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The Malayalam series Kerala Crime Files 2 : The Search for Cpo Ambili Raju on Jio Hotstar is a tough nut to crack. Normally our main grouse against webseries is that they take too long to get to the point.

The slowburn syndrome doesn’t really singe the storytelling in this painstakingly constructed series. The problem is elsewhere. Kerala Crime Files just doesn’t have an interesting enough story to tell. That is not such a bad thing, if you consider the fact that true crime is often exaggerated beyond all decency in films and serials. Here there is no patience for overdoing things.

So yes, it does feel real. But it doesn’t hold our attention in any rewarding way. It all begins when a senior Cpo Ambili Raju (The ever-dependable Indrans) goes missing. Ambili’s introduction sequence in a bus is well constructed. It whets our appetite for more...

Should You Watch Kerala Crime Files Season 2? Comparison with Season 1 ( Photo Credit – Jio Hotstar )

Does Kerala Crime Files Season 2 live up to the expectations set by Season 1? That’s a simple question, but the answer is a bit nuanced. Like the first season, this too is a mystery thriller, but there’s a key difference. In Season 1, it was clear from the beginning that it was a murder mystery. In Season 2, however, the question remains: Is it even a murder mystery? To find out, you’ll have to watch the series.

In this article, we’ll explore various aspects of the new season and compare them with the first, looking at elements like runtime, performances, and character development. All of this will help you decide whether it’s worth investing your time in Season 2.

The Villains Of Kerala Crime Files

In Season 1, most episodes introduced a new suspect, giving the...

Check Out The Latest Ott Releases This Week! (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Not sure what to watch this week? We’ve got you covered! Here are the standout new releases from various streaming platforms we handpicked. Jio Hotstar is bringing back the second seasons of two hit series, one in English and the other in Malayalam. Over on Prime Video, there’s a gripping psychological thriller and a patriotic film. Curious to know the titles, plot summaries, and trailers? Scroll down for all the details.

Netflix The Waterfront (English) June 19, 2025

The Waterfront is about a family business empire on the verge of collapse. To overcome these choppy waters, the family turns to the drug trade.

The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 03 Episode 01 (Hindi) June 21, 2025

After a short break, The Great Indian Kapil Show returns with its third season featuring Kapil Sharma, Navjot Singh Sidhu, Archana Puran Singh, Sunil Grover, Krushna Abhishek,...

Kerala Crime Files Season 2: Indrans-Led Crime Saga(Photo Credit –Jio Hotstar)

The highly popular Malayalam web series Kerala Crime Files is finally getting a second season. Jio Hotstar has confirmed that the series will begin streaming from June 20, 2025. The first season aired on June 23, 2023, so the second season will arrive nearly two years later, precisely 1 year, 11 months, and 28 days after the original release. So, what can we expect from this season?

Plot of Kerala Crime Files Season 2

Season 2 of Kerala Crime Files, titled The Hunt for Cpo Ambili, follows a tense police investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Civil Police Officer Ambili Raju, played by veteran actor Indrans. When a blood-stained phone is found in a drainage ditch, suspicion quickly points toward Ambili, who has vanished without a trace.

As questions mount and public pressure builds, a special investigation team is assembled, led by Si Noble, to uncover the truth.

Identity Malayalam Film, Zee5 Streaming, Thriller ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Tovino Thomas kicked off 2024 with the investigative thriller Anweshippin Kandethum, now streaming on Netflix. This year, he started with another investigation-themed project. His action thriller Identity, featuring impressive action set pieces, hit theaters on January 2, 2025. The film is set to make its Ott debut within the same month of its theatrical release.

Plot

The female lead possesses a remarkable photographic memory, making her an invaluable witness to a murder. The male lead, a skilled martial artist with a unique talent for sketching, is driven by a past marred by childhood trauma and abuse at the hands of his father, which has left him with obsessive-compulsive tendencies. These complex backstories set the stage for the investigation.

