Cinema and streaming releases this week
The first full week of January 2026 offers a mixed but diverse slate of theatrical and streaming releases, with international cinema, regional Indian films and a strong line-up of OTT series leading the entertainment calendar between 5 and 11 January 2026.
Theatrical releases: New stories on the big screen
Cinemas welcome four Hollywood releases on 9 January. The Chronology of Water is a deeply personal drama based on Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, exploring trauma, resilience and self-discovery. Greenland 2: Migration continues the high-stakes survival saga as humanity struggles to rebuild amid global catastrophe. Primate arrives as a tense thriller delving into humanity’s uneasy relationship with nature, while Song Sung Blue offers a more intimate, music-infused narrative centred on relationships and nostalgia.
Bollywood remains absent from theatres this week, but regional cinema steps in to fill the gap. Gujarati release Jai Kanhaiyalall Ki presents a culturally rooted family drama, blending devotion with emotional conflict. Telugu film The Raja Saab combines action and mass appeal, while Tamil political drama Jana Nayagan focuses on power, leadership and social responsibility. Bengali cinema contributes two contrasting titles — Nari Choritro Bejay Jotil, which explores complex female identities, and Kirtaner Por Kirtan, a film steeped in cultural and spiritual themes.
Streaming series: A packed week on OTT
Netflix dominates the OTT landscape this week. Crime drama Good Cop / Bad Cop examines moral ambiguity within law enforcement, while 11.22.63, based on Stephen King’s novel, follows a man attempting to alter history by preventing a historic assassination. Anime series Shiboyugi – Playing Death Games to Put Food on the Table offers a dark survival narrative with social commentary, and Unlocked: A Jail Experiment returns for a second season, once again blurring the lines between rehabilitation and reality television.
Romantic drama HIS & HERS explores modern relationships from dual perspectives, while Love Is Blind: Germany adapts the popular dating experiment for European audiences. Comedy series Alpha Males returns with its fourth season, continuing its satirical take on masculinity and evolving gender dynamics.
Sony LIV’s Freedom at Midnight is a Hindi political drama set against pivotal moments in Indian history, while ZEE5’s Honeymoon Se Hatya investigates a chilling real-life crime through a documentary lens. Bengali thriller Kaalratri season two on Hoichoi deepens its exploration of crime, morality and psychological tension.
OTT original films and digital premieres
Netflix releases stand-up special Marcello Hernández: American Boy, blending observational humour with personal storytelling. Romantic drama People We Meet on Vacation adapts the bestselling novel into a story of friendship, love and missed chances.
Several theatrical films also make their OTT debut this week. De De Pyaar De 2 continues the popular Hindi romantic-comedy franchise with humour and relationship complications. Telugu action drama Akhanda 2 – Thaandavam brings high-octane spectacle to Netflix, while Amazon Prime Video premieres Malayalam film Balti, a grounded drama rooted in everyday struggles. Sony LIV’s Kalamkaval offers a socially conscious Malayalam narrative, and ZEE5 releases Tamil thriller Mask, centred on deception and hidden identities.
Overall, the week balances quieter theatrical activity with a strong streaming line-up, ensuring audiences have plenty to explore across genres and languages.
