OTT and TV News

During its theatrical run, Rao Bahadur emerged as one of the most talked-about Telugu films, with Venkatesh Maha’s psychological thriller earning widespread appreciation from critics and movie lovers alike. The film recently made its OTT debut on Netflix in 5 Indian languages.

Nearly a week after its digital premiere, however, the film’s OTT performance has remained modest so far. Rao Bahadur is currently trending at No. 7 on Netflix India and did not feature in Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English Movies list for the July 27–August 2 tracking period, despite being available on the platform for part of that week.

Interestingly, Gatta Kusthi, Peddi, Con City, and Ikka are currently ranked ahead of Rao Bahadur on Netflix India. Except for Gatta Kusthi, the remaining films have been streaming on the platform longer than the latest Telugu release.

Streaming trends don’t always mirror theatrical reception, especially for content-driven films. With its Netflix debut still in the early stages, it remains to be seen whether Rao Bahadur gathers stronger momentum and climbs further up the charts in the coming days.

After Obsession, Backrooms is another Hollywood horror film that made a solid impact at the box office this year. Made on a budget of just $10 million, Backrooms earned nearly $400 million worldwide, an extraordinary feat for a low-budget film.
We had already reported that Backrooms would soon be available for streaming on Sony LIV. The latest update reveals that the horror blockbuster will arrive on the OTT platform tomorrow (August 7). The film is currently available on Prime Video but only on a rental basis.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell played key roles. Backrooms follows a furniture store operator who discovers an endless array of liminal spaces in the store’s basement. 20-year-old Kane Parsons directed this flick.

The Taj Story is a Hindi courtroom drama headlined by Paresh Rawal. Released in October 2025, the film received negative reviews, with critics labelling it a Hindutva propaganda film. At the box office, the movie went unnoticed. The Taj Story underwent a rigorous review process by the CBFC, and the clearance process spanned several months as the film alleged that the Taj Mahal was originally a Hindu temple.

Eight months after its theatrical release, The Taj Story has finally made its way to the digital space on Jio Hotstar. It remains to be seen how the movie will be received by OTT audiences.

Written and directed by Tushar Amrish Goel and produced by CA Suresh Jha under the banner of Swarnim Global Services Pvt. Ltd, the movie also stars Zakir Hussain, Amruta Khanvilkar, Namit Das, and Sneha Wagh in key roles.

Tamil superstar and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay bid farewell to cinema with Jana Nayagan, which hit theatres amid massive expectations. Despite the pre-release hype and political significance surrounding the film, the H. Vinoth directorial failed to live up to expectations at the box office.

The latest buzz is that Jana Nayagan is gearing up for its digital premiere on ZEE5. According to recent reports, the film is expected to begin streaming from August 21, 2026, in multiple languages. However, an official announcement from the streaming platform or the makers is still awaited.

Backed by KVN Productions, Jana Nayagan features Pooja Hegde, Mamitha Baiju, Bobby Deol, Gautham Vasudev Menon, Priyamani, Revathi, Sunil, Nassar, and several others in pivotal roles. The film has music composed by Anirudh Ravichander.

Bigg Boss Telugu is set to return with a brand-new season in September 2026, and Nagarjuna will once again take charge as the host.

As the launch date approaches, several names are doing the rounds as potential contestants. The latest buzz is that noted young writer, lyricist, and author Kadali Satyanarayana is likely to be a part of the upcoming season.

Kadali has built a following through her writings and feminist views, often expressing her opinions on social and cultural issues. If she enters the Bigg Boss house, she is expected to generate interesting conversations.

While there is no official confirmation yet from the makers, her name is creating curiosity among viewers. Stay tuned for more updates.

Idhayam Murali emerged as one of the notable Tamil releases of recent times. Starring Atharvaa Murali in the lead role, the coming-of-age romantic drama features Preity Mukhundhan as the female lead. Directed by Aakash Baskaran, the film received a decent response during its theatrical run.

The latest update is that Netflix has officially confirmed the film’s digital premiere in multiple languages. Premiering on August 7, Idhayam Murali will stream in Tamil, Telugu (as Hrudayam Murali), Malayalam, Kannada, and Hindi, making it accessible to a much wider audience.

Having won appreciation during its theatrical run, the romantic drama is expected to find an even bigger audience on OTT. The multilingual release is likely to attract viewers who missed the film in theatres.

The film also features Fahadh Faasil in a special cameo, while Malavika Mohanan appears in a special role. Interestingly, music director Thaman S has also made a cameo appearance in the film apart from composing its soundtrack.

Produced by Dawn Pictures, the film also stars Kayadu Lohar, Niharika NM, Natty Subramaniam, Ramki, Rakshan, Jonita Gandhi, Anju Kurian, and Pragya Nagra in key roles.

Lokah: Chapter 1 Chandra was a historic milestone in Indian cinema following its release. Starring Kalyani Priyadarshan and directed by Dominic Arun, the film is now back in the headlines.

Aha has announced that the Telugu dubbed version will premiere on its platform. However, there’s a catch. The release is limited to overseas viewers and will not be available in India. The premiere is scheduled for August 7, 2026.

The film became the first Malayalam film, and the first Malayalam superhero film, to cross the Rs. 300 crore mark worldwide. Beyond this milestone, Lokah: Chapter 1 Chandra emerged as the highest-grossing female-led South Indian film in history.

It also set impressive box office records by crossing Rs. 100 crore worldwide in just seven days and Rs. 200 crore within 13 days of its release. The film was produced by Dulquer Salmaan under his production banner, Wayfarer Films.

Objection My Lord, starring Srikanth Meka in the lead, is the latest Telugu legal drama to arrive on ZEE5. Directed by Santosh Ayyappan, the seven-episode series premiered on July 31, 2026.

Within days of its debut, the courtroom drama has achieved a notable milestone. ZEE5 officially announced that it has become the first and fastest Telugu web series on the platform to cross 50 million streaming minutes.

The series also stars Mukesh Rishi, Ananya Shamaa, Snehal Kamat, Sameer, and others in pivotal roles. Produced by Rajkumar Akella under the Dream House Productions banner, Objection My Lord is the official Telugu adaptation of the Tamil web series Sattamum Needhiyum.

Hollywood film Backrooms, directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, emerged as a smash hit at the box office. Made on a budget of just $10 million, Backrooms earned a mind-boggling $330 million worldwide, becoming one of the most profitable ventures.

As per the latest update, Backrooms will soon be available for streaming on Sony LIV. The exact premiere date will be revealed later. Backrooms wasn’t as successful as Obsession in India, and hence it is expected to garner massive viewership on OTT.

The film follows a furniture store operator who discovers an endless array of liminal spaces in the store’s basement. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Renate Reinsve, Mark Duplass, Finn Bennett, and Lukita Maxwell played key roles.