Cast and Crew

The film boasts an ensemble cast featuring Tovino Thomas, Trisha Krishnan, Aju Varghese, Vinay Rai, Shammi Thilakan, Mandira Bedi, Archana Kavi, Giju John,...

While the established stars like Nivin Pauly and Tovino Thomas hit roadblocks with their latest offerings Malayalee From India and Arm, respectively, Malayalam cinema was not short of quality work this year.

1. All We Imagine As Light: What can we say about a film that has broken the glass ceiling twice over, first by becoming the first Malayalam film to reach audiences across India, and then by becoming the first Indian films since Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali to have grabbed global attention so unconditionally. Sight & Sound has recently named Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light as the best film of 2024. And now the garnered Golden Globe nominations!!! Indeed Kapadia’s elegiac ode to Mumbai’s desolate migrants is a wondrous pilgrimage through the heart of solitude. Dreamy and lyrical, it creates a new language for cinema where the spoken word is rendered redundant. The actors don’t speak like actors.

Patriarchy in Indian society is deeply rooted, with the consequences for women being evident throughout. At the same time, the issue has been the source of a number of movies, particularly during the latest years, with titles like “Biriyaani” being one of the first that comes to mind. Christo Tony also attempts his hand at the concept, through an approach, though, that brings two women in direct clash.

Undercurrent is screening at Indian Film Festival Los Angeles

Anju is a young woman who was forcibly made to give up on her relationship with the Hindu Rajeev, instead marrying Christian Thomaskutty, in a concept that has left her bitter but still devout to the ‘rules”. As such, she lives in her husband's house and has to follow the orders of her mother-in-law, Leelamma, and her husband. Unfortunately, quite soon after the wedding, Thomaskutty suffers from an ailment that leaves him essentially...

What To Watch This Weekend. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The third week of June 2024 is filled with many exciting releases. If you are wondering what to watch this weekend, you have come to the right place. The list mentions the newly released titles in theatres and streaming platforms, from movies like Ishq Vishk Rebound to Netflix’s Kota Factory Season 3.

What To Watch This Weekend On Ott Netflix Kota Factory Season 3

Jeetu Bhaiya and his aimers are back! Kota Factory Season 3 takes an emotional turn with an immersive story that highlights the struggles of students and the faculty in Kota. The Netflix show stars Jitendra Kumar, Mayur More, Alam Khan, Tillotama Shone, Ahsaas Channa and others.

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Trending Maharaj Movie Review: Junaid Khan & Jaideep Ahlawat’s Stellar Performances Are The Key Highlights Of A Risky Historical Controversy Gam Gam Ganesha: After Box Office Failure,...

EntertainmentRocket Boys is a fictionalised version of the story of Dr Homi J Bhabha (Jim Sarbh), who engineered India's nuclear programme, and Dr Vikram Sarabhai (Ishwak Singh), who established the Indian Space Programme.SCREENGRABThe Hindi web series Rocket Boys, which was very well received when it began streaming in 2022, is all set for Season 2, which starts streaming on Sony Liv from Thursday, March 16. The series is created by Nikkhil Advani, directed by Abhay Pannu, and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur, Monisha Advani, and Madhu Bhojwani for Roy Kapur Films and Emmay Entertainment. Rocket Boys is a fictionalised version of the story of Dr Homi J Bhabha (Jim Sarbh), who engineered India's nuclear programme, and Dr Vikram Sarabhai (Ishwak Singh), who established the Indian Space Programme. Set between the 1940s-1970s, other important characters in the series also include Mrinalini Sarabhai (Regina Cassandra), Dr Apj Abdul Kalam (Arjun Radhakrishnan), who pioneered...

Mumbai, March 16 (Ians) Series ‘Rocket Boys’ was a hit when it began streaming in 2022 and the show is all set for its success with season 2, which streams from March 16.

The series is created by Nikkhil Advani and directed by Abhay Pannu, and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur, Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani for Roy Kapur Films and Emmay Entertainment. It is a fictionalised version of the story of Dr Homi J. Bhabha (Jim Sarbh), who engineered India’s nuclear programme and Dr Vikram Sarabhai (Ishwak Singh), who established the Indian space programme.

