Anjini Dhawan makes a fine impression in her debut film – Beyond Bollywood

Though far from perfect, traditional audiences will welcome a decent family film from Ekta Kapoor. Rajesh Kumar breaks free from his Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai image.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️ (2 / 5)

By Mayur Lookhar

The nation longed for ‘acche din,’ but 10 years later, even the ardent believers might silently feel that if this is acche din (good days), it’s better to return to the pre-2014 bad days. This reviewer isn’t a political expert, but a similar frustration arises when reflecting on Hindi cinema’s prolonged struggle in the last few years. Animal, Stree 2, Jawan, and Pathaan are exceptions, but the industry knows it can’t survive on the occasional blockbuster. With weekly frustrations over poor remakes, biopics, and Western imitations, a 40-plus viewer might say that Bollywood is perhaps better served by returning to its roots—retelling family and romantic films but with a fresh touch.

So, when we see the trailer of Binny and Family (2024), it offers hope of triggering nostalgia while also sensitizing today’s youth to the legacy of Indian cinema, particularly Bollywood.

Ekta Kapoor tapped into India’s growing economy in the early 2000s to transform the scale and landscape of Hindi soap operas. While largely traditional on TV, Balaji Telefilms’ movie content often differed significantly from its soaps. Over the years, Kapoor may have pushed the envelope too far on the big screen or OTT, making cinegoers skeptical of her theatrical releases. Is Binny And Family an attempt by Kapoor to go sanskari on the big screen? It would be naïve to say so, as Binny and Family is primarily a Mahaveer Jain production, a name familiar to 90s audiences for family dramas and formulaic action films.

Penned by Naman Tripaathy and his director father Ssanjay Tripaathy, Binny and Family (2024) tells the story of a Bihari family in London. A few years ago, Vinay Singh (Rajesh Kumar) moved with his wife Radhika (Charu Shankar) and teen daughter Binny (Anjini Dhawan) to London. Binny seems to have adapted to British culture, as seen from her interest in dramatics and directing English plays at college. Like many Indian parents, Vinay and Radhika worry about raising their child in a Western society. Though they aren’t helicopter parents, Vinay gets anxious when Binny comes home late. With exams and a play on the horizon, Binny’s grandparents (played by Pankaj Kapur and Himani Shivpuri) pay a surprise visit to London. They return home after two weeks, but a medical emergency might bring them back soon—a prospect Binny isn’t too keen on.

All along, this film was meant to touch upon the communication gap between a teen and her parents/grandparents, but this conversation only surfaces much later. Halfway through, viewers might wonder if the film will shift to India, where the family could grow closer while facing a medical situation. However, subsequent events highlight the journey of overcoming the communication gap between the youth and the two generations.

This story has its heart in the right place, but it lacks a cohesive screenplay, astute direction, and sound editing. The Tripaathys have an able leading cast but fail to provide them with a taut script. Binny and Family only holds attention in parts, mainly due to the changing dynamic between the grandfather and his granddaughter. Beyond its core message, the Tripaathys falter in writing and, disappointingly, do not deliver a convincing climactic action or resolution.  

Most scenes close out poorly, with the director surprisingly not utilising background score. The family dynamics are fine, but Binny’s college life is hardly convincing. The poor girl isn’t helped by the presence of a nauseating Karan Johar-like friend BP (Naman Tripaathy), who wouldn’t even amuse Johar. It’s bizarre how, despite being in London, BP speaks in a Bandra boy tone.

What brings some respectability to this shoddy screenplay is the satisfactory performances by the leading cast. The baby-faced Anjini has a fine screen presence and backs it up with adequate intensity, demonstrating that she hasn’t come unprepared in her maiden film. Anjini looks suitable for the 18-year-old character. Unlike other aspiring insiders, who focus on maintaining Instagrammable bodies, Anjini embraces her natural self, and appears to have worked on her craft. Living in the UK has its perks. Ssanjay Tripaathy’s leading Bihari family though lives in humble settings, cherishes its Bihari values, which are reflected in the rooted personalities of the Singhs.

A slice-of-life story warrants a lifelike performance, with director Tripaathy not burdening his lead actress with unnecessary melodrama. Dhawan is fairly competent, though we find her lacking in an emotional breakdown scene. In an earlier critical scene, Binny is clueless about how to console her grieving grandfather. It’s not just the youth; many adults, including this reviewer, are often speechless while offering condolences.

Having spent her formative years in Bihar and later Pune, it’s natural for Binny to speak Indian-accented English in London. While there is a communication gap between Binny and her parents/grandparents, it isn’t a widening one. This perspective arises from Binny, who, despite feeling uncomfortable with her parents’ and grandfather’s overprotective attitudes, ultimately obeys their commands. The young girl simply longs for her space. Binny’s love for rap, particularly Dr. Dre’s music, reflects her rebellious streak, but the teen isn’t going wild here. Young Dhawan makes a decent impression in her first film and is someone who will only improve with each experience.

The veteran Pankaj Kapur strives hard to get the Bihari tone right. The character comes alive mainly during father-son conversations or when speaking to his wife. It’s difficult to be critical, but this is by no means Kapur’s best work. Usually lively, Himani Shivpuri is more convincing in her demure Bihari avatar.

The unheralded Charu Shankar is ever competent, but it’s Rajesh Kumar who perhaps finally breaks free from Rosesh, his lovable character from Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai. As a man from Bihar, Kumar comes across as natural while conversing with Kapur, though he adopts a different tone when dealing with his wife and daughter. Vinay is protective but not overbearing; he smokes and drinks with his wife but prefers not to have his daughter around during these moments. Like many upset fathers, he often has his wife do the talking with their daughter.

With the viewer’s focus largely on Binny and her grandfather, the generation gap between Vinay and his father often goes unnoticed. The Vinays come from a culture where it is deemed disrespectful to question parents and elders. There is no lack of genuine emotion, but the absence of open communication results in Vinay having an academic relationship with his father.

Having played a serious Uttarakhand cop in Rautu Ka Raaz (2024) earlier this year, Kumar’s intense performance in Binny and Family showcases his versatility. While he will always cherish Rosesh, Kumar hopes for audiences to accept him in varied roles. However, he doesn’t help his cause by appearing in a TV commercial where he is cast as none other than Rosesh.

For all its flaws, the family audience will still cherish Binny And Family. After all, such family dramas don’t come by the dozen anymore.

Watch the video review below.