'Lootcase' to 'Chintu Ka Birthday': 6 underrated 'direct to OTT' movies from 2020

The year 2020 was an unusual one for movie buffs as streaming platforms emerged as viable alternatives to theatres due to the Covid-19 lockdown. Several films opted for a 'direct to OTT' release as opposed to a theatrical one. While almost everyone is aware of flicks such as Laxmii and Soorarai Pottru, not many know that relatively small movies too tried to find an audience in the past 12 months

With 2021 around the corner, here is a look at 6 relatively underrated 'digital-only' releases from the year gone by.

Lootcase (Hindi, Disney+ Hotstar)

The film, which released amid limited fanfare, hit the right notes with an engaging storyline and intelligent execution. The punches made a decent impact, tickling the funny bone. The comedy had a cast headlined by underrated actors Kunal Khemu and Rasika Duggal.

Bahut Hua Samman (Hindi, Disney+ Hotstar)

A hatke attempt at storytelling, the satirical drama was the story of two engineering students who try to clear their name after getting drawn into a controversy. The proverbial 'twist in the tale' proved to be a highlight of the film.

Gatham (Telugu, Amazon Prime Video)

Gatham, featuring newcomers in the lead, managed to keep fans hooked with its twists and turns. The thriller, set in the US, revolved around what happens when a young man and his girlfriend meet a stranger after facing an unexpected problem.

Andhaghaaram (Tamil, Netflix)

The supernatural-thriller received rave reviews due to its production values and storyline, proving to be a gamechanger for actor Arjun Das. The Atlee-backed movie released after several delays and made for a compelling watch

Raat Akeli Hai (Hindi, Netflix)

The thriller impressed critics due to actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui's relatable performance and the sincere execution. The film, shot on a limited budget,  featured a decent number of twists and a fair deal of violence. It revolved around what happens when an elderly man is killed under mysterious circumstances The cast included Radhika Apte, Aditya 'Abhijeet' Srivastava and Tigmanshu Dhulia. It garnered less attention than Nawaz and Sudhir Mishra's Serious Men as it was helmed by debutant Honey Trehan.

Chintu Ka Birthday (Hindi, Zee5)

Actor Vinay Pathak impressed the target audience with his portrayal of a caring father in this simple yet effective comedy-drama, revolving around an Indian family based in war-torn Iraq. It received favourable reviews with critics saying that it had its heart in the right place.