Set during the 1940s-1970s, key players in the series also include Mrinalini Sarabhai (Regina Cassandra), a pillar in Dr Sarabhai’s life, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (Arjun Radhakrishnan), who pioneered modern Indian aerospace and nuclear technology, and who would go on to become the President of India, and the then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (Rajit Kapur) who supported the scientists.

Series “Rocket Boys” was a hit for SonyLIV when it began streaming in 2022 and the streamer is expecting to replicate its success with season 2, which streams from March 16.

The series is created by Nikkhil Advani and directed by Abhay Pannu, and produced by Siddharth Roy Kapur, Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani for Roy Kapur Films and Emmay Entertainment. It is a fictionalized version of the story of Dr. Homi J. Bhabha (Jim Sarbh), who engineered India’s nuclear program and Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (Ishwak Singh), who established the Indian space program. Set during the 1940s-1970s, key players in the series also include Mrinalini Sarabhai (Regina Cassandra), a pillar in Dr. Sarabhai’s life, Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam (Arjun Radhakrishnan), who pioneered modern Indian aerospace and nuclear technology, and would go on to become the President of India, and the then Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru (Rajit Kapur) who supported the scientists.

The trailer of the second season of the hit streaming series ‘Rocket Boys’ was unveiled recently and it tells the story of independent India’s formative years. It shows the country grappling with the loss of its first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the rising geopolitical tensions.

As the country sails through the turbulence with belligerent political hostility, changing hands of power within the country and international agencies keeping close watch on the country’s ambition, the lead character of India’s nuclear energy and space pioneers Dr. Homi J. Bhabha (played by Jim Sarbh), Dr. Vikram Sarabhai (played by Ishwak Singh), and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam cross paths to help the nation with their discoveries.

It also shows India’s proximity to making the nuclear bomb and the operation Smiling Buddha, which was India’s first successful nuclear bomb test conducted on May 18, 1974 with Vikram Sarabhai opening a new...

MollywoodMalayalam cinema showcased some great films and exceptional performances this year. Here is Tnm’s pick of the best Malayalam movies of 2022.CrisYear 2022 was in some ways a comeback year for new films, which could once again be released in theatres after the rules of physical distancing brought in by the Covid-19 pandemic faded away. The piled-up movies of previous years were released one by one, and new ones were made. Original stories were told and actors took on unconventional roles. Here is Tnm’s pick of the best Malayalam movies of the year. Bhoothakaalam -- Bhoothakaalam was not a typical horror film although it could send shivers down your spine for several long minutes. But at its centre is the theme of a mother-son relationship going through a rough patch. The horrors of the house in fact appear to help bring them together. Revathy, after a long time, had...

InterviewMalayalam actor Darshana Rajendran, who has been proving herself afresh film after film, talks to Tnm about her transition from playing the protagonist’s ‘friend’ to doing lead roles, her theatre background, and more.CrisPhoto credit - Aishwarya AshokInteresting thing about Darshana Rajendran, an actor who keeps proving herself afresh film after film, is that she comes off as exactly the kind of person she has just played. In the beginning, when she made shorter appearances in Malayalam movies, you would take her for a supportive friend who hears you out, keeps you company in dark moments, and lets you lie down on her lap and sings to you. When she appeared in grander roles, you saw her as a tragic character that dies of a virus, a young woman trapped in sex trafficking, a lover ending up deserted in a haunted house or the depths of a forest. Darshana,...

MollywoodHelmed by director Vineeth Kumar, the cast also includes Basil Joseph and Arjun Radhakrishnan in pivotal roles. Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTubeThe trailer of Malayalam film Dear Friend, starring Tovino Thomas, Dharshana Rajendran and Sanchana Natarajan, was released on Wednesday, May 25. The trailer introduces Tovino’s character along with his group of friends. Following sequences where the group of friends are seen having fun in their youth, we are shown that they also faced hurdles and tension amongs themselves. Helmed by director Vineeth Kumar, the cast also includes Basil Joseph and Arjun Radhakrishnan in pivotal roles. The teaser of Dear Friend was released earlier this year. The teaser starts with Darshana Rajendran’s character and her boyfriend discussing that they want to set up their single friend — Tovino — with another girl. However, Darshana Rajendran says that she might not be the kind of person Tovino is looking for. The video hints that...

