In the age of Coronavirus quarantines, lockdowns and self-isolation, many more of us are relying on streaming platforms in search of distraction, escape and just plain entertainment.
With a new year comes new possibilities, talent, collaborations and shiny new releases for us to get lost in. January promises to start the year on a high, with a number of exciting streaming releases.
From Saif Ali Khan-starrer Tandav on Amazon Prime Video, to Ramin Bahrani's The White Tiger on Netflix to the arrival of Marvel TV, here are our picks of what's releasing this month across platforms.
When: January 22nd
Acclaimed director Ramin Bahrani adapts the celebrated novel The White Tiger with cast members Priyanka Chopra, Rajkummar Rao and Adarsh Gaurav. The story follows an ambitious driver (Adarsh Gourav) of a rich Indian couple (Priyanka Chopra and Rajkummar Rao) who uses his wit and cunning to escape from poverty and become an entrepreneur.
When: January 5th
Nicolas Cage narrates a documentary on the origin of swear words. I dare you to find a one liner more compelling.
When: January 22nd
Netflix's latest fantasy sage follows a group of fairies who must learn to master their magical powers while navigating love, rivalries and the monsters that threaten their existence.
When: January 11th
A docuseries which covers not only the personal devastation caused by the drug, but also the shadowy origins of the crisis and the ongoing marginalization of Black and Brown people trapped by the U.S. prison and healthcare systems.
When: January 15th
A sci-fi action blow out set in the future, Outside The Wire follows a drone pilot who is sent into a deadly militarized zone where he finds himself working for Leo, an android officer tasked to locate a doomsday device before the insurgents do.
When: January 7th
From award-winning director Kornél Mundruczó and executive producer Martin Scorsese, Pieces Of A Woman tells the heart-breaking story of a woman (Vanessa Kirby) learning to live alongside her loss.
When: January 8th
Inspired by the adventures of Arsène Lupin, gentlemen thief Assane Diop sets out to avenge his father for an injustice inflicted by a wealthy family in this French crime drama.
When: January 15th
Ralph Fiennes stars as an excavator whose team discovers a wooden ship from the Dark Ages while digging up a burial ground on a woman's estate.
When: January 8th
The latest direct-to-digital Tamil release stars R Madhavan and Shraddha Srinath in the remake of the 2015 Malayalam film Charlie which starred Dulquer Salman and Parvathy Thiruvothu. When a woman sees a fairy tale she heard from a stranger as a child painted across the walls of a coastal town, she goes in search of the man who painted it-Maara.
When: January 11th
The popular series based on Neil Gaiman's books returns for season 3 which sees Shadow Moon assume a new identity to hide from the new Gods.
When: January 15th
Amazon's next highly-anticipated original series is a political drama from Ali Abbas Zafar with an all star cast, including Saif Ali Khan, Dimple Kapadia, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Mohd. Zeeshan Ayyub and Sunil Grover, among others.
When: January 15th
Cassius Clay, Malcolm X, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke once spent an evening together. What went down? What must they have discussed? What would it have been like to have been a fly on the wall in that room? That's what Regina King looks to explore with her directorial debut One Night In Miami.
When: January 22nd
The Star Trek universe expands with an all new…animated comedy? Consider us intrigued. The series follows the support crew serving on one of Starfleet's least important ships, the U.S.S. Cerritos, in 2380 and promises to boldly go where no Star Trek series has gone before.
When: January 15th
Marvel TV has officially arrived. The first of countless Avengers spin-off series (with Loki and Falcon And The Winter Soldier due to follow later in the year) follows Scarlet Witch and Vision – two super-powered beings living idealized suburban lives— who begin to suspect that everything is not as it seems.
When: January 14th
Actor Jayam Ravi's 25th outing Bhoomi marks the latest direct to digital Tamil release. Written and directed by Lakshman, the film also stars Niddhi Agerwal.
When: January 11th
A two-part documentary offering a revealing look at the rise, fall, and epic comeback of global icon Tiger Woods. The series paints an intimate picture of the prodigy whose dedication and obsession with the game of golf not only took his fame and success to new heights, but also down a dark, spiralling road that eventually led to a legendary sports comeback.
When: January 22nd
Grab a quick snack of Pixar. This collection of mini shorts stars your favourite characters in all-new, bite size stories.
When: January 15th
Narrated from the perspective of a Gullak (piggy bank), the show explores the imperfect relationships of the Mishra family with an an exciting cast including Jameel Khan, Geetanjali Kulkarni, Sunita Rajwar Harsh Mayar and Vaibhav Raj Gupta.
When: January 11th
Showtime's docuseries returns just in time for the US Presidential inauguration. Featuring the aftermath that could follow the Trump camp and what citizens can expect from the Democrats, the latest season of The Circus follows the start of the Biden-Harris presidency.
When: January 8th
The beloved romantic drama series finally makes its way to an Indian platform. Normal People follows two people from different backgrounds who weave in and out of each other's romantic lives and start to grow up.
When: January 12th
Priyadarshi is an innocent young man from a village in rural Telangana who has never seen or heard of a computer until he gets his first email message – that he's won the lottery. But in order to claim his prize, his life and the lives of some people around him take unexpected turns.
When: January 22nd
Tamannah Bhatia makes her digital debut with a thriller about an entrepreneur whose company gets pushed to the edge of financial ruin by her rivals, who'se forced to out-maneuver everyone in her path to save her company and her sanity. Let's just hope this one is better than the other recent Telugu title about a CEO facing obstacles.
When: TBC
Dice Media's series about brotherhood between four friends and their attempt to navigate love, life and friendship, returns for season 2 with new adventures and escapades.
When: TBC
The one-minute episode series returns for its fourth season, promising a new love story with new episodes dropping daily.
When: January 15th
M Night Shyamalan knows a thing or two about horror. His acclaimed series about a Philadelphia couple in mourning after an unspeakable tragedy returns for a second season. Expect more emotionally-charged frights.
When: January 8th
Hailee Steinfeld returns as budding writer Emily Dickinson who must use her outsider's perspective to explore the constraints of society, gender and family in the 19th century.
When: January 29th
Justin Timberlake stars as a former high school football star who must reclaim is life after 12 years in prison.
When: January 20th
Faisal Sheikh and Ruhii Singh star in an action series about a series of deep secrets that unravel one by one.
A tense murder trial with plenty of twists and turns, the ZEE5 original film stars Arjun Rampal, Manav Kaul, Rajit Kapur and Anand Tiwari.
A satirical comedy produced by Salman Khan and directed by Satish Kaushik, Kaagaz revolves around a common man, played by Pankaj Tripathi, who is declared dead as per government records.
When: January 22nd
Inspired by the life of Major Deependra Singh Sengar, Jeet Ki Zid follows the story of a real-life Kargil
played by Amit Sadh.
When: TBC
A full blown TVF reunion, the series stars Sumeet Vyas, Amol Parashar, Naveen Kasturia and Swara Bhaskar
as four friends who managed to find a 4 B.H.K for measly rent. But little do they know that they will be sharing their amazing new flat with a bunch of ghosts.
When: January 22nd
Prateik Babbar and Simran Kaur Mundi star in an a crime thriller about a police officer who gets entangled in a complex conspiracy.