The best movies and shows to watch this September: 'The Uprising', 'Daayra', and more

September is bringing a strong mix of films and series, with some of the year's most anticipated titles finally making their way to screens. There are gritty crime dramas, high-stakes thrillers, and sweeping period stories, alongside new seasons of some of the most talked-about shows of recent years.

Indian cinema gets a major share of the spotlight this month, with the Mirzapur universe making its theatrical debut, Meghna Gulzar returning with Daayra and Nikkhil Advani bringing a forgotten chapter of India's freedom struggle to Prime Video. Internationally, Guy Ritchie's The Gentlemen returns, while Fauda is back with a new season shaped by the realities of the last few years. 

Here's what to watch this September.

Gandhari

Taapsee Pannu takes on one of her most physically demanding roles yet in this action thriller, playing Bani, a mother whose daughter is abducted. When her search leads her into the dangerous world surrounding the fictional town of Joypurra, Bani is forced to confront threats that go far beyond what she imagined. Written and produced by Kanika Dhillon and directed by Devashish Makhija, the film also stars Ishwak Singh, Chhaya Kadam, Swastika Mukherjee, Mita Vashisht, and Jatin Sarna.

When: September 3
Where: Netflix

The Gentlemen Season 2

Theo James returns as Eddie Horniman, the aristocrat-turned-crime boss who has built himself a sizeable underground empire. Season two sees Eddie looking beyond Britain as he attempts to expand his operation into Italy, only to find himself facing new rivals and complications. Kaya Scodelario returns as Susie Glass, with Ray Winstone and Daniel Ings also reprising their roles. The series is created by Guy Ritchie.

When: September 3
Where: Netflix

Mayday

Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh team up for Mayday, a Cold War-set action comedy about a US Navy pilot who finds himself stranded behind enemy lines after a top-secret mission goes wrong. His unlikely shot at survival comes in the form of an eccentric former KGB agent, played by Branagh, leading to an unexpected alliance between the two. The film is directed by Game Night and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves filmmakers John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, and also stars Maria Bakalova and Marcin Dorociński.

When: September 4
Where: Apple TV+

Mirzapur: The Movie

The Mirzapur universe is finally heading to the big screen, bringing back some of its most recognisable characters. Ali Fazal returns as Guddu Pandit, with Pankaj Tripathi as Kaleen Bhaiya, and Divyenndu as Munna Tripathi, while Jitendra Kumar takes over the role of Bablu Pandit from Vikrant Massey. Directed by Gurmmeet Singh, the film continues the violent power struggles that have defined the franchise.

When: September 4
Where: In theatres

Fauda Season 5

The Israeli action thriller returns with Lior Raz back as Doron Kavillio. Set two years after the October 7 attacks, the new season follows Doron as he gets pulled into a dangerous deep-cover operation after an old friend's unauthorised revenge mission in Marseille. Created by Raz and Avi Issacharoff, the season is directed by Omri Givon and also stars Mélanie Laurent, Hakim Djaziri, Yaakov Zada Daniel, and Doron Ben-David.

When: September 8
Where: Netflix

The Uprising

Andrew Garfield stars in this historical action drama from filmmaker Paul Greengrass, centred on the 1381 Peasants' Revolt in England. Garfield plays a commoner caught up in a rebellion against the tyranny of King Richard II, as ordinary people rise against the ruling establishment. The film also features Jamie Bell, Tom Hollander, Stephen Dillane, Thomasin McKenzie, and Katherine Waterston.

When: September 11
Where: In theatres

Haiwaan

Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan reunite for Priyadarshan's dark thriller, but this is far removed from the comedy territory the trio has explored together before. Khan plays the hero, while Kumar takes on the role of an unapologetically evil antagonist. The story follows a blind martial artist who is drawn into protecting a young girl from a dangerous killer, with Boman Irani, Shriya Pilgaonkar, and Saiyami Kher also part of the cast.

When: September 11
Where: In theatres

The Revolutionaries

Nikkhil Advani brings a little-known chapter of India's freedom struggle to the screen with this period drama inspired by Sanjeev Sanyal's book Revolutionaries: The Other Story Of How India Won Its Freedom. The series follows four revolutionaries and their attempts to organise an armed resistance against British rule. Bhuvan Bam, Rohit Saraf, Pratibha Ranta, and Gurfateh Pirzada lead the ensemble, with Jason Shah, Paoli Dam, and Tota Roy Chowdhury in key roles.

When: September 11
Where: Prime Video

Slow Horses season 6

Gary Oldman is back as the gloriously grumpy Jackson Lamb in the sixth season of Slow Horses. Based on Mick Herron's Slough House novels, the new season finds the dysfunctional MI5 team caught up in a dangerous game of retaliation and revenge, with Diana Taverner once again putting them in the middle of a high-stakes situation. Alongside Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jack Lowden, Saskia Reeves, and Jonathan Pryce return, with Hugo Weaving and Lenny Rush joining the season.

When: September 16
Where: Apple TV+

The Scandal

Set in Joseon-era Korea, this period drama puts desire, deception, and a dangerous wager at the centre of its story. Son Ye-jin plays Lady Cho, who challenges the notorious playboy Jo-won, played by Ji Chang-wook, to seduce Hui-yeon, portrayed by Nana. Directed by Jung Ji-woo, the series reimagines Pierre Choderlos de Laclos' classic novel Dangerous Liaisons through a lavish Korean historical setting.

When: September 18
Where: Netflix

Daayra

Meghna Gulzar returns with a crime thriller starring Kareena Kapoor Khan and Prithviraj Sukumaran, marking the actors' first on-screen collaboration. Inspired by true events, the film explores questions of crime, law, and justice, with the two leads playing police officers caught up in a complex case.

When: September 18
Where: In theatres

The Love Hypothesis

Based on Ali Hazelwood's bestselling romance novel, The Love Hypothesis follows biology PhD candidate Olive Smith, who finds herself in a fake relationship with intimidating Stanford professor Adam Carlsen after an impulsive kiss sets the whole plan in motion. Naturally, what begins as a carefully constructed arrangement gets complicated when their pretend romance starts feeling a little too real. Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman lead the film, with Claire Scanlon directing, and Sarah Rothschild adapting Hazelwood's novel for the screen.

When: September 23
Where: Prime Video

Don't Be Shy

Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt's Eternal Sunshine Productions backs this young-adult romantic comedy about first love, friendships, heartbreak, and the messy process of growing up. Written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, the film features a young cast led by newcomers Aarushi Bajaj, Ansh Duggal, Bianca Arora, and Piyush Khati. 

When: September 25
Where: Prime Video

Lead image: IMDb

Also read: Move over, movie stars. The director is the reason we now buy that ticket

Also read: Has Hollywood finally figured out how to make us leave our couch again?