The Great Shamsuddin Family
Introduction
There is an air of judgment that Anusha Rizvi wishes to break regarding the perceptions of an Indian Muslim family with her new film The Great Shamsuddin Family. When you are first introduced to Bani (Kritika Kamra), you see her as a regular young woman going about her job of a writer. She isn’t dressed in a hijab or a burqah, but in regular urban clothes that tells you a thing or two about the perceptions that many folks may have about Indian Muslims. It is Rizvi’s way of having the audience unlearn everything that they perceive from a cultural standpoint, even as you begin the journey with Bani. There is also a sprinkle of subtext with respect to the growing fears of the land, particularly for the minorities that is represented through the profession of Bani. In a scene, you see her cautiously skimming through an article of an FIR sanctioned on a writer for what seemed like an issue of ‘illegal’ speech through the writeup. It is a fleeting scene but presented as a ‘mindset’ capsule for Bani who wishes to run away from the country by applying for a job in the US. In the same breath, the quirky nature of the drama is represented in the form of a 12-hour timeline that is provided to Bani for completing her assignment, even as unexpected guests begin to pour into her household.
Story & Screenplay
Written by Anusha Rizvi, the beauty of The Great Shamsuddin Family lies in its characters, each of them arriving at unexpected junctures and being a hindrance to Bani. So you have Iram (Shreya Dhanwanthary) who lands up at Bani’s place to seek help for the financial mess that she finds herself to be in. And through Iram, there remains a subtext about love – something that also extends to Bani given how both were once married, one to a Hindu and the other to a Muslim but both have since then been divorced. And yet Iram unlike Bani remains a naive personality who likes believing in people – be it a stranger who vows to help her with her bank issues (after the bank is closed following a merger resulting in chaos; a subtle commentary of the middle-class being at the receiving end of the banking problems). All of this, while Bani is on a tight timeline.
The chaos in the drama continues to escalate with characters dropping in similar to the ones in a Priyadarshan film. But through them, you witness the varied generational conflicts and the social divides that form an integral fabric of storytelling here (without the drama being weighed down). For instance, you see the arrival of the mothers – Asiya (Dolly Ahluwalia), Akko (Farida Jalal), Nabeela (Natasha Rastogi) and Safiya (Sheeba Chadha), each having different personalities from the other. One glance at them and you realise that Akko is the matriarch with fixed ideas – almost being a matriach with a patriarchal mindset. She often calls the shots as far as her family decisions are concerned. Incidently, the anti-stereotypical subtext of a Muslim family is also referred through her character when she calls out Safiya for donning a ‘Pakistani’ attire (a hijab; when all others were in their regular kurtas). It is the cultural inference that makes this drama refreshing with the sole motive of breaking stereotypes in whichever capacity while holding onto the culture of the community. For instance, Safiya would be wearing a hijab because she feels comfortable in it, without any pressure or restrictions from anyone.
There remains a subtle commentary on interfaith marriages and a vrief jibe on ‘Love Jihad’ with the introduction of two characters – Zohaib (Nishank Verma; Bani’s cousin brother) who has eloped with the love of his life, Pallavi (Anushka Banerjee). The instinctive reaction of Akko, Asiya and the others remains of opposition, almost creating a generational conflict bringing the youngsters in the loop too. It is a searing conflict of opposing ideologies that is presented in the form of a measured chaos for Bani, who continues to juggle with different personalities at her place. Yet when Akko realises that Pallavi is a doctor, her perception changes. Here doctor acts as a metaphor for a ‘life-giver’ that bridges the gap between characters of both religions.
One of the subplots that did not necessarily work featured the character of Amitav (Purab Kohli; Bani’s teacher). His introduction along with the inclusion of his young protege Latika (Joyeeta Dutta) had the intentions of the representation of folks from varied cultural backgrounds and age-groups, but that didn’t contribute beyond the characters stacking up numbers in a room. Even the representation of a patriarchal Gen-Z almost looking to ridicule Bani through the ‘Triple Talaq’ talks (she refers to them as TT) felt like the writer was trying too hard to depict a general perception of a commoner.
Yet from Bani’s perspective, you see the pain of judgment that she has had to undergo, thereby justifying her decision to leave the country to start afresh (and also voice her opinions freely). I liked how the idea was that of escapism veiled as an ambition for Bani, that further defines her character. No wonder her character critically remarks on how she isn’t a liberal and has no interest in voicing her opinion with half-baked knowledge. It neatly exposes the hypocrisy of a faction of the society, while further breaking the stereotypes about the minorities.
