Underrated films to watch on ZEE5

ZEE5 is known to release some freshly brewed, in triguing films quite often. However, some of the films with a talented cast and touching storylines can go unrecognised at times. Here’s a list of 10 of these underrated films that you can watch on a long weekend or simply to unwind after a long day at work if you feel like.  

Underrated films to watch on ZEE5

Nil Battey Sannata

This Swara Bhaskar-starrer marked Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s directorial debut. Narrating the story of Apeksha ‘Apu’ Sahay, played by Riya Shukla, and Chanda Sahay aka Swara Bhaskar, Nil Battaey Sannata talked about the ability to dream big and change one’s life despite their current social status. The 2015 film was highly appreciated for its realistic portrayal of an underprivileged mother-daughter duo who overcame their personal and societal challenges to be recognised later in life.  

Also Read: Swara Bhasker says she was the ‘last person to be cast’ in Raanjhanaa and Prem Ratan Dhan Payo 

Qarib Qarib Singlle

Qarib Qarib Singlle brought two contrasting people Yogi, aka Irrfan Khan, and Malayalam film actress Parvathy Thiruvothu, aka Jaya, together through a dating app. Both Yogi and Jaya have baggage from their own pasts. While Yogi is open to new relationships, Jaya is hesitant. Dealing with their own problems, the two rediscover themselves while taking a trip from Mumbai to Dehradun, Roorkee, Jaipur and Gangtok. The emphasis is always on the protagonists' individual journeys, even when they travel by road or on a luxurious train.  

Kadvi Hawa

Sanjay Mishra and Ranvir Shorey featured in the movie Kadvi Hawa. The 2017 movie, which is set in the drought-prone Bundelkhand region, realistically examines farmer suicides in India. The story centres around a blind farmer who, after his son defaults on a loan, strikes a deal with a debt-collecting agency to prevent him from killing himself. The film also received a Special Mention at the National Film Awards in 2017.  

Lakadbaggha

The action thriller movie Lakadbaggha, released in 2023, is the story of a martial arts teacher and animal activist Arjun Bakshi (played by Anshuman Jha) who turns into a vigilante after his dog Shanku is reported missing. While on the hunt, Arjun spots an Indian, black-striped hyena and discovers that Aryan (Paresh Pahuja), the brother of Crime Branch officer Akshara D'Souza aka Riddhi Dogra, is in fact, running an illicit animal trade in Kolkata. It is commendable that a film focuses on an endangered species such as the striped hyena, despite India's continued fascination mostly with tigers and elephants.  

Also Read: Lakadbaggha OTT release: Here’s when and where to watch this action vigilante film online 

Operation Parindey

Operation Parindey was the final directorial venture of Dhoom writer-director Sanjay Gadhvi before his unfortunate demise in November 2023. A fictional story centred on true events, Operation Parindey tells the story of a groundbreaking jail break in Indian history. When Pabbi (Aakash Dahiya) breaks out of a Punjab jail, a few criminals manage to escape, including Monty Singh (Rahul Dev), the mastermind behind several bomb blasts in India. The main focus of the film is on how Special Task Force (STF) officer Abhinav Mathur (Amit Sadh) captures Monty Singh in less than 24 hours.  

The Wife

Featuring Gurmeet Choudhary and Sayani Dutta as Varun and Arya, respectively, The Wife shows how the young couple buys a flat in a city and experiences weird sights and sounds in the newly purchased apartment. A relatable and realistic horror film, it keeps the viewers glued to the screen with every frame and camera angle. Shot in a modern city apartment and not an old haveli, the location adds another touch of realism to the plot as do a wardrobe doubling as a mirror and more.  

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Raat Baaki Hai

Another underrated thriller from ZEE5, Raat Baaki Hai set in Rajasthan, is based on Atul Satya Koushik’s Hindi play Ballygunge 1990. The famous Bollywood actress Vaani Chopra (Dipannita Sharma) is killed the night she is engaged to film writer Kartik Sharma (Annup Soni). Who is the murderer? Why did it happen? The film's core is comprised of these questions.   

Baarish aur Chowmein

The story of Baarish Aur Chowmein follows Siraj who is unable to rent a home in Mumbai since not many people are prepared to shelter a Muslim. Siraj (Amit Sadh) is employed at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai, and Neelu (Taapsee Pannu) is the landlord’s daughter as well as a background dancer in Bollywood. Siraj left Lucknow to pursue his ambitions in Mumbai, while Taapsee wants to leave the city that she feels is stifling. Unable to find a home in Mumbai, Siraj hides his real identity and takes on a Hindu name, Suresh. He then finds a place to live and falls in love with Neelu, the landlord's daughter. Whether he reveals his actual identity to the female protagonist or not and what happens thereafter make the rest of the story worth watching.  

The Lovely Mrs. Mookherjee

Indranil Roychowdhury’s irreverent dramedy The Lovely Mrs. Mookherjee is a remarkably incisive critique of the ideas of male privilege and patriarchy. The movie stars Swastika Mukherjee, Tathagata Chaudhuri, Bratya Basu, Joydeep Mukherjee, Pratik Dutta, and Saoli Chattopadhyay. The storyteller in the movie is Saoli Chattopadhyay, who plays the gifted makeup artist Mouri. She tells the potential groom about her "Minu Masi," the lovely Mrs. Mookherjee. In essence, it tells the tale of a stunning woman who married a writer who is consumed with winning the Nobel Prize in literature. This leads to a great deal of conflict in their relationship and sets off an unbelievable series of events. Watch the movie to find out!  

Badnaam Gali

Another ZEE5 Original movie, Badnaam Gali, explores the idea of surrogacy in a humorous manner, by following the life of a pregnant lady with dubious morals and showing how she responds to criticism that comes her way.