Janhvi Kapoor birthday special: From ‘Homebound’, ‘Mili’ to ‘Gunjan Saxena’, best performances to watch on OTT

Over the last few years, Janhvi Kapoor has steadily built a place for herself among the new generation of Bollywood actors. From romantic dramas to survival thrillers and dark comedies, she has explored a range of characters while experimenting with different genres. As the actor celebrates her birthday, it is a good time to revisit some of her noteworthy performances that highlight her evolving screen presence. Here are some of Janhvi Kapoor’s films that audiences can currently watch on various OTT platforms.

'Homebound' is a critically acclaimed drama directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, starring Janhvi Kapoor, Ishaan Khatter, and Vishal Jethwa, which explores the poignant, true stories of migrant workers during the 2020 pandemic. The film received high praise, including from Martin Scorsese, and was shortlisted for the 98th Academy Awards. Streaming on Netflix

Janhvi Kapoor stepped into Bollywood with the romantic drama ‘Dhadak’, directed by Shashank Khaitan. The film was an official Hindi adaptation of the acclaimed Marathi movie ‘Sairat’. In the film, she portrayed Parthavi, a young woman from a powerful upper-caste family who falls in love with Madhukar, played by Ishaan Khatter. Their relationship grows despite the rigid social barriers surrounding them. However, their love soon faces resistance and hostility from their families and society, turning the story into a tragic tale of romance and social conflict. The film is streaming on ZEE5

In ‘Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl’, Janhvi Kapoor took on the role of one of India’s first female combat pilots. The biographical drama traces the journey of Gunjan Saxena as she strives to fulfil her dream of becoming a pilot despite several obstacles. The story follows her determination as she eventually serves during the Kargil War. Janhvi’s portrayal was appreciated for capturing both the courage and emotional vulnerability of the character. The father-daughter bond between Gunjan and her father, played by Pankaj Tripathi, also emerged as a touching aspect of the film. The movie was directed by debutant Sharan Sharma. Streaming on Netflix

‘Ghost Stories’ is a horror anthology directed by four prominent filmmakers, Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap. The film presents four different narratives exploring unsettling themes and psychological horror. Janhvi appeared in Zoya Akhtar’s segment, where she played a nurse assigned to care for an elderly woman in a secluded house. What initially seems like a routine responsibility gradually turns into a frightening experience as mysterious incidents begin to unfold inside the home. Streaming on Netflix

In the survival thriller ‘Mili’, Janhvi Kapoor portrayed Mili Naudiyal, a young woman who works part-time at a restaurant while planning to move abroad. Her life takes a terrifying turn when she accidentally becomes trapped inside a commercial freezer that drops to extremely low temperatures. The story follows her desperate struggle to stay alive while her father and loved ones search for her. Directed by Mathukutty Xavier, the film is the Hindi remake of the Malayalam thriller ‘Helen’. Janhvi reportedly underwent rigorous preparation to convincingly perform the physically demanding role. Streaming on Netflix

The horror-comedy ‘Roohi’, directed by Hardik Mehta, is part of Dinesh Vijan’s supernatural comedy universe that began with ‘Stree’ and later expanded with ‘Bhediya’. The film featured Rajkummar Rao, Varun Sharma and Janhvi Kapoor in key roles. In the film, Janhvi played Roohi, a young woman who becomes possessed by a spirit named Afza. The narrative blends humour with supernatural elements as the characters attempt to deal with the unusual situation. Streaming on Netflix

‘Good Luck Jerry’, directed by Sidharth Sengupta, presented Janhvi Kapoor in a dark comedy crime story. The film is the Hindi remake of the Tamil movie ‘Kolamavu Kokila’. Janhvi portrayed Jaya Kumari, also known as Jerry, a young woman from Bihar struggling to support her family. When her mother is diagnosed with lung cancer and requires expensive treatment, Jerry becomes entangled in a drug smuggling racket in order to arrange the money. Streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar.