From a terminally ill mother confronting decades-old trauma to a fearless daughter-in-law who becomes her family’s unlikely protector, this month’s picks are united by characters who refuse to fit neatly into society’s expectations.
Tighee (Marathi) Zee5
Jeejivisha Kale’s feature directorial debut is a poignant and beautifully layered exploration of the complex relationship between a mother and her two daughters. The drama brings an elderly woman, Hemalata (wonderfully portrayed by Bharati Achrekar), face-to-face with her two estranged daughters as she battles terminal cancer. It’s a family burdened by familial tensions and personal struggles. Elder daughter Swati (Nehha Pendse Bayas) is struggling with workplace harassment at the hands of her sleazy boss in Mumbai, while younger daughter Sarika (Sonalee Kulkarni) is emotionally and physically exhausted from being her mother’s full- time caregiver in Pune. When the three women come together under one roof, Hemalata reveals a dark family secret involving her husband (the girls’ father) that threatens to upend everything they thought they knew about their lives and their mother. Will the family ever recover from this revelation?
The film is beautifully rooted in Pune, whose leafy lanes, old-world homes, and unhurried charm transported me back to my days as a master’s student years ago. At its heart, Tighee is a deeply moving story about family, sacrifice, and the invisible emotional labor women carry to protect the people they love. The film is elevated by the top-notch performances of its three lead women, whose chemistry and emotional honesty make every difficult conversation feel painfully real. Before Hemalata’s peaceful passing, she urges her daughters to confront their own realities and reclaim their agency. It’s bound to bring a tear to your eye. Less a traditional melodrama and more a nuanced study of intergenerational trauma and resilience, Tighee is a powerful watch.
Maa Inti Bangaram (Telugu) Jio Hotstar
If you enjoy the brand of high-octane, defiant action that flips traditional gender roles on their head, Maa Inti Bangaram is a fantastic addition to your watchlist. Directed by B. V. Nandini Reddy, this 1980s period action drama turns the trope of a dutiful, submissive daughter-in-law on its head. The story follows Swarna (Samantha Ruth Prabhu), an orphan who elopes with her husband against his orthodox family’s wishes. When they return to the ancestral home years later, Swarna quickly finds herself failing to impress her traditional in-laws.
But Swarna has a secret: she may not be the best cook, but she throws a mean punch! We learn from her backstory that Swarna was forced to seek validation and security at a young age. When a devious thug named Karuna shows up at the family’s doorstep, the film beautifully flips the script. Swarna doesn’t look to the patriarchs for protection; she uses her formidable combat skills to defend the very people who refused to accept her. Samantha is spectacular, playing the character’s fierce protective instincts with perfect dramatic timing. It successfully turns a domestic drama into a chaotic, empowering watch.
Made in India: A Titan Story (Hindi) Amazon Prime Video
Honestly, I didn’t expect to binge-watch a series about a watch brand, but this one completely won me over. For many of us who grew up in India, Titan isn’t just a brand — it’s nostalgia. The iconic tune based on Mozart’s symphony from its advertisements has been the soundtrack to countless childhoods, weddings, gift-giving moments, and milestones. This series takes you behind that familiar tune and tells the remarkable story of how Titan came to be. Based on Vinay Kamath’s book, the biographical drama chron- icles the audacious rise of Titan Company in the late 1970s, a time when India’s consumer market was mired in bureaucratic red tape and flooded with smuggled foreign goods. What emerges isn’t a dry corporate history lesson but a gripping underdog story about vision, innovation, and sheer perseverance.
Jim Sarbh is perfectly cast as Titan founder Xerxes Desai. He brings both charm and steely determination to the role, making you root for a man obsessed with creating a world-class Indian brand. Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah is, as always, a delight to watch as JRD Tata, lending warmth and gravitas to the visionary industrialist who believed in Titan’s potential. Vaibhav Tatwawadi and Namita Dubey also shine in supporting roles, bringing heart and humanity to what could otherwise have been a boardroom-heavy drama.
The series’ greatest strength is that it isn’t afraid to get into the messy realities of building a business. From policy hurdles and financial crises to risky international expansion plans that nearly sank the company, it shows just how difficult it was to dream big in pre-liberalization India. Yes, there is business jargon, and the subplots move at a slower pace. But stick with it. Beyond the spreadsheets and strategy meetings lies a fascinating story of those who changed an industry. They changed how India saw itself as the creator of a truly world-class product.
Raakh (Hindi) Amazon Prime Video
Inspired by the infamous 1978 Delhi abduction and murder of Sanjay and Gita Chopra by killers Ranga and Billa, this slow-burning series relies on an emotionally heavy narrative that places the victims and the survivors at the absolute center of the frame. The story follows a determined police officer, Jayprakash Jatav (played with elan by Ali Fazal), who is tasked with piecing together a horrifying crime that has sent shockwaves of urban anxiety through the capital.
Opposite him, Sonali Bendre and Aamir Bashir are equally compelling as the devastated parents searching for answers. Akash Makhija as Babu, one of the killers, is as menacing as they come. Makhija mentioned in interviews that his wife, after watching the series, just wanted him to “go away.” I don’t blame her; he made me uncomfortable as well! It’s a testament to his brilliant and immersive performance. The first couple of episodes meticulously build the atmosphere of fear gripping Delhi in the late ’70s, but the series really locks its emotional hooks into you by the midpoint. Rather than focusing on the mechanics of the killers, it focuses on the aftermath — the families, investigators, and ordinary citizens left behind. While the journey through such heavy subject matter is undeniably dark and messy, the performances make it an essential watch.
Baisakhi Roy is the editor of Canadian Immigrant. Her work has appeared in leading Canadian media outlets, including The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and CBC. She specializes in stories at the intersection of immigrant life and culture in Canada, with a strong focus on workplace issues and diversity.