'Great Shamsuddin Family' review: Refreshing female-driven drama needed more laughs
What's the story
Anusha Rizvi, best known for the groundbreaking drama Peepli Live (2010), has finally returned to direction with The Great Shamsuddin Family. The film, out on JioHotstar, is set over a day and stars Kritika Kamra, Farida Jalal, Purab Kohli, Shreya Dhanwanthary, and Juhi Babbar Soni, among others. Led by women, the comedy-drama feels unconventional and refreshing, but struggles on the humor front.
Plot
Can Bani meet work deadline while dealing with family drama?
In The Great Shamsuddin Family, Kamra plays Bani Ahmed, a writer racing against time to meet a career-defining deadline. Her job application needs to be submitted within 12 hours, but when her aunts, cousins, and friends descend upon her unannounced, her plans go kaput. Can Bani make the deadline while also solving her family's never-ending problems?
#1
Positives: Rizvi captures struggle of working in Indian homes
Rizvi captures both the beauty and chaos of a writer's life. Bani's books, her laptop, notepads and other items are scattered across her home. She's trying to buy time to complete her presentation, and instantly turns red when her househelp hovers around her. Bani must craft some order amid the chaos to get work done, and in Indian families, that's nearly impossible.
#2
The film addresses multiple important issues
A feeling of uncertainty looms over the characters. An interfaith couple elopes as their family refuses to approve their union, while another woman wrestles with her family's judgment post-divorce. Rizvi manages to resolve most of these conflicts in the climax. Separately, she is not afraid of talking about the communal clashes in contemporary India, and this is a major plot point of the narrative.
#3
You keep watching due to the actors
Jalal, Sheeba Chadha, Dolly Ahluwalia (recently fantastic in Sitaare Zameen Par), among others, are delightful to watch. They don't always get the best dialogues, but when has that ever stopped cinema stalwarts? Kamra might be the lead, but these veterans are the pillars of TGSF. Additionally, Anup Soni, who has a cameo, instantly lights up the screen in a way only polished thespians do.
#4
Negatives: It needed a lot more comedy
The film is described as a comedy-drama, but there are next to no laughs in the entire narrative. Dhanwanthary's character has immense scope for humor, but despite her committed performance, it's largely left unexplored. Films such as Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi and Kapoor & Sons, which also capture the mayhem of dysfunctional Indian families, score better on this front. TGSF needed the same spunk.
#5
Kohli's character leaves you confused
Though Rizvi does justice to most of the characters in this large ensemble, a few seem awkward and unnecessary. Kohli's character, in particular, comes across as caricaturish; Rizvi's intention, presumably, was a satirical take, but it doesn't land properly. Moreover, as the story progresses, it becomes predictable and sluggish, and easy, convenient resolutions eventually undercut most of the buildup.
Verdict
Always watchable, but could have been better; 3/5 stars
The Great Shamsuddin Family is laudable for portraying the madness of Indian families and our failed attempts at hiding the cracks in our relationships. Rizvi has pulled off a casting coup and assembled one of the most interesting ensembles in recent times. However, with in-depth writing and a more light-hearted approach, the movie could have been considerably more engaging and entertaining. 3/5 stars.