan Kalyan, Emraan Hashmi
Emraan Hashmi’s Omi Bhau takes control of Pawan Kalyan’s Ojas Gambheera a.k.a OG’s criminal underworld in the first-look teaser of Sujeeth’s action film They Call Him OG. When OG makes a return after a decade, he faces off against Omi to regain control of his empire.The film marks Hashmi’s Telugu film debut.
OCTOBER 2
Kantara: Chapter 1 (Kannada, Hindi)
Directed by: Rishab Shetty
Cast: Rishab Shetty, Gulshan Devaiah, Rukmini Vasanth, Jisshu Sengupta
This pan-India movie from Hombale Films is the prequel to 2022’s National Award-winning film Kantara, written and fronted by Rishab Shetty, who is set to reprise his role as the protagonist in Kantara: Chapter 1. The film tells a fictional story inspired by the traditions and conflicts surrounding human-forest relationships in coastal Karnataka, specifically focusing on the practice of Bhoota Kola.
Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari (Hindi)
Directed by: Shashank Khaitan
Cast: Varun Dhawan, Janhvi Kapoor, Sanya Malhotra, Rohit Saraf
Varun Dhawan’s Sunny and Janhvi Kapoor’s Tulsi team up to win their love back in Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari, directed by Shashank Khaitan. The trailer shows Sunny marriage proposal being rejected by Sanya Malhotra’s Ananya. Meanwhile, Tulsi’s that her ex-boyfriend Vikram (Rohit Saraf) is set to marry Ananya. Sunny and Tulsi then team up to break Ananya and Vikram’s engagement and win back their former partners. Along the way, Sunny develops feelings for Tulsi.