MollywoodThe film stars actors Darshana Rajendran, Basil Joseph, Arjun Radhakrishnan and Sanchana Natarajan among others in pivotal roles. Tnm StaffScreengrab/ YouTubeThe teaser of actor Tovino Thomas’s upcoming film Dear Friend was released on Wednesday, May 12. It is helmed by director Vineeth Kumar and written by Sharfu, Suhas, and Arjun Lal. The film co-stars actors Darshana Rajendran, Basil Joseph, Arjun Radhakrishnan and Sanchana Natarajan among others in pivotal roles. The teaser starts with Darshana Rajendran’s character and her boyfriend discussing setting up their single friend - Tovino, with another girl. Darshana Rajendran says that she might not be the kind of person Tovino is looking for. The video hints that Tovino will be essaying the role of a musician in the film. Bankrolled by Sameer Thahir, Shyju Khalid, and Ashiq Usman, Shyju Khalid is on board as the cinematographer, while Deepu Joseph has been roped in as the editor.

ReviewThe film, directed by Kamal Km and based on real events, features Kunchacko Boban, Vinayakan, Joju George and Dileesh Pothan in the lead.CrisScreenshot from 'Pada'Building tension moment by moment and then maintaining it for two whole hours of a movie has to be an art. In Pada, Kamal Km’s new film, there is at first the suspense of not knowing what’s happening, then the happening itself, and then the anxiety of how it will end. Going against the usual long disclaimers of distancing itself from any real incident, the film starts off by saying it is based on true events. Actors Kunchacko Boban, Vinayakan, Joju George and Dileesh Pothan appear from four different corners and barely let you breathe, as a very important story about Adivasi rights gets told. If by retelling the incident more than 25 years later, Kamal – the film’s writer and director – meant to...

reviewJim Sarbh as Dr Homi Bhabha and Ishwak Singh as Dr Vikram Sarabhai ignite the screen with career best performances in Sony Liv’s ‘Rocket Boys’.Saraswati DatarScreengrabWhile growing up in India in the 80s and 90s, we read and heard about Dr Vikram Sarabhai, 'Father of the Indian Space Programme', and Dr Homi Bhabha, 'Father of the Indian Nuclear Programme'. Now, Rocket Boys, Sony Liv’s second superb series after Scam 1992, introduces a new generation to Homi (Jim Sarbh) and Vikram (Ishwak Singh), two young, intelligent, ambitious scientists and visionaries, who changed the way post-Independence India was perceived by the world. When we first meet them onscreen, they are middle-aged and arguing about whether India should think about building its first atom bomb. Their argument immediately establishes their inherently different personalities but highlights their common passion for transforming the future of post-independence India. Based on a story concept by Abhay Koranne,...

MollywoodThe film, directed by Kamal Km, has a bevy of talented actors including Dileesh Pothan, Unnimaya Prasad, Kani Kusruti and Prakash Raj.Tnm StaffSomething is brewing. Three men are walking briskly from different directions. There is tension in the air. You expect a poorly planned crime, maybe a kidnapping mission or a bank robbery or worse an explosion. That’s the kind of scary picture the teaser of the new Malayalam film Pada presents. Three talented actors – Joju George, Vinayakan and Kunchacko Boban – play these three men we just described. The film is written and directed by Kamal Km, who once made a well-appreciated movie called ID. Kamal is not a director to stop with three great actors, he has included in his film the talented Indrans, Dileesh Pothan, Prakash Raj, Unnimaya Prasad, Shine Tom Chacko, Salim Kumar, Kani Kusruti, Sajitha Madathil, Sudheer Karamana, Tg Ravi and a whole lot of other actors.