The Best Performances On Streaming In September 2020

This is a monthly series in which we highlight standout performances from the streaming universe. Since Film Companion watches widely, we decided to curate this list, foregrounding exceptional work, even if they did not have the proverbial spotlight on them. 

Sachin Khedekar, Halahal

Streaming Platform: Eros Now
It's often easy to forget how consistent some actors are, because they're veteran faces who've been around for decades. But it's always nice to see them lead films and sink their teeth into meaty roles. As a grieving father determined to uncover the truth behind his daughter's death, Sachin Khedekar is an entire morality tale on his own in Halahal. His arc is complex, he's an educated man (a doctor) who slowly gets tarnished by the system hiding a conspiracy. Barun Sobti as the corrupt cop – and his "teammate" – is just as good, but Khedekar is the grey heart of a film that subverts the viewer's perception of the underdog.

Also Read: Halahal On Eros Now Is A Potent, Layered Grieving-Parent Thriller

Vikrant Massey, Dolly Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare

Streaming Platform: Netflix
Even though he was the protagonist of the lovely sci-fi gem, Cargo, Vikrant Massey stands out in yet another Alankrita Shrivastava film as precisely the kind of man that triggers (as opposed to "inspires") the rise of Indian womanhood. Massey plays someone who, with his flirty voice alone, first wins the trust of Bhumi Pednekar's adult call center character before shattering her heart by showing his true colours in Agra (where else). His face makes you want to believe in his awkwardness and goodness, but Massey's guilt-face is a thing of beauty – a scene at the police station, where he refuses to meet the gaze of the girl in love with him, stands out.

Syama Harini, Comicstaan: Semma Comedy Pa

Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
The lone female contestant in the Tamil version of Comicstaan is more a work-in-progress rather than a legit comic capable of holding her own one-hour special, but her potential is there for all to see. She may not have won the competition but there's ease to her performance and an instant likeability that got us to sit up whenever she came up on stage. Her performance as a TV remote (with tape wrapped all over her) was a riot and there were genuine insights that made some of her sets stand out. What she'll go on to do is something a lot of us are excited about.

Also Read: Review Of Amazon Prime Video's Comicstaan Semma Comedy Pa: A Beta Version Of A Show That Offers More Learning Than LOLs

Darshana Rajendran, C U soon

Streaming Platform: Amazon Prime Video
While all the performances in this film are solid, Darshana's especially struck as one that is easy to read. She nudges us into investing heavily in her character, Anu, even when we sense a secret she's hiding. This is interesting because Anu is a character based initially on what Jimmy (Roshan Mathew) tells us about her and eventually what information Kevin (Fahadh Faasil) gathers by destroying anything in the form of her privacy.

Bhumi Pednekar, Dolly, Kitty Aur Woh Chamakte Sitare

Streaming Platform: Netflix
In one of her strongest performances yet, Bhumi Pednekar is utterly devoid of vanity and facade and entirely submits to the role of a wide-eyed young woman determined to make it in the big city. As one of the best parts of an otherwise uneven film, Pednekar brings nuance and conviction to Kitty as she navigates the messy worlds of her career and relationships, whilst facing the costs of being an independent woman in modern India.