This week, there is an interesting line-up of South content releasing on OTT platforms and in theatres.
From Malayalam to Telugu and Tamil, there is something for everyone.
Kalamkaval and Bha Bha Ba, among others, are the major OTT releases of the week.
Sankranthi/Pongal 2026 holiday season is packed with exciting South Indian titles — both on OTT and in theatres. Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar and Zee5 are packed with compelling stories across genres and languages.
Here’s the list of new South OTT and theatrical releases to watch this week.
South OTT releases of the week (Jan 12-18, 2026)
Kalamkaval - SonyLiv (Jan 16)
Mammootty and Vinayakan starrer Kalamkaval had a theatrical release on December 5. Directed by debutant Jithin K Jose, the film opened to positive reviews from critics and audiences for its intriguing storytelling and power-packed performances, especially Mammukka was praised for his role as an antagonist.
Set in Kerala, Kalamkaval follows the story of a group of police officers who are assigned to handle a situation between two conflicting communities in the border town of Kottayikkonam. Led by SI Jayakrishnan, the investigation takes an unexpected turn as they unravel a dangerous crime connected to a single man.
Gibin Gopinath, Rajisha Vijayan, Shruti Ramachandran, and Gayatri Arun play significant roles in the thriller.
Bha Bha Ba - Zee5 (Jan 16)
Directed by Dhananjay Shankar, the Malayalam political satire has an ensemble cast led by Dileep, with a special appearance by Mohanlal, alongside Vineeth Sreenivasan, Dhyan Sreenivasan, Baiju Santhosh, Balu Varghese, and Sandy. The movie blends mass appeal with a thought-provoking narrative.
The story follows the abduction of the Chief Minister in broad daylight by an ordinary man. What initially appears to be a criminal act soon reveals itself as an attempt to expose corruption, abuse of power, and systemic failures.
Gurram Paapi Reddy - Zee5 (Jan16)
Directed by Murali Manohar, the Telugu crime comedy follows the story of a man named Gurram Paapi (played by Naresh Agastya), who is forced to file a bankruptcy case after his chit fund company incurs huge losses, leaving him financially drained. Amidst this, he meets Soudamini, an aspiring doctor who has lost her money. Both are on the same boat and are joined by a few other friends, forming a gang, planning to get out of it. The film has an unexpected and chaotic situation, making it a perfect watch this holiday season.
Apart from Naresh Agastya, Faria Abdullah, Yogi Babu, Rajkumar Kasireddy, Brahmanandam Kanneganti, Vamshidhar Goud, Jeevan Kumar, John Vijay, and Mottai Rajendran round out the cast.
Dhandoraa - Amazon Prime Video (Jan 14)
Directed by Muralikanth Devasoth, Telugu social drama Dhandoraa features Navdeep, Shree Nandu, Bindu Madhavi and Sivaji. It was released in theatres on December 25, but landed in controversy due to objectionable comments about women’s dressing.
Dhandoraa is based on the sensitive issue of honour killings with a deep social message.
Anantha – JioHotstar (Jan 13)
Inspired by the teachings of Sathya Sai Baba, this Tamil devotional drama is directed by Suresh Krissna. Five interconnected stories explore faith, belief and spiritual transformation.
Jagapathi Babu, Suhasini Maniratnam and YG Mahendra are part of the cast.
South theatrical releases of the week (Jan 12-18, 2026)
Anaganaga Oka Raju - Jan 14
Anaganaga Oka Raju revolves around Raju Garu (Naveen Polishetty), who is the heir to the Gouravapuram Zamindar legacy. Raju faces financial troubles, and to secure his status, he marries Charulatha (Meenakshi Chaudhary), the daughter of a wealthy landlord. Soon after the wedding, he discovers that he has been duped by Charulatha's father, who has huge debts and liabilities.
Directed by Maari, the family entertainer also stars Rao Ramesh and Tarak Ponnappa, among others.
Vaa Vaathiyaar - Jan 14
Written and directed by Nalan Kumarasamy, the film stars Karthi, Krithi Shetty, Sathyaraj, Rajkiran, Anandaraj, Shilpa Manjunath, and Karunakaran, among others.
Set in the fictional village of Maasila, the action-comedy features Karthi as a cop, raised on the ideals of late superstar MG Ramachandran by his grandfather (Rajkiran), a huge fan of MGR. Ramu becomes a corrupt police officer and gets embroiled in a case involving businessman Periyasamy (Sathyaraj) and the state’s Chief Minister (Nizhalgal Ravi).
Grab your popcorn and watch these interesting titles this holiday season.
