South Indian cinema has a diverse OTT lineup this week, giving viewers several new options across Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films. Between October 6 and 12, titles including Mandaadi, Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar, Epic – First Semester and Khalifa are scheduled to make their digital debuts or become available to a wider streaming audience.
The lineup covers different genres, including sports action, crime thriller, romantic drama and action entertainment. Netflix has a particularly strong presence this week, with Mandaadi arriving on October 8 and both Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar and Epic – First Semester scheduled for October 9.
Mandaadi
Soori’s Mandaadi is one of the major Tamil OTT releases this week. The film is a sports action drama set in a coastal community where traditional sailboat racing is closely connected to local identity, pride and long-standing rivalries.
Soori plays Kaali, a fisherman and boat racer who becomes involved in a conflict influenced by the history of the community. The film has been written and directed by Mathimaran Pugazhendhi. Suhas makes his Tamil debut in the movie and plays an important role opposite Soori.
Mandaadi was released theatrically in September and has received attention for its boat-racing sequences, coastal setting and performances. The film has also recorded a strong box-office run, becoming one of the notable commercial successes of Soori’s career as a lead actor.
Mandaadi will begin streaming on Netflix from October 8, 2026. The digital release will be available in Tamil along with dubbed versions in Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada, allowing the film to reach viewers across several Indian language markets.
The film also features Mahima Nambiar, Sathyaraj and Ravindra Vijay among its cast. Its move to OTT is expected to give audiences who missed the theatrical release an opportunity to watch the film from home.
Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar
Malayalam cinema also has an important OTT release this week with Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar. The crime thriller stars Parvathy Thiruvothu in a police role and features Mathew Thomas, Unnimaya Prasad and Sidharth Bharathan in important parts.
The film is directed by Shahad Nilambur and revolves around a disturbing incident connected to a police station. What initially appears to be a crime investigation develops into a psychologically tense situation, with the characters facing difficult questions about their actions, decisions and responsibilities.
The movie has been described as an investigative thriller that combines police procedures with psychological tension. Parvathy’s performance as a police officer has also been one of the talking points surrounding the film.
Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar is scheduled to stream on Netflix from October 9. It will be available in Malayalam along with Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Hindi language versions.
The Netflix release provides the Malayalam thriller with an opportunity to reach audiences beyond Kerala. Viewers who prefer investigative stories and crime dramas can therefore add the film to their OTT watchlist for this week.
Epic – First Semester
Epic – First Semester is another major Netflix release arriving on October 9. The Telugu romantic drama brings Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya together again following their previous collaboration in Baby.
The film is written and directed by Aditya Haasan, who makes his feature-film directorial debut. The story follows a middle-class young man who travels to London for higher education. His experience abroad introduces him to new relationships, unfamiliar situations and questions about his ambitions and personal identity.
The film combines romance and coming-of-age themes, with the international setting playing an important part in the story. The reunion of Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya is expected to be one of the key attractions for viewers who enjoyed their earlier collaboration.
Epic – First Semester is scheduled to premiere on Netflix on October 9. The film will be available in Telugu along with Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Hindi versions.
The OTT release comes several weeks after its theatrical run. The streaming platform could help the film reach a broader audience, particularly younger viewers interested in romantic dramas involving education, relationships and life abroad.
Khalifa
Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Khalifa is another notable Malayalam title moving to digital platforms. The action crime thriller is directed by Vysakh and features Prithviraj Sukumaran in the lead role.
The story follows Aamir Ali, a textile-shop owner who initially tries to stay away from the criminal world connected to his family background. His life changes when his father, Younus Ali, becomes caught up in a serious situation and is arrested.
Aamir is then forced to confront a past that his family had attempted to leave behind. The film combines family drama with crime and action elements, placing its central character in circumstances that challenge his decision to remain distant from the underworld.
Khalifa received a mixed response during its theatrical release. Its OTT availability is expected to give the film another opportunity to connect with viewers who may not have watched it in cinemas.
According to current reports, Khalifa is being released across multiple streaming platforms. In India, the film is scheduled for Amazon Prime Video, Aha, ManoramaMAX and Lionsgate Play, while overseas audiences can access it through STARZPLAY and Simply South.
The multi-platform strategy gives the film a wider digital reach and allows viewers in different markets to access the movie through services available in their regions.
What Makes This Week’s Lineup Interesting
The October 6 to 12 OTT lineup demonstrates the variety available in South Indian cinema. Mandaadi represents Tamil sports action, Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar brings Malayalam crime and investigation, Epic – First Semester focuses on Telugu romance and coming-of-age themes, while Khalifa offers Malayalam crime action.
Another notable feature is the availability of several films in multiple languages. Mandaadi is scheduled to stream in Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada, while Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar and Epic – First Semester will also be accessible in multiple language versions.
This multilingual approach has become increasingly important for South Indian films on streaming platforms. OTT services allow movies originally made for one regional market to reach audiences across India without requiring viewers to wait for separate television premieres.
For viewers deciding what to watch this week, the choice largely depends on genre. Those looking for action and sports drama can consider Mandaadi. Audiences interested in police investigations and crime stories can choose Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar. Viewers looking for a youthful romantic story can watch Epic – First Semester, while fans of crime action and Prithviraj Sukumaran can explore Khalifa.
The release schedule also shows how streaming platforms have become an important second window for South Indian films. Movies that have already completed their theatrical runs can reach a much larger audience through digital platforms, while viewers who were unable to watch them in cinemas receive another opportunity to discover them.
Mandaadi in particular enters the streaming market after a successful theatrical performance. Current reports say the film has crossed the ₹100 crore mark in India and has become the highest-grossing film of Soori’s career as a lead actor.
Pradhama Drishtiya Kuttakkar is also arriving on OTT after a successful theatrical run, with reports stating that the film crossed a significant box-office milestone. Its Netflix release could further expand the audience for Parvathy Thiruvothu’s police thriller.
Epic – First Semester, meanwhile, gets an opportunity to reach viewers who may have missed its theatrical release. Its Netflix premiere in five languages could be particularly useful in expanding the film beyond its original Telugu-speaking audience.
Overall, the week offers a balanced selection of South Indian entertainment across major OTT platforms. From Soori’s coastal sports drama to Parvathy Thiruvothu’s investigative thriller, Anand Deverakonda and Vaishnavi Chaitanya’s romantic drama and Prithviraj Sukumaran’s crime action film, viewers have several choices across different genres.
As streaming platforms continue to invest heavily in regional content, these multilingual releases are becoming increasingly important for the wider Indian entertainment market. The October 6 to 12 schedule is another example of how Tamil, Malayalam and Telugu films are finding audiences across language boundaries through OTT services.
