Screening Guide: Shantaram, Spotify, jilted lovers and Nathan Fielder

Charlie Hunnam stars in the adaptation of bestselling novel Shantaram, streaming on Apple TV+.

Shantaram
(Apple TV+)

Apple's adaptation of Australian author and former bank robber Gregory David Roberts' bestselling novel is as ambitious and bulky as the book itself.
This dramatic thriller is loosely based on Roberts' own life, including his dramatic escape from prison in broad daylight back in the 80s, which saw him landing on Australia's Most Wanted list.
The story doesn't deviate from life and the series' hero, Lin, flees to India to begin a new life where he befriends locals and fellow foreigners and falls for an enigmatic woman named Karla. But it's not too long until he returns to his old ways when he gets involved in the Indian underworld.
The series stars Sons of Anarchy's Charlie Hunnam and critics have praised its production values, with one saying its "dazzling visuals are accompanied by a beautiful score that perfectly captures the atmosphere of India", while another described the show as "gorgeous and frenetic".
First three episodes streaming tomorrow, with new episodes weekly.

The Playlist
(Netflix)

Love it for its listening convenience or loathe it for its dramatic impact on the revenue of musicians, there's no denying that the streaming music service Spotify completely revolutionised not just music consumption but the entire music industry.

Scene from The Playlist, which tells the origin story of the music streaming app Spotify. Streaming on Netflix.

This Swedish biopic tells the story of how the tech entrepreneur Daniel Ek and his partners took Spotify from pie-in-the-sky idea to one of the globe's most-used apps with more than 433 million users in 183 different countries and revenue of almost $10 billion a year.
The series plays fast and loose with the facts contained in the book Spotify Untold by two investigative journalists, which allows it to build a dramatic story that switches perspectives in each episode.
Critics have been quick to favourite the series, with one saying the miniseries is "sharp, pacy, funny and cleverly structured", before calling it, "2022's best drama".
Streaming now.

Rosaline
(Star on Disney+)

This witty reimagining of The Bard's favourite, Romeo and Juliet, puts a spin on the tragic romance by showing events through the eyes of Romeo's jilted ex, Rosaline.

Kaitlyn Dever as Rosaline and Kyle Allen as Romeo in Rosaline, a romcom spin on Romeo and Juliet, streaming on Disney+.

Inspired by the comedic sensibilities of romcom favourites like 10 Things I Hate About You, the movie stars Booksmart's Kaitlyn Dever in the lead and sees her scheming up more and more inventive ways to win back Romeo's affections.
Critics have fallen for its charms with one calling it "indubitably smart, charming, and silly", while another gushed over its comedic sass, calling it "a hearty, swift dose of fun".
Streaming from tomorrow.

Nathan For You
(Neon)

Comedian Nathan Fielder's recent series The Rehearsal is an astounding rabbit hole of an achievement; a hilarious, surreal and incredibly meta show that leaves you questioning reality and unable to think about much else after you finish watching it.

Comedian Nathan Fielder offers dubious business advice in Nathan For You, the entire series is streaming on Neon.

So if you find yourself wanting more Nathan, then Neon's here for you. All four seasons of his brilliant breakthrough series, the semi-reality show Nathan For You land on the service tomorrow. In each episode the bone-dry Fielder advises a struggling business, convincing them that his dubious ideas will turn their fortunes around.
A must-see series that one critic called, "an extraordinary program that effectively blurs the lines between television and reality."
All seasons streaming from tomorrow.