August has turned out to be a busy month, with many films and shows competing for attention. Find out about what’s in cinemas and on streamers this month.
Dhadak 2
Hindi, in cinemas
Shazia Iqbal directs the Hindi adaptation of the Tamil film Pariyerum Perumal. Dhadak 2 is set in a city in North India and stars Siddhant Chaturvedi and Triptii Dimri. Chaturvedi’s character, a Dalit law student, battles brutal casteism not merely for falling in love with Dimri’s character but simply for being who he is.
Also read:
Review: ‘Dhadak 2’ is a bold, powerful and often incendiary caste-crossed romance
Bakaiti
Hindi, on ZEE5
When a cash-strapped family is forced to take in a tenant, bakaiti – nonsensical talk – ensues. Everyone has an opinion on the matter, most of all the siblings who will be forced to share a room. The seven-episode series stars Rajesh Tailang, Sheeba Chadha, Tanya Sharma and Aditya Shukla.
Also read:
‘Bakaiti’ review: A cash-strapped family gets on each other’s nerves – and yours too at times
Son of Sardaar 2
Hindi, in cinemas
A standalone sequel to Son of Sardaar, this one sees the return of Jassi (Ajay Devgn). In England to repair his broken marriage, Jassi runs into a quartet of feisty Pakistani dancers led by Rabia (Mrunal Thakur) as well as the short-tempered Raja (Ravi Kishan) and his posse.
Also read:
‘Son of Sardaar 2’ review: A slog through thickets of lazy writing and tacky scenes
Code of Silence,
English, on Lionsgate Play
A deaf lip reader bites off more than she can chew when she starts working for the police. Tasked with spying on a criminal gang, Alison (Rose Ayling-Ellis) gets involved with one of the gang members, while also finding herself dangerously attracted to peril.
Also read:
‘Code of Silence’ review: A gripping police procedural about a gutsy lip-reader
Together
English, in cinemas, August 8
In Michael Shanks’s body horror movie, a couple (Dave Franco and Alison Brie) move to a house in the country, where they encounter a malevolent force that causes changes to their bodies.
Weapons
English, in cinemas, August 8
In Zach Cregger’s thriller, 17 school students vanish one night at the exact same time. A teacher (Julia Garner) investigates the bizarre mystery. The cast includes Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong, Austin Abrams and Amy Madigan.
Sorry Baby
English, in cinemas, August 8
Eva Victor’s film, starring Victor, Naomi Ackie and Lucas Hedges, revolves around a literature professor dealing with the aftermath of sexual assault.
Salakaar
Hindi, JioHotstar, August 8
Faruk Kabir’s show stars Naveen Kasturia as an Indian undercover agent who is posted in Pakistan in 1978. The dictator Zia (Mukesh Rishi) has commissioned a secret nuclear project. Adhir (Kasturia) must race against time to stop the bomb from being tested. The show also stars Mouni Roy, Surya Sharma and Purnendu Bhattacharya.
Mayasabha
Telugu, Sony LIV, August 8
Set in undivided Andhra Pradesh, the show by Deva Katta and Kiran Jay Kumar explores the twinned fortunes of two political aspirants. KKN (Aadhi Pinisetty) and MSR (Chaitanya Roe) are friends who become foes after the movie star-turned-leader RCR (Sai Kumar) comes between them.
Arabia Kadali
Telugu, Prime Video, August 8
Krish Jagarlamudi and Chintakindi Srinivasa Rao are behind this Telugu show about Indian fishermen from rival villages who stray into international waters. They suffer imprisonment, torture and the prospect of never returning home.
The survival drama stars Satya Dev, Anandhi, Nassar, Raghu Babu, Dalip Tahil, Poonam Bajwa, Prabhavathi, Harsh Roshan, Pratyusha Sadhu, Kota Jayaram and Vamsi Krishna in key roles.
Sare Jahan Se Accha
Hindi, Netflix, August 13
After Salakaar, Pakistan’s nuclear programme severely tests the intelligence agents played by Pratik Gandhi and Sunny Hinduja. Created by Gaurav Shukla and directed by Sumit Purohit, the show also stars Suhail Nayyar, Tillotama Shome, Anup Soni, Rajat Kapoor and Kritika Kamra.
