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9 Best South Indian documentary movies to watch on OTT: From Curry and Cyanide to The Elephant Whisperers
One of South cinema’s best collections: check out these lesser-known documentary films available to stream online on OTT.
Documentary films have been an integral part of South cinema, offering audiences a glimpse into lesser-known aspects of life that deserve equal recognition.
Without further ado, here are 9 of the best South Indian documentary movies you can stream on OTT.
9 Best South Indian documentary movies to watch on OTT
Curry and Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case
- Director: Christo Tomy
- Streaming on: Netflix
Curry and Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case is a true crime documentary series that investigates six mysterious deaths within a family over 14 years. The series centers on 47-year-old Jolly Joseph, who was the prime suspect and later confessed to using cyanide to kill the victims.
The Hunt for Veerappan
- Director: Selvamani Selvaraj
- Streaming on: Netflix
Another true-crime docu-series, The Hunt for Veerappan explores and uncovers both well-known and untold stories about the notorious Indian bandit Veerappan. He was a domestic terrorist, poacher, and smuggler who operated in the forests of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka.
Dreaming of Words
- Director: Nandan
- Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video
Dreaming of Words centers on the life and work of renowned lexicographer Njattyela Sreedharan. Despite being a fourth-grade dropout, he compiled the first-ever dictionary that bridges four Dravidian languages.
Against The Tide
- Director: Sarvnik Kaur
- Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
Against the Tide, a 2023 documentary, offers an intimate look into the lives of two fishermen. Belonging to a lower-caste community, the film explores their struggles to stay afloat amid the challenges of fast-paced city life.
Ladies and Gentlewomen
- Director: Malini Jeevarathnam
- Streaming on: YouTube
The Tamil documentary Ladies and Gentlewoman explores love and relationships from the perspective of the lesbian community. It follows the life of a lesbian couple from Rajasthan and compares their love story with a tale from Tamil folklore. The film also incorporates perspectives from the LGBTQ+ community, offering a nuanced lens on the subject.
Dhoolpet Ganesha
- Director: Anantha Perumal
- Streaming on: IMDb
The Telugu documentary Dhoolpet Ganesha tells the story of a small, marginalized community in South India that celebrates the Ganesh Chaturthi festival with great fervor every year. It highlights their unique traditions and distinct way of observing the festival as a minority in the state.
Nilgiris - A Shared Wilderness
- Director: Sandesh Kadur
- Streaming on: YouTube
Nilgiris – A Shared Wilderness explores the unique relationship between people and nature in the Nilgiris region. The documentary highlights the resilience of wildlife amid a rapidly changing environment and showcases how humans coexist within this natural biosphere.
21 Months of Hell
- Director: Yadu Vijayakrishnan
- Streaming on: YouTube
The 2017 documentary 21 Months of Hell reveals the lesser-known torture methods used by the Indian police during the Emergency period of 1975.
The Elephant Whisperers
- Director: Kartiki Gonsalves
- Streaming on: Netflix
The Elephant Whisperers tells the story of a couple, Bomman and Bellie, from South India who have devoted their lives to caring for an orphaned baby elephant named Raghu. The film focuses on the deep bond between humans and elephants, showing how their connection transcends even that of family.
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