The Great Indian Family Review: Lighthearted family drama and must be watched for the important message it conveys
The Great Indian Family Movie Rating: 2.5 Stars
Just watched The Great Indian Family movie on Prime Video. Let’s focus on the complete details, story, positive/negatives and at last my personal view on this movie.
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Manushi Chhillar, Manoj Pahwa, and Kumud Mishra
Director: Vijay Krishna Acharya
Release Date: 22nd September 2023 in Cinemas & 17th November 2023 on Prime Video
Story: Movie revolves around Bhajan Kumar aka Billu (Vicky Kaushal) who is the king of bhajans in Balrampur. His father (Kumud Mishra) is the most respected pandit of the area. whose rival, Pandit Mishra (Yashpal Sharma) wants to usurp the position at all costs. While the family bickers all the while, they do love each other fiercely.
Bhajan Kumar’s father goes on a pilgrimage and in his absence, the family learns that he might be an adopted child and worse, his biological parents might be Muslims. The news somehow leaks out in society. His uncle Balak Ram (Manoj Pahwa) is somewhat influenced by societal pressure and suggests Bhajan should lie low till the things settle down.
Angered by his family’s lack of support, an angry Bhajan storms out of his house and starts living with a Muslim friend. His Sikh girlfriend Jasmeet (Manushi Chhillar) has no problems with him belonging to either of the religions. The story that follows takes you on the journey of Bhajan towards knowing who he really is.
Positives
1. Performances
2. Screenplay
3. Story
Negatives
1. Climax
2. Music
3. Length
4. Direction
Durgesh Tiwary’s View: When I watched the trailer of this film planned to skip theatrical watch and wait for OTT premiere as trailer looks good in part only.
The film is set in the fictional town of Balrampur where Bhajan Kumar lives with his family headed by his father Pandit Siyaram Tripathi. Bhajan Kumar’s life with his family was going well till a question on his identity arises that throws the city in a flurry of rumor and apprehension. Will he survive or fall prey to this onslaught?
The Great Indian Family has a fairly engrossing story about religious faiths. Screenplay is quite entertaining and engaging as the family drama has a dash of comedy and some emotions too. The sentiments in the post-interval portion do touch the heart and some scenes would definitely make the weak-hearted cry. The movie aims to deliver the message of unity between two religions but lacks conviction and rationale. The movie tries too hard to draw a parallel between the two cultures but shows the similarities superficially. With unconvincing story development and tracks, by the end, it turns into a predictable fare with oft-repeated dialogues on unity and humanity. The movie captures the vibe of a town steeped in tradition well. At a time when religious extremism and religious intolerance is at its peak, comes a film that really takes you by surprise in delivering a message so noble that you start doubting whether it’s a dream or it’s happening for real. Vicky Kaushal makes a sincere effort and does well in the scenes where he’s confused about his identity.
On the flipside, the family drama lacks a compelling storyline and narrative to keep you hooked. While Billu’s shenanigans with his friends are mildly entertaining in the first half, as the story progresses, the narrative loses its punch. The premise of the film is well-intended but the impact of what it meant to do does not translate on the screen. It has a genuine message but fall short in execution. The film may feel slightly dated when you watch it but again, one couldn’t have asked for a better release time of the film, knowing the religious shackles our country still finds itself in. The film plays out like an Indian soap opera with a number of overdramatic, dialogue heavy sequences but a good part of it can be excused due to its soft landing.
Overall, movie is lighthearted family drama and must be watched for the important message it conveys. Religious harmony is the need of the hour and should always be preserved. It’s a film that deserves to be watched along with the family. There is a hope that the strong messaging of the film will be able to create a larger overall impact. My view on this movie Time Pass.
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