The Journalist, PPKV, All Of Us Are Dead - the most anticipated OTT series of January 2022

Actor Ryoko Yonekura in ‘The Journalist’. (Image: screen grab)

With half a dozen streaming sites releasing content in multiple languages every week, it can be a bit hard to zero-in on the one or two must-see series that we have the time to watch. Starting this month, we present a must-watch list of shows to check out. In January 2022, catch:

The Journalist

This high-octane thriller with a tenacious female protagonist released on Netflix this week. It encompasses universal themes as well an insight into the culture of Japan. An adaptation of a 2019 movie, it is the story of a journalist who exposes political scandals and crimes. She doggedly pursues the truth about a government corruption scandal even as powerful enemies seek to neutralise her reporting.

Detective Boomrah

Detective Boomrah – played by storyteller-turned-actor and filmmaker Sudhanshu Rai – and his partner Sam (Raghav Jhingran) are investigating the case of a mysterious man (Akhlaq Ahmad Azad), who appeared out of nowhere in a heritage hotel room and then jumped from a terrace to be found nowhere. The detective thriller premieres on January 21.

Archive 81

The story is about a video archivist – Mamoudou Athie – who is called upon to restore a recently-acquired collection of videotapes damaged in fire. The work is supposed to be done at a remote research facility because the goods are very fragile. As the artist begins his work, he comes across a tape that is possessed. In an old video about a building appears a mysterious character that changes his life upside down. The supernatural thriller released on January 14.

Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein

Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein is the story about a young man – played by Tahir Bhasin – who is stuck between a woman who loves him (Shweta Tripathi) and one who desires him (Anchal Singh). In the words of one of the key characters, played by the versatile Saurabh Shukla, the protagonist is a trophy that can only be won by her daughter. And if that is not all, the lead, played by Tahir Bhasin, further gets entangled in an enmity that makes him run for his life. The thriller released on Netflix on January 14.

Human

This web series starring critically acclaimed actors Shefali Shah, Seema Biswas, Kirti Kulhari and Ram Kapoor, among others, is based on unscrupulous clinical trials by a pharmaceutical company and a hospital.

Aside from the powerful nexus driving the trials, there are innocent youths in the mix who consider enrolling people for the trial a way to make quick and easy money. Chaos breaks when many people start dying in the course of drug testing. The medical thriller premiered on Disney+Hotstar on January 14.

All of us are dead

In this much anticipated Korean series, a high school becomes ground zero for a zombie virus outbreak. The trapped students need to either find a way out or turn into one of the infected. Directed by Lee Jae-Kyoo, who has earlier helmed hit dramas like The King 2 Hearts, The Fatal Encounter and Intimate Strangers, the series is based on a popular webtoon. The cast includes Lee You-mi of Squid Game fame (she played Player No 240).

Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa

Putham Pudhu Kaalai Vidiyaadhaa (PPKV) brings together five inspirational voices from the world of contemporary Tamil cinema – Richard Anthony, Balaji Mohan, Halitha Shameem, Madhumita and Surya Krishna. The new Tamil series weaves together a tale of love and hope while celebrating the resilient human spirit in these uncertain times. The five stories touch upon different forms and aspects of love. PPKV is on Amazon Prime Video.