<p><span class="bold"><strong>The Great Indian Family</strong></span><br />Hindi (Theatres)<br /><span class="bold"><strong>Director: </strong></span>Vijay Krishna Acharya<br /><span class="bold"><strong>Cast: </strong></span>Vicky Kaushal, Kumud Mishra, and Manushi Chhillar<br /><span class="bold"><strong>Rating: </strong></span>2.5/5</p>.<p class="bodytext">Was it a Hindu kiss or a Muslim kiss,” asks Vicky Kaushal after planting a peck on Manushi Chhillar’s lips for the first time. The girl rates it as an “awkward Indian kiss” but falls for him nevertheless.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After all, the man is totally zen. Pandit Ved Vyas Tripathi aka Bhajan Kumar aka Billu is not a religious bigot — a virtue in these times when hate hangs heavy in the air. ‘The Great Indian Family’ is not great but it delivers the Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Isai message in under two hours — quite an achievement in a season of loud jingoism where the hero roars to the crowd like an Alpine bear.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Here, Billu is a pandal-hopper belting out pop devotionals. No one in the mohalla is immune to Billu’s charm. Then comes a revelation. A letter to his priest-father sets off unrest at home, which spills out onto the streets. Vicious social media campaigns follow and Billu finds himself doubting his religious identity.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Director Vijay Krishna Acharya occasionally adopts a preachy tone and leans on familiar tropes to underscore the importance of inclusivity, but his noble intentions shine through. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Manushi Chhillar plays a feisty Sikh but is strictly ornamental, and brings nothing to the table. Kaushal gives an earnest performance as Billu, the symbol of tolerance. </p>.<p class="bodytext">In a polarised world, Billu needs a pat on his back for loving all the colours of the rainbow. </p>
<p><span class="bold"><strong>The Great Indian Family</strong></span><br />Hindi (Theatres)<br /><span class="bold"><strong>Director: </strong></span>Vijay Krishna Acharya<br /><span class="bold"><strong>Cast: </strong></span>Vicky Kaushal, Kumud Mishra, and Manushi Chhillar<br /><span class="bold"><strong>Rating: </strong></span>2.5/5</p>.<p class="bodytext">Was it a Hindu kiss or a Muslim kiss,” asks Vicky Kaushal after planting a peck on Manushi Chhillar’s lips for the first time. The girl rates it as an “awkward Indian kiss” but falls for him nevertheless.</p>.<p class="bodytext">After all, the man is totally zen. Pandit Ved Vyas Tripathi aka Bhajan Kumar aka Billu is not a religious bigot — a virtue in these times when hate hangs heavy in the air. ‘The Great Indian Family’ is not great but it delivers the Hindu-Muslim-Sikh-Isai message in under two hours — quite an achievement in a season of loud jingoism where the hero roars to the crowd like an Alpine bear.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Here, Billu is a pandal-hopper belting out pop devotionals. No one in the mohalla is immune to Billu’s charm. Then comes a revelation. A letter to his priest-father sets off unrest at home, which spills out onto the streets. Vicious social media campaigns follow and Billu finds himself doubting his religious identity.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Director Vijay Krishna Acharya occasionally adopts a preachy tone and leans on familiar tropes to underscore the importance of inclusivity, but his noble intentions shine through. </p>.<p class="bodytext">Manushi Chhillar plays a feisty Sikh but is strictly ornamental, and brings nothing to the table. Kaushal gives an earnest performance as Billu, the symbol of tolerance. </p>.<p class="bodytext">In a polarised world, Billu needs a pat on his back for loving all the colours of the rainbow. </p>