Binge-worthy releases from the top two streaming platforms available!
By Nafisa Singsachathet
THE LOST PIRATE KINGDOM (NETFLIX)
The Lost Pirate Kingdom is an upcoming documentary that will explore the real-life pirates of the Caribbean. The series will chronicle several infamous figures including Charles Vane, Anne Bonny, and the notorious Blackbeard. The documentary will feature dramatised re-enactments of classic tales and explore the formation of a new pirate republic, one that is fond of egalitarian rights, unusual when you think of what we’ve come to understand of ‘cutthroat pirates’. Whilst most of the series will be dramatized, viewers will also be introduced to various experts and academics who weigh on and offer their knowledge on the history of pirates and how these figures have evolved over time.
Release date: 15th March
MUMBAI DIARIES 26/11 (PRIME)
Amazon’s upcoming series is a fresh, albeit emotional, retelling of the events that unfolded during the 2008 Mumbai Terror Attacks. Its fresh perspective comes from the decision to have the series focus on the medical staff who worked tirelessly on the night of the attacks, giving us a glimpse into the actions of the doctors, nurses, paramedics, and other hospital personnel who had to act promptly to save lives. When terror hits, we often overlook the everyday heroes that have to step up to the plate in order to help their communities, and this show is a tribute to the spirit of Mumbai that remains unbroken despite facing so much turmoil. The show features talented actors Konkana Sen Sharma, Mohit Raina, Tina Desai, and Shreya Dhanwanthary in leading roles.
Release date: March TBC
BOMBAY BEGUMS (NETFLIX)
This month, Netflix is set to release a new series titled Bombay Begums, which follows the story of five women, five different worlds, and five different perspectives. The series follows each of the women as they discover their dreams and desires living in modern Mumbai. Strangers at first, their fates intertwine when tragedy
occurs. Cast in the show’s lead roles are Pooja Bhatt, Amruta Subhash, Plabita Borthakur, Shahana Goswami and Aadhya Anand. In contrast to the streaming giant’s hit, The Fabulous lives of Bollywood Wives, this series is expected to channel a sense of realness about life in Mumbai rather than extravagance, with the women breaking society’s shackles through love, careers, and by standing up for each other.
Release date: 8th March
BOMBAY ROSE (NETFLIX)
Bombay Rose is Netflix’s first animated feature from India and is based on true events. Written, edited, designed, and directed by Gitanjali Rao, it tells the tale of the struggles of people who migrated to bustling Mumbai from small towns, turning to the comfort of Bollywood movies to distract them from reality and the chaos of living in the crowded city. Following the story of Kamala and Salim’s complicated love story where their passions for each other are tested due to differences in religion and familial responsibilities, the film tackles themes of inter-faith romance, economic migration, and child labour in an honest depiction of what so many Indians experience in their lifetime.
Release date: 8th March
