The Great Indian Family
The Great Indian Family
The Great Indian Family is an Indian Hindi-language comedy-drama movie that came out in 2023. Vijay Krishna Acharya wrote and directed it, while Aditya Chopra under the Yash Raj Films label produced it. The movie stars Vicky Kaushal as a religious Hindu Pandit who turns out to be Muslim by birth. Manushi Chhillar, Manoj Pahwa, and Kumud Mishra play small parts.
The main filming lasted from November 20, 2020, to February 25, 2021. It came out in theaters on September 22, 2023.
The movie got negative reviews and didn’t do well at the box office, making only ₹5.65 crores in India.
Plot Summary
The movie begins with Ved Vyas Tripathi recalling his school days. Iswarya is the name of the girl he likes at school. Ved receives an invitation to her birthday party due to her status as the daughter of renowned businessman Maalpani. He is unaware that her father, a Hindu priest, has a different plan. His father, a Hindu priest, has asked him to perform a bhajan at Aishwarya’s birthday puja. Unexpectedly, Ved surprises everyone at the party by singing a bhajan.
After that day, Ved became famous as a sacred singer, known as “Bhajan Kumar”. Because he is pious, all the girls treat him like a priest and ask for his blessings even though he is single. He follows a girl named Jasmeet into the area where there are a lot of Muslims and learns that she is a singer. After unintentionally scaring off their drummer Abdul, Jasmeet arranges for them to perform at a singing event, where Ved takes the stage. Ved meets Jasmeet for coffee. There is a big wedding coming up, and Siyaram Tripathi (Ved’s dad) and Mishra are both trying to get the priest job. Someone brings Tripathi a letter while he is away on a holy trip for two weeks. The letter says that Ved is not Tripathi’s son and is a Muslim instead. Ved has applied pitch-black kohl to his eyes and has dressed like a Muslim, complete with a Muslim turban and kohl-lined eyes. Mishra aims to harm Ved and his family’s reputation, while Ved’s uncle strives to uphold their family’s honor. When Siyaram tells the truth about who Ved is, the whole family turns on Ved’s behalf.
After undergoing his blood test, Ved understands his father’s pain and reveals the truth: he was born a Muslim, but his upbringing led him to become a Hindu. After this, he talks about how everyone is the same and how discrimination is wrong these days. He also tells the truth about Mishra and his son TD. Ved is proud of his “The Great Indian Family” in the end.
Cast
Vikram Kaushal plays Ved Vyas Tripathi, also known as Bhajan “Billu” Kumar.
Manushi Chhillar portrays Jasmeet Kaur in the film. Rakawa
Balakram Tripathi, played by Manoj Pahwa
Akumud Mishra plays a banker. Ram Tripathi Siyaram
Pandit Jagannath, played by Yashpal Sharma Mishra
Sadiya Siddiqui plays Hema Tripathi.
Sushila Kumari, played by Alka Amin
Gunja Tripathi, played by Srishti Dixit
Bharti Perwani portrayed the role of Rampyari Singh Chauhan.
Music
Pritam wrote the movie’s music. Amitabh Bhattacharya wrote all of the songs. For the first time, the song “Kanhaiya Twitter Pe Aaja” came out on August 30, 2023.
Direction
Vijay Krishna Acharya mixes humorous and sad parts to make a story that makes you think.
Critics View
The film got 2.5 out of 5 stars from Dhaval Roy of The Times of India, who said, “The Great Indian Family has a real message but falls short in execution.” “If you want to be brave, the writing needs to match: here, even such wonderful actors like Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, and Sadi Siddiqui stand no chance,” Shubhra Gupta wrote in a review for The Indian Express. The review received a rating of 1.5 out of 5 stars. Vicky Kaushal, who is always entertaining to watch, also received a rating of 1.5.
Verdict
There is a funny, sad, and important social message in The Great Indian Family, which is a delightful family story. Vicky Kaushal gives a fantastic performance in the movie, and the story is fresh and interesting, touching on identity and acceptance without being too preachy. The story may be a bit predictable at times, but the characters are likable, and there are some heartwarming moments that make it worth watching, especially if you like Bollywood movies about families.
The movie makes you feel positive and celebrates the spirit of unity in the midst of variety, so people of all ages will enjoy it.
