Housefull 5 (Prime Video, August 1): Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, the fifth part in the popular comedy franchise is set in a cruise this time where a murder shakes all the characters. Blending elements of over-the-top comedy and mystery, the film stars Akshay Kumar, Riteish Deshmukh, Abhishek Bachchan, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sonam Bajwa, Nargis Fakhri, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Nana Patekar, Chitrangada Singh, Fardeen Khan, Chunky Pandey, Johnny Lever, Shreyas Talpade, Dino Morea, Ranjeet, Soundarya Sharma, Nikitin Dheer, and Akashdeep Sabir in pivotal roles. Co-written and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, the film was released in theatres on June 6 with two different endings.
Sitaare Zameen Par (YouTube, August 1): Aamir Khan’s sports-drama comes on YouTube directly, available to watch on a pay-per-view basis after the actor’s initial claims of not releasing the film anywhere other than theatres. It features him as a brash basketball coach who is given a task to train a team of neurodivergent players. Directed by RS Prasanna, the film is a remake of the Spanish film, Champions (2018) and a spiritual successor to Taare Zameen Par (2007). It also stars Genelia D’Souza, and ten debutant actors, namely Aroush Datta, Gopi Krishna Varma, Samvit Desai, Vedant Sharma, Ayush Bhansali, Ashish Pendse, Rishi Shahani, Rishabh Jain, Naman Mishra, and Simran Mangeshkar.
Bakaiti (ZEE5, August 1): Also releasing on Hindi OTT this week is the comedy-drama show starring Sheeba Chadha and Rajesh Tailang. Set amidst the charming chaos of old Ghaziabad, Bakaiti centers on the quirky yet close-knit Kataria Parivaar who juggle mounting pressure, financial instability, and the daily grind of making ends meet. Speaking about the show, director Ameet Guptha said, "Bakaiti was born out of the kind of conversations we have all had around dining tables and on terrace steps—about space, sacrifice, and the quiet resilience that defines every Indian household.” The show also features Tanya Sharma and Aditya Shukla in pivotal roles.