What to Watch In Theatres This Week: 'Alpha,' 'Gatta Kusthi 2', 'Nagabandham' and More

From the return of the Minions, who travel back to the Golden Age of cinema, to a high-octane spy thriller starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari at the centre of the action, this week's theatrical slate spans genres, languages and moods. Here's what to watch in theatres this week:

English

The third instalment in the Minions prequel series, and the seventh film in the Despicable Me franchise, Minions & Monsters is directed by Pierre Coffin, who also voices the Minions, and written by Coffin and Brian Lynch. Set in 1920s Los Angeles at the dawn of Hollywood, the film follows two ambitious Minions, James and Henry, who decide to make a monster movie of their own. The voice cast is stacked, with Christoph Waltz, Allison Janney, Jeff Bridges, Jesse Eisenberg, Zoey Deutch, and Trey Parker, all lending their talents to the chaos.

This latest animated comedy adventure comes to screens on July 2.

Hindi

Directed by Shiv Rawail and produced by Aditya Chopra, Alpha stars Alia Bhatt as Sita, a deadly operative who begins uncovering uncomfortable truths about the secret soldier programme built by her own mentor, Bobby Deol’s character, Baba. Sharvari plays a fellow elite spy, and the two find themselves in an unexpected alliance as they go up against antagonist Bobby Deol. Anil Kapoor reprises his role from War 2, and Hrithik Roshan’s Kabir Dhaliwal from YRF’s War is expected to make a cameo.

Alpha, coming to theatres on July 3, is the seventh film in Yash Raj Films' Spy Universe, and its first to be led entirely by women.

The debut production from the Saleem Siblings banner, set up by Huma Qureshi and her brother Saqib Saleem, Baby Do Die Do is a neo-noir Hindi thriller directed by Nachiket Samant. Huma Qureshi plays Baby KarMarKar, a deaf-mute serial killer in Mumbai who can only hear the voice of her dead sister as she commits a string of murders for unknown reasons.

Releasing in theatres this July 3, the film also stars Sikander Kher, Chunky Pandey and Seema Pahwa. 

Telugu

A mythological fantasy adventure directed by Abhishek Nama, Nagabandham: The Secret Treasure centres on the ancient Anantha Padmanabha Swamy Temple and the mystical Brahma Kamalam - a relic of immense divine power. When dark forces rise to seize the treasure, Lord Vishnu himself allies with Naga Sadhu to stop them.

The film, releasing on July 3, stars Virat Karrna as Naga Sadhu, alongside Nabha Natesh, Aishwarya Menon, Daksha Nagarkar, Mahesh Manjrekar, Jagapathi Babu, and Murali Sharma. 

Directed and written by Venkatesh Maha, Rao Bahadur is a psychological drama presented by Mahesh Babu and Namrata Shirodkar. The film stars Satyadev in the titular role of a royal figure navigating a world of fading aristocracy. Blending psychological tension, dark comedy, and magical realism, the film stars Deepa Thomas as the female lead, with Vikas Muppala, Bala Parasar, and Anand Bharathi in pivotal roles.

Rao Bahadur comes to screens on July 3.

Tamil

The sequel to the 2022 comedy-drama returns with the director Chella Ayyavu and the irresistible lead pairing of Vishnu Vishal and Aishwarya Lekshmi. The film continues the story of a couple whose lives and marriage revolve around professional wrestling, with the sequel promising higher stakes, fiercer competition and the same warm blend of sports drama, family comedy and genuine emotional investment that made the original such a surprise.

The sequel, releasing on July 3, also stars Karunas, Munishkanth and Ramya Krishnan, with music by Sean Roldan. 

Kannada

Directed by Devanuru Chandru and produced under the LMK Film Factory banner, Kannada rural action drama Graamaayana comes to the theatres this July 3. The film stars Vinay Rajkumari as Seena, a village youth known for his sharp instincts, who finds himself caught in the middle of panchayat disputes, community rivalries and land conflicts. Megha Shetty and Amritha Aiyer are the female leads, with Achyuth Kumar, Gopalkrishna Deshpande and Arun Sagar in supporting roles, and music by Poornachandra Tejaswi.

Malayalam

Written and directed by Abhilash Warrier, Aroopi is a Malayalam horror film produced by Pradeep Raj under Punartham Productions. The film hints at a setting steeped in Kerala's temple and aristocratic traditions, with the supernatural seemingly woven into that world. Vysakh Ravi, Neha Chawla and Joy Mathew lead the cast, supported by Sindhu Varma and Sakshi Bhadala. Music is by Gopi Sundar, with sound design credited to a team that includes National Award winners MR Rajakrishnan and Kishan Mohan. The film carries a UA16+ censor rating and releases on July 3.