We often hear the declaration “I’m not a kid anymore” or “I need my space” in our surroundings, but seldom take teenage angst seriously. Similarly, in our bid to outgrow our surroundings, we often begin to take the roots that nurtured us as outdated. After every few years, Bollywood stories remind us of the perils of keeping the generation gap wide. This week it is the turn of director Ssanjay Tripaathy to rejig the template with the story of an immigrant family in London for a new set of viewers. With an assured debutante and a competent support cast to enrich the mood, Tripaathy conjures up a series of heartwarming moments in a storyline that shuns big surprises or dramatic twists for a premise that is relatable, familiar conversations that sound honest, and performances that are not pretentious.
With roots in Bettiah, Bihar, Binny (Anjini Dhawan) and her upper-middle-class Singh family have shifted to London via Pune. On the cusp of adulthood, Binny is struggling to strike a balance between the school syllabus and her extracurricular goals. Her father Vinay (Rajesh Kumar) and mother Radhika (Charu Shankar) are educated professionals who give her the liberty to explore the song of life as long as it doesn’t get completely off track from their culture. But then, they discover culture is not a thing cast in stone. When her retired grandparents (Pankaj Kapur and Himani Shivpuri) come to live with them, the family has to create a picture that suits their value system. If Vinay has to turn his bar into a bookshelf, Binny has to drop the F-word from her rap song.
Despite its seemingly light-hearted struggle to adjust, the plot thickens when a health scare hits the family. This not only serves as a critical turning point but also opens up a conversation between a grieving grandfather and a guilt-ridden granddaughter. Gradually, as the plot generates the dull pain that follows the thought of “what if one was a little more accommodating,” eyes begin to well up among the audience.
Ssanjay Tripaathy has previously written some popular TV serials and directed “Club 60,” a film about five retired men finding a new purpose in life. He understands the space and has sharpened his storytelling skills to create the vibe of a lived-in experience of a household. The film seamlessly captures the multiple lives and languages immigrants live and speak.
. Without making it sound like a lesson, the film reminds us that the generic feel of respect doesn’t convey the import of ‘lihaj’ that we have for the values that the elders hold on to. It first dusts off the false accent of modernity that comes from the use of technology and lifestyle, and then tells us that embracing change is not such a bad thing. Tripaathy is not keen on scripting scheming villains within the family or outside; he allows the circumstances to play the spoilsport.
A still from ‘Binny And Family,’ the film marks Anjini Dhawan’s confident screen debut. Given that she comes from the Dhawan family, her screen presence and demeanor even make the poorly-written school segments and Binny’s skirmishes in romance watchable. Her on-screen tuning with the seasoned Pankaj Kapur doesn’t have any false notes.
Meanwhile, veteran actor Pankaj Kapur makes an entry with an “Office Office” kind of sequence. Gradually, he changes from a self-sufficient pensioner who refuses to budge in his conservative mindset to a gram-worthy grandfather. He reflects every turn in the emotional makeup of his character through nuanced body language. Rajesh Kumar’s talent is finally being tapped, and as the father conflicted between the interests of his family and parents, he once again delivers an understated performance.
The school segment remains undercooked, and Binny’s attempt to use theatre to express herself is exasperatingly predictable. Towards the end, the film does get into lecture mode. Still, if you keep the expectations in check, it is a decent family watch.
In essence, “Binny And Family” stands out as a heartfelt portrayal of an immigrant family navigating the complicated terrain of generational divides. While it might not break new ground dramatically, its earnest approach and relatable characters make it a film worth watching. Running currently in theatres, it offers an honest and emotional journey that will resonate with many viewers.
