The Great Shamsuddin Family, which has been released today on JioHotstar, is directed by Anusha Rizvi of Peepli [LIVE] fame. It is a cross between Bheja Fry and Kapoor & Sons, as it’s set in one house, involving a bunch of crazy, madcap family members. The idea is interesting and the characters are very well fleshed out. One can relate to one of them or know someone who’s like one of the Shamsuddin’s. The dialogues are also straight out of life. However, there was a lot of scope for humour and the makers failed to capitalize on this front. The developments seem very unconvincing and, at times, even superficial. The climax is sweet but also convenient and abrupt. Kritika Kamra‘s performance works the most; one can sense her frustration. Shreya Dhanwanthary plays a challenging role with ease. Juhi Babbar Soni is quite graceful and it’s a pleasure to see her on screen. Farida Jalal is top-class and quite adorable. Dolly Ahluwalia is dependable, while Sheeba Chadha has a late entry but makes up for it with her performance. Nishank Verma (Zohaib), Purab Kohli (Amitav), Anushka Banerjee (Pallavi) and Joyeeta Dutta (Latika) are aptly cast. Natasha Rastogi (Nabeela) is decent; however, she doesn’t get much scope. All in all, The Great Shamsuddin Family is an average flick.
My rating – ** ½ out of 5!