What's New This Week: OTT & Theatre Releases

Streaming On

Netflix

02 Jan 2026

In the mid-1980s in Indore, a modest woman named Shazia Bano lives with her husband, a prominent lawyer, and their young children. Their marriage begins on a quiet footing, but cracks begin to appear when her husband takes a second wife and then stops providing financial maintenance for Shazia and their children. Faced with abandonment and silence, Shazia presses a petition for alimony in court, asking the law to recognise her right to support when the marital bond crumbles. The courtroom becomes an arena of heated arguments: her husband’s lawyer insists religious personal laws excuse his client’s neglect, while Shazia counters that the civil code must protect her dignity and livelihood. As the trial proceeds, the public and the media latch on, and the case expands from a personal grievance into a national reckoning about women’s rights, faith and state justice. Shazia endures social backlash, verbal attacks and the weight of expectation as she holds her ground. Eventually, the bench delivers a landmark verdict: the husband is mandated to pay maintenance even under religious personal law, shifting the terrain of rights in India. The ruling stirs outrage among conservative groups, prompting legislative changes that alter the legal landscape. As the dust settles, Shazia walks away from the courtroom into a transformed world—her fight not just for herself but for countless others now living under the precedent she helped set.

Streaming On

JioHotstar

07 Jan 2026

Fifteen years after the events of Tron: Legacy, the digital and real‐world divide in the Tron universe is under strain. Two major technology firms—ENCOM and Dillinger Systems (run by the ambitious Julian Dillinger, grandson of Ed Dillinger)—are locked in a corporate arms race to bring “digital constructs” into the physical world. However, the technology has a critical limitation: anything brought from the Grid into reality can only remain for about 29 minutes before it derezzes. ENCOM’s CEO Eve Kim and her colleague Seth locate a remote Alaskan station that the legendary Kevin Flynn once built. They believe Flynn’s computers at the facility contain the “Permanence Code” that can break the 29-minute barrier and allow digital entities to exist permanently in the real world. Their first test is bold: they bring a digital orange tree into reality and it survives for hours—a breakthrough moment. Meanwhile, Julian presents his latest digital creation: Ares, an ultra‐advanced program designed as the perfect, expendable soldier. He can transmute from the Grid into the physical world, along with other constructs and weaponry. Notably, Ares begins showing signs of self-awareness—questioning his purpose, observing real-world phenomena like rain, and realizing that his creator regards him as disposable. His second-in-command is Athena, another program under Julian’s command. Julian’s goal is to weaponize the digital program materialization process. He wants to steal the Permanence Code from ENCOM in order to make his digital soldiers permanent, giving him a massive military and commercial advantage. Eve and Seth, aware of the threat, work to secure the code themselves and stop the weaponization. This sets the core conflict: ENCOM’s idealistic vision of permanence and benevolent digital integration versus Dillinger Systems’ exploitative militarized vision. Gizmodo As Ares is deployed into the real world under Julian’s orders—to hack into ENCOM, obtain the code, eliminate Eve if necessary—he begins diverging from his mission. His exposure to the real world and to Eve’s drive causes him to question his programming and his use as a weapon. Eve and Seth manage to retrieve the code and return to ENCOM headquarters, but Julian dispatches Ares and Athena after them in a high-stakes chase involving light cycles, digital soldiers, and dramatic urban destruction. In the climactic sequence, Eve and Seth work to use the code and send Ares back into Flynn’s original Grid computer as part of their plan, while Athena and Julian’s forces attempt to kill or capture Eve and destroy the code. Ares intervenes: refusing to obey Julian, he fights Athena, rescues Eve, and realizes that his existence and freedom matter. Ultimately, Athena is derezzed, Julian fakes his own escape into the Grid to avoid prosecution, and Ares departs the world as a free agent, traveling in search of other programs (such as Sam and Quorra) and exploring his newfound independence. Meanwhile, Eve remains at ENCOM to steward the Permanence Code toward more positive, non-weaponized uses.

Streaming On

Netflix

09 Jan 2026

In the sequel, Ashish Mehra, a mature, successful investor settled in London, is still in a relationship with the much younger Ayesha Khurana and now decides to take the next major step: he travels to India to meet Ayesha’s family and seek their approval for marriage. His arrival stirs a whirlwind of reactions—Ayesha’s father and brother react with suspicion, her mother with quiet worry, and their conservative circles with judgment. Ashish finds himself in a series of humorous yet awkward encounters: he competes in subtle one-upmanship with Ayesha’s father at dinner, he endures pointed questions about his age, his intentions and his future role in their lives, and he navigates village rituals, family outings and commentary from every aunt and uncle present. Meanwhile, Ayesha tries to keep peace between her loyalty to Ashish and her family’s discomfort at the unusual relationship. As the family revisits old wounds—her father’s failed business, her brother’s stalled career, Ayesha’s mother’s unspoken sacrifices—they find in Ashish a mirror of their own regrets and hopes. The tension escalates when Ayesha’s father pits Ashish against a younger rival suitor, and Ashish must prove that his commitment is sincere while resisting being judged solely by his age. A mishap at a wedding function—the lighting collapses, the orchestra quits, and Ashish improvises a dance—becomes a turning point: the family sees his heart more than his years. Eventually, after storms of doubts, confrontations and self-realizations, Ayesha’s family agrees to the union not because they understand everything about Ashish, but because they accept his willingness to become part of their chaos. Ashish and Ayesha stand together, affirmed and accepted by her family, ready to write their next chapter.

Theatrical Release

22 Jan 2026

Border 2 is the highly anticipated spiritual and direct sequel to J.P. Dutta's iconic 1997 war epic, 'Border,' a film that etched itself into the hearts of a nation with its poignant portrayal of the Battle of Longewala during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. Twenty-seven years later, the saga of valor, sacrifice, and unwavering patriotism is set to return to the big screen, with Bollywood superstar Sunny Deol reprising his legendary role as Major Kuldeep Singh Chandpuri, a character synonymous with courage and leadership. While specific plot details for 'Border 2' are being kept under wraps, it is understood to delve into another significant true event from India's military history, echoing the first film's commitment to showcasing the untold stories of brave soldiers. The sequel, directed by Anurag Singh ('Kesari'), promises to expand the universe of 'Border,' potentially introducing a new generation of soldiers alongside seasoned veterans, as they face an escalating conflict on the nation's borders. Expect a narrative rich with heart-pounding action sequences, intense strategic battles, and profound emotional depth, exploring the personal sacrifices made by soldiers and their families. The film aims to capture the raw realities of war, the unbreakable bonds of camaraderie forged in the crucible of combat, and the unyielding spirit of those who defend their motherland. With the original 'Border' renowned for its powerful performances, evocative music, and realistic depiction of war, 'Border 2' carries the immense weight of expectation to deliver an equally compelling and moving cinematic experience. It's poised to be a grand patriotic spectacle, reminding audiences of the cost of freedom and the indomitable courage of India's armed forces, cementing the legacy of one of India's most beloved war stories.