Court Kacheri
Hindi, Sony LIV, August 13
After coaching class culture (Kota Factory), village-level governance (Panchayat) and rural medicine (Gram Chikitsalay), content creator TVF looks at the comic aspects of small-town district courts.
Ashish Verma plays a newly minted lawyer who must grapple with his father’s reputation as well as his own reluctance to enter the legal profession. The show also stars Pavan Malhotra, Puneet Batra, Priyasha Bharadwaj, Bhushan Vikas, Kiran Khoje, Sumali Khaniwale and Anandeshwar Dwivedi.
War 2
Hindi, in cinemas, August 14
War (2019) starred Hrithik Roshan as Kabir, an Indian operative who went rogue to defeat a terrorist. In War 2, Kabir is still underground, with Jr NTR’s agent Vikram and Kiara Advani’s Kavya in hot pursuit.
The Yash Raj Films production, directed by Ayan Mukerji and written by Sridhar Raghavan, is part of the YRF Spy Universe. War 2 will be released in Hindi and other languages and in the 2D and IMAX formats. The songs are by Pritam.
Coolie
Tamil, in cinemas, August 14
Tamil hitmaker Lokesh Kanagaraj will provide competition to War 2 through a crime drama starring actors from several language industries. Rajinikanth leads a cast that includes Nagarjuna, Aamir Khan, Upendra and Shruti Haasan.
The music is by Anirudh Ravichander. The film will be available in Tamil and other languages.
Tehran
Hindi, ZEE5, August 14
In Tehran, John Abraham plays a character “hunted by Iran, abandoned by Israel and deserted by India”, according to a press note. Initially meant for the big screen, Tehran has opted for a streaming release. Arun Gopalan’s thriller also stars Manushi Chhillar, Neeru Bajwa and Madhurima Tuli.
Relay
English, in cinemas, August 22
In the new movie from David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water, Outlaw King), Riz Ahmed plays Tom, a fixer who represents corrupt companies. Lily James plays a woman who needs his protection.
Afterburn
English, in cinemas, August 22
A decade after a solar flare destroys part of Earth, a treasure hunter salvages valuable objects. He must get to the Mona Lisa before the painting falls into the hands of a warlord. JJ Perry directs Dave Bautista, Olga Kurylenko, Samuel L Jackson and Kristofer Hivju.
Hot Milk
English, on MUBI, August 22
Screened at the Berlin Film Festival, Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s Hot Milk is the story of Sofia, who takes her ailing mother to Spain for medical treatment. There, Sofia meets the mysterious Ingrid. The film stars Emma Mackey, Vicky Krieps, Fiona Shaw and Vincent Perez.
Revolver Rita
Tamil, in cinemas, August 27
JK Chandru’s comedy stars Keerthy Suresh as a gun-toting avenger who makes sure to pack her gun while shopping for groceries. The movie also stars Radhika Sarathkumar, Redin Kingsley, John Vijay, Mime Gopi, Sendrayan and Super Subbarayan.
Hridayapoorvam
Malayalam, in cinemas, August 28
Malayalam mega-star Mohanlal reunites with director Sathyan Anthikad for a family drama reportedly set in Pune. The comedy, which has music by Justin Prabhakaran, also stars Malavika Mohanan, Sangeeth Prathap, Sangita, Siddique, Nishan, Baburaj, Lalu Alex and Janardhanan.
Vash Vivash Level 2
Gujarati/Hindi, in cinemas, August 29
Krishnadev Yagnik’s Gujarati film Vash was a sleeper hit in 2023. Yagnik’s spine-chilling tale of mind control recently won a National Film Award for its lead actress, Janki Bodiwala. The Hindi remake Shaitaan (2024), in which Bodiwala reprised her role, was a huge hit.
The sequel will be out in Gujarati as well as a Hindi dub. Atharva (Hitu Kanodia), who saved his daughter Aryaa (Bodiwala) from the clutches of the madman Pratap (Hiten Kumar), gets involved with a new case of possession – this time taking place in a girls’ school.
Param Sundari
Hindi, in cinemas, August 29
Tushar Jalota directs a romantic comedy with music by Sachin-Jigar. Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor play lovers who confront the consequences of their respective backgrounds – he is from the north and she is from the south.
