Through a tight focus in the sphere of the Indian classical music subculture, Chaitanya Tamhane’s 2020 film The Disciple asks larger questions about the relentless pursuit of art and excellence in the face of existential crisis. By Karan Madhok

“It’s all about building counter-culture—and skateboarding is counter-culture.” Wheeled Wings directors Divy Bhagia and Aayush Dudhiya discuss the making of their short documentary, where skateboarding became the vehicle to break barriers of caste, gender, and education. - By Deekshith Pai

In Amit Masurkar’s man-versus-wild thriller Sherni (2021), a disturbed tigress is on the loose, spreading alarm and fear. But, with critiques of industrialisation, politics, and greed, the film is instead a mirror reflecting the wilder side of humanity itself. By Nidhi Choksi Dhakan.

In the foreground of young death, the Sanya Malhotra starrer Pagglait (2021) presents a woman unwilling to become the meek, submissive picture of a suffering widow, instead finding an unusual ally to help her navigate inner conflict and chaos. By Harshita Murarka

With coming-of-age series Aspirants, streaming platform The Viral Fever continue to tell stories close to the heart of the Indian youth, serving as an evolving meme of our times. By Raunaq Saraswat

Seema Pahwa’s directorial feature Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi is a realistic narrative in the face of death, peppered with grief, comedy, and epic performances by an ensemble cast. By Saurabh Sharma

The Disney+ Hotstar series OK Computer (2021) is an uneven but entertaining show, swimming in the ambitious territory of mystery, comedy, science fiction, and philosophy, all in an uniquely Indian setting. By Karan Madhok

The four short films in Netflix’s Ajeeb Daastaans—far removed in theme and setting—are bound together by their ability to shock. And it’s Neeraj Ghaywan’s beautifully-crafted Geeli Pucchi that elevates the uneven anthology. By Harshita Murarka

Megha Ramaswamy’s What Are the Odds? (2019) is a film unlike any other about Indian young adults, harkening the uncertainty of youth on screen to present an experience that is at once innovative, surreal, and profound. By Paromita Patranobish

Jeo Baby’s remarkable film The Great Indian Kitchen (2021) is a critique of patriarchy in Indian households, a delicious recipe of a discomforting, cold dish. - By Deekshith Pai

Vikramaditya Motwane’s AK vs AK asks more questions about reel and real than any other film in recent memory. How much of real life inspires cinema? How far can cinema piggyback on what’s happening in the outside world? By Urmi Bhattacheryya

Rohena Gera’s Sir (2018) is a romance that challenges the societal taboos of class in India, and deftly explores the story of two individuals who the barriers between them. With delicately-crafted moments, the film strips off our biases to ask “Is love enough?” By Harshita Murarka