Srivathsan Nadadhur

In Sundarakanda, Siddharth (Nara Rohith) faces a quintessential problem common to most middle-aged protagonists in Telugu cinema’s romcoms. The parents are worried that their ageing son may never get married, while the typical man-child will not agree to a girl unless she matches his specific requirements. However, the Nara Rohith starrer gives this idea a cheeky little twist and playfully subverts it. The film’s title is a throwback to Venkatesh’s 1992 hit by the same name, and there is enough thematic similarity between the two to establish a clear connection. While the former featured an unconventional equation between a male teacher and a feisty student, the 2025 film is a tale of a man who turns a teacher to woo his lady love (creepy, yes), tackling ageism with tongue-in-cheek humour.

Niraj, Archie and Parth have cleared their CA Group 1 exams. Both Parth and Archie land articleships in different companies, juggling their time for exam preparation. Niraj bumps into his ex, Kavya, again, and the two give their relationship another chance. Tejas continues to support Archie through her highs and lows, while Vishal makes progress with his acting career. The performances generally fit the bill. Given the graph of the characters is limited in terms of complexity, there’s only so much that an actor can do to go beyond the established tropes. Ahsaas Channa is the pick of the lot among the cast; she’s barely tested but tries to bring some earnestness into her performance. Half CA is precisely Kota Factory for CA aspirants – a group of students from different parts of the country across age groups come together to pursue their dream, nearly give up, get distracted, but give it a good shot. Some make it, some don’t, there are heartbreaks, disappointments and time runs out. Through the journey, some victories are literal, others moral, but they gear them for life.

In a bomb blast near the Israeli embassy in Delhi, a six-year-old Indian girl is killed. The blasts coincide with the death of two diplomats in other parts of the globe. Rajeev Kumar, Vijay and Divya, cops from the Special Cell, are out to catch the culprit, Afshar Hosseini, even if it means risking the cancellation of an international gas deal, pressure from superiors to call off the covert operation. John Abraham’s not new to slipping into the shoes of an officer bound by duty; it’s a role and a film tailor-made for him. His agility, body language and restraint help his cause, though the redundancy in his choices dampens the impact considerably. He could do more to loosen up. Manushi Chhillar delivers the goods with a neat, focused performance. She leaves no scope for a false note.

Kanaka Mahalakshmi a.k.a Kanakam, a feisty young woman, is deputed as a constable in Repalle in the 90s. While her male colleagues consistently undermine her capabilities, she finds an ally in a senior cop Sambasiva. Kanakam forges a strong bond with a folk artiste Chandrika, who goes missing. As the missing cases mount in the village, she goes all out to find answers. Varsha Bollamma effortlessly portrays the psychological evolution of Kanakam through the series, from an underdog staffer to an officer who’ll go to any length to seek the truth. She has an arresting screen presence, displaying an uncanny ability to hold a show on her shoulders. Srinivas Avasarala’s penchant for unconventional roles takes an interesting turn, and he responds well to it.

A young woman, Bani’s disappearance into a supernatural darkness leads a cop, Kalpana and a medical student, Jay, on a dangerous quest. They uncover a conspiracy by a pharma CEO, Madhu Uberai, who exploits human suffering. As they try to unravel the secrets behind the darkness, named Tama, they confront their traumas and an unstoppable evil in a final, epic battle to save reality. The show boasts of decent performances all around, though it’s designed to exhibit the vision of the creators more than anything else. Karanvir Malhotra delivers a neat performance as the troubled sibling, trying to make sense of his brother’s trauma. Prajakta Koli’s vibrant, easy-going presence helps her portrayal, and Priya Bapat lends a silent dignity to her sincere cop-act.

Vishnu Shankar can’t come to terms with his inability to prevent nuclear physicist Homi Bhabha’s death. Now married, working under RAW, he’s transferred to Pakistan to stop its emergence as a nuclear power, which could mean doomsday to humankind at large. Torn between his conscience and national duty, Vishnu is relentless, however, paying a heavy price for his choices. There’s no better news than Pratik Gandhi getting his due as an actor – even if it’s on OTT more than the big screen. Playing a role modelled on a real-life hero, he doesn’t make a saint out of him, portrays his integrity, while also highlighting his grey areas. Rajat Kapoor, in the shoes of Kao, has it a little too easy; the character is no real test to his mettle.

In Sony Liv’s Court Kacheri, Param, son of a revered advocate Harish Mathur, works under his father against his wishes. Throughout his life, his father had given him a lot more than he wanted, overwhelming him mostly. Meanwhile, for Suraj, a junior to Harish for a long time, a big break in his legal career remains elusive. A seemingly straightforward divorce case lands in their hands, only for it to take wild turns. Good casting choices get a major chunk of the job done, and Court Kacheri is no different, ambling along seamlessly minus major hiccups. Pavan Raj Malhotra’s endearing portrayal of a hardened father is a huge win, and gets the viewer empathising with his choices. Ashish Verma, as the awkward youngster figuring his way out, is impressive in portraying Param’s gradual evolution. Puneet Batra is the surprise find in the show; he mirrors the disappointment and the integrity in Suraj with absolute sincerity. Priyasha Bhardwaj shines as a female advocate standing tall in a male bastion. Others, including Anandeshwar Dwivedi, Kiran Khoje, Sumali Khaniwale, and Bhushan Vikas, make their presence felt.

The Davans are an influential family in the fictional town of Bindiya, Bihar. With the family patriarch, Bada Davan, in jail, the eldest son, Chhote Davan, tries to seize control of both the empire and local politics. However, his ambitions are threatened by a new colonel, rival gangs, and internal family conflict, all while a dedicated police officer seeks to bring down their criminal enterprise. Saurabh Shukla’s role starts with a bang, but is eventually relegated to the sidelines, and his presence is wasted. Ranvir Shorey looks his part as a son desperate to snatch power in the family, though his performance could’ve benefited from more gravitas. Vineet Kumar and Govvind Namdev get past their roles like a walk in the park; they’re barely challenged.