Vidya Balan's Begum Jaan, Fate of the Furious, Aftermath: Know your releases

On Friday — 14 April 2017 — Vidya Balan’s Begum Jaan is up against the Hollywood bigwig Fast and Furious 8 starring Vin Diesel and Dwayne Johnson. Then there is the lesser known Aftermath starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Bollywood Begum Jaan What’s It About: Set during the troubled times of the Partition, a brothel is shaken out of its complacency when the authorities decide that the Radcliffe line will cut the structure into half. The sex workers, led by the madam, fight tooth and nail with the authorities to save their home. Who’s In It: Vidya Balan, Gauhar Khan, Pallavi Sharda, Ila Arun, Naseeruddin Shah and Chunky Pandey. Why It May Work: Vidya Balan’s power-packed performance, an interesting storyline and the success of the Bengali film it is based on - Srijit Mukherji’s Rajkahini.

Begum Jaan is directed by Srijit Mukherji. Fate of the Furious What’s It About: The eighth film in the Fast and Furious franchise, aptly titled Fate of the Furious, will decide the fate of the series — whether it will sink or swim after the death of one of its main characters Brian O’Conner, played by Paul Walker. This time around, Dom, the head of the ‘family’ goes to the darker side and helps the villainous Cipher carry out her evil plans. Who’s In It: Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren, Jason Statham,  Michelle Rodriguez, Chris Bridges and Tyrese Gibson. Why It May Work: Fans of the franchise and car chase sequences enthusiasts will line up to buy tickets.

Fate of the Furious is directed by F Gary Gray. Aftermath What’s It About: Based on real life events, the film follows the Russian architect Vitaly Kaloyev who stabs the man responsible for his family’s death in an air crash. Even though he is jailed, there are people who consider him a hero. Who’s In It: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Scoot McNairy Why It May Work: Arnold Schwarzenegger has always been a crowd puller.

Aftermath is directed by Elliott Lester.