If everyone gathers at home during Diwali and you can’t decide what to watch with different age groups coming together, you can safely watch Dilwali Diwali. It’s a no-fuss film. There are no emotional highs or lows to deal with.
It feels like the movie has consciously been kept light so that families can watch it together this festive season without having to navigate emotional ups and downs or making the experience of coming together to watch a film uncomfortable for anyone. The subject had the potential to become a full-fledged film or even a mini-series that could have explored each family member’s emotions in depth, but the makers have clearly chosen not to go down that route. So, what’s the film about?
Dilwali Diwali is about a family that has moved to an uber-rich society and is finding it difficult to adjust. The Sikkas come from a middle-class background and, like most Indian families, feel suffocated if they aren’t surrounded by neighbours who are friends-cum-family. But the son, Ansh, makes it big in life and wants only the best for his family. His childhood dream, anyway, is to move to a bigger and better place. So, when he grows up and gets a job in Norway, he buys a plush apartment back home.
Now, the problem is that Ansh is coming back home for Diwali after three years, and he doesn’t know that his family still prefers living in their old home. So, when he arrives in India, the family moves into the new apartment. As Ansh is now finding it difficult to pay the EMIs for the new house, he tries to sell the old house without informing or consulting his family. The truth comes out, and then there are fireworks. But all’s well that ends well. So, nothing dramatic. Just a few layers of a simple family drama being peeled away.
Don’t go in with high expectations. The verdict? It’s an easy and safe film to watch with the entire family.
Language: Hindi
Streaming On: Netflix
