India, April 27 -- The other day, our family doctor put me on the spot. "Got any movie or show recommendations, preferably in Hindi?" he asked.
This shouldn't be a challenge in the age of streaming, but I could only sit there and gawp. So far, 2025 has been trying for those of us expected to serve up menus of options to fans of Hindi entertainment.
Regional cinema has delivered satisfying watches such as Alappuzha Gymkhana (Malayalam), the story of young, aspiring boxing champions. Sharmila Tagore delivered a standout performance in Puratawn (Bengali for Ancient), about a mother, a daughter and an 80th birthday party.
Titles like these stand distinctly apart from the listings out of Bollywood.
Even if excess, spectacle and gloss are all...