Theatre may not come with heart-wrenching background music and mind-bending special effects, but the raw power and authenticity of a stage performance are seldom achieved through any other medium of entertainment. It seems, however, that Hotstar’s new original, CinePlay, with its unique format combining theatre and cinema, will soon change online streaming for the better.
CinePlays are an amalgamation of the larger than life characters of theatre and the nuances of cinema. Merging the talents of internationally acclaimed directors and actors with state-of-the-art filming techniques, these cinematic ‘stage plays’ bring to your screen beautiful stories that stay with you long after you’re done watching them. So, if you’re constantly on the prowl for content that moves you, here are a few reasons you should consider checking out Hotstar Originals’ CinePlay.
For one, combining stage and cinema hasn’t been attempted on screens before.
One of the reasons we fall in love with theatre is because it’s a personal interaction between the actor and the audience rather than a performance. With CinePlay, though, this brilliance will finally shed its ‘niche’ label to enthrall millions on the screen. This works wonders for powerful narratives like Bombay Talkies, a play which depicts the lives of 7 Mumbaikars, each with their own story. What makes it even more engrossing is the way the actors deliver their monologues by looking right through the screen, and maybe even your very soul.
Each story is complex, yet poetic and engaging.
Case in point is another CinePlay title, Between The Lines, a gripping story starring Nandita Das and Subodh Mascara as a lawyer couple who find themselves on opposite sides of a courtroom battle. As the story progresses, you see the couple debate gender roles as they desperately try to keep their personal and professional lives separate and grapple with the realization that all may not be well in paradise.
Another gem you shouldn’t miss out on is the riveting dark comedy, Sometimes, where the central character, Pammi, struggles to balance work, love, and family expectations while still trying to have a social life. Yep, all work and no time makes Pammi very, very stressed.
That’s not all, though. The platform’s arsenal is full of great stories, that will keep you hooked till the end!
You know what makes a good story better? Good talent.
You may have never heard of a production, but you know it’s going to be good when you hear of that one actor/actress in the cast or that one director at the helm. Yep, the CinePlay repository is full of people who have, time and again, proven that they have the Midas Touch. For example, Typecaste, where the multi-faceted Shreyas Talpade plays a man who becomes the first of his caste (and his village) to get an M.A., but still finds himself in a teaching position, guiding students who are adamant on making his life difficult.
Of course, all this without the hassle of people who refuse to silence their phones no matter what.
Really, Person XYZ, we can all do without knowing who Person ABC betrayed/lied to/stabbed in the back/dated two years ago while we’re in the middle of an intense scene. I, for one, have plans to watch the morbid, intense and yet comical production, The Job, and I intend to do it wrapped up in a blanket in my bed.
If you’re a Premium Hotstar user, the above CinePlays have been available for viewing since February 13th. Apart from these 5 plays, Hotstar will also release a new one every week for the next few months. I’m totally name-dropping here, but they star actors like Sonali Kulkarni, Achint Kaur, Saurabh Shukla and Lillete Dubey. So, if you don’t have a subscription yet, I suggest you get one right away!
For more information, check out the promo below: