Tag Archives: February 21

Streaming Video News: February 21, 2023

It’s last call for a bunch of Dharma Productions titles on Amazon Prime and Netflix, which will also lose a ton of Balaji Motion Pictures films this week as well. Here’s what’s leaving when, and why this may not be cause for panic.

First of all, thanks to CinemaRare on Twitter for listing the movies on the way out. One thing to notice immediately is that some of the titles on CinemaRare’s list are currently available in India but not the United States. This is because streaming rights are negotiated on a regional — and sometimes country-specific — basis between the company that owns the film’s rights and the streaming service interested in licensing them. These contracts cover a specified time period, after which the rights holder can renegotiate a new contract or shop their content elsewhere.

That’s likely what’s happening with Dharma and Balaji now. There’s every chance that they will simply sign a new contract with the same streaming companies for another few years. Balaji did that in late 2020 with Netflix. If that’s the case, then the titles may only be unavailable for a short window. I’m going to wait a week or two before removing the links to the expiring titles from my Netflix list and my Amazon Prime list just in case the films are renewed.

However, there is a chance that the Dharma Productions titles may not return to Netflix. Karan Johar and Dharma have a deal with Amazon Prime to bring their newest theatrical releases to Prime and to create new streaming content for the service. I won’t be shocked if they want to make the back catalog exclusive to Prime as well. If you subscribe to Netflix but not Prime, you may want to prioritize watching the expiring Dharma titles listed below this week.

Here are all of the Dharma Productions and Balaji Motion Pictures titles expiring from Netflix and Amazon Prime in the next week (note that the last day to watch is the day before the expiration date):

Expiring from Netflix February 27 (Balaji Motion Pictures titles)

Expiring from Netflix February 28 (Dharma Productions titles)

Expiring from Netflix March 1

Expiring from Amazon Prime February 27 (Dharma Productions titles)*

*The Amazon Prime Dharma list looks small by comparison to the Netflix list because some of the films are available on Eros Now instead of Prime, while others have already expired from Prime. Keeping track of all this stuff is no joke!

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Opening February 21: Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan and Bhoot – Part 1

Two new Hindi films open in the Chicago area on February 21, 2020. The romantic comedy Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan — a spin-off of 2017’s Shubh Mangal Saavdhan — features Ayushmann Khurrana and Jitendra Kumar as a gay couple struggling with their families’ objections.

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan opens Friday at the AMC River East 21 in Chicago, MovieMax Cinemas in Niles, AMC South Barrington 24 in South Barrington, Marcus Addison in Addison, Regal Cantera in Warrenville, and AMC Woodridge 18 in Woodridge. (Streaming Partner: Amazon Prime) It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs.

Also new this weekend is the horror movie Bhoot: Part 1 – The Haunted Ship, starring Vicky Kaushal.

Bhoot: Part 1 opens Friday at MovieMax and the South Barrington 24. (Streaming Partner: Amazon Prime) It has a listed runtime of 2 hrs. 5 min.

Love Aaj Kal carries over for a second week at the River East 21, MovieMax, South Barrington 24, Cantera, and AMC Niles 12 in Niles.

Malang gets a third week at MovieMax and South Barrington 24, which also holds over Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior.

MovieMax also carries over Jawaani Jaaneman and Panga.

Other Indian movies showing in the Chicago area this weekend (all films have English subtitles):