The subtle political commentary andthe anti-stereotypical family dynamics go hand-in-hand in the narrative. In a scene, you witness Humaira (Juhi Babbar) trying to convince Bani to overturn her decision of heading to the US. But as a completion of an arc, you see a sort of a tragedy unfolding in her life with respect to mob violence that tends to balance the argument. It remained a vital fabric of storytelling, even while being mindful of the perceptions of a Muslim household. They don’t always eat Biryanis, even pakodas a part of their diet. Yep, food is secular! Barring a simplistic ending that felt a little abrupt, the screenplay here is wonderfully penned while subtly leaving a mark.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are witty while going beyond the Urdu stereotypes of ‘Ammi’ and ‘Nosh Farmaaeeye’ or even ‘Aadaab’. The lines remain very mindful of the Delhi-setting (an Urban city), while perfectly encapsulating the cultural but anti-stereotypical inferences of a Muslim household. The music and BGM by Simran Hora is sparingly used, allowing the chaos of the setting and its characters to take centerstage. The cinematography by Remi Debashis Dalai comprises of frames that restrict its movement within the confines of a single location (mostly). But in that aspect, the frames never feel dull while surrendering to the spirit of its setting (yes, people are fairly well to-do in minorities too), and also doing its bit in staying emotionally connected to the characters.
The editing pattern by Konark Saxena is crisp and sharp, particularly given how all threads needed to be established and tied together in a limited timeframe. Director Anusha Rizvi returning to the director’s chair almost decade and a half after Peepli Live (2010), is in top form here. The tone that she chooses to adopt is of quirk while playing with the political and stereotypical subtext faintly in the second layer. There is a definitely ‘inner’ purpose to the characters without deviating from their antics in the moments of chaos, that remains the selling point of this world. She does a tremendous job here in a directorial piece that can be studied and savoured.
Performances
The performances are wonderful by the members of the cast. Manisha Gupta as Khushi has her moments to shine – one at the start wherein you see her sharing a more open vibe with Bani, and one at the end wherein she is instructed by the elders for ingredients. Anushka Banerjee as Pallavi shines in a character that is dealing with a stress of her own. Interestingly (and in sync with the larger anti-stereotypical theme of the drama), she remains a minority in a Muslim household, something that invariably is humourous to witness here. And yet, she brings grace and dignity to her character with a sense of finesse that is hard to overlook. Nishank Verma as Zohaib is also in the gender-minority here, and he definitely adds nuance to his character in what was a job well done. Purab Kohli as Amitav uses his charm to overcome the shortcomings of his character with respect to the writing. I couldn’t quite establish the purpose of the character but Purab still makes his presence felt. Joyeeta Dutta as Latika has a flair in representing the thoughts of her character. She comes across as confident while putting forth a commendable act.
Natasha Rastogi as Nabeela is understated while bringing measured chaos to the table. She is subtle with her expressions while richly elevating the humour quotient in the drama. Sheeba Chadha as Safiya is wonderfully restrained while bringing levels of dignity mixed with bouts of humour to her performance. Dolly Ahluwalia as Asiya and Farida Jalal as Akko are such a joy to watch with their witty and sharp sense of humour that contributes plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. And interestingly, each of the four veterans account for the strong emotional core of the drama too!
Juhi Babbar as Humaira is elegant and tender with the approach towards her character. She is (relatively) calm and collected in crunch situations while putting forth a rather graceful performance. She was a delight to witness here. Shreya Dhanwanthary as Iram is supremely affable with her expressions that represent the naivety of her character. Her thinking is often momentary and binary, something that she exploits so brilliantly that she will invariably put a smile on your face. As Bani, Kritika Kamra portrays a character that is holding onto a lot of baggage and emotions within. You do witness that she has invariably complicated her life with the ongoing chaos just being a reflection of it. These remain complex emotions told through a quirky lens, and Kritika definitely manages to impress here with her impeccable act. She is assertive but also vulnerable, two traits that define her existence. And she wonderfully ties the varied shades of her character rather effortlessly.
Conclusion
Boasting of solid performances, The Great Shamsuddin Family marks a fleeting day in the life of a Muslim family that is laced with anti-stereotypes and searing topical subtexts presented in a quirky manner, making the drama a wonderful watch. Available on JioHotstar.