The Great Shamsuddin Family: Good Intentions Lost To Rushed Writing & Poor Execution
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Kritika Kamra's talent is wasted in this sloppily fast-paced narrative, where every chaos takes place at the same time, making it hard to tolerate. Arpita Sarkar reviews.
| | | | Cast: Kritika Kamra, Shreya Dhanwanthary, Sheeba Chaddha, Farida Jalal | | | | 2025 has given us several family dramas, whether in theatrical release or direct OTT release. The plot of a family drama is deeply relatable, exploring universal themes of love, conflict, loyalty, and secrets within the core unit of a family, and JioHotstar's (OTTplay Premium) The Great Shamsuddin Family is one such family drama. The film carries a strong message, starring several talented actors; however, none of them leave an impact in this half-baked and awkwardly fast-forwarded narrative.
The Shamsuddin family is huge, and almost every member appears at Bani's house when she is trying to submit her project before the deadline. Her home becomes the centre of family emergencies, forcing her to keep up with life's events along with her intense work pace. She tries to solve their problems while dealing with her own relationship and work.
Bani's situation is relatable because when you write something, you need mental peace, which Bani doesn't have due to the family chaos. Right from the beginning, the film seems fast-paced, having no solid plot. For the whole Shamsuddin family, Bani's house is a safe place whenever a little inconvenience takes place. Her ex-boyfriend, along with his new so-called girlfriend, appears at her house just because they do not have a proper place to drink. Next, Bani's cousin, who wants to deposit Rs. 25 lakhs to her mother's bank account because she helped her boyfriend, but now he is not responding, wants Bani's help to sort it out. Watch family dramas like Gullak, Bakaiti, Thode Door Thode Paas, and more by getting an OTTplay Premium subscription to unlock content across multiple top platforms with one plan. |
| | Real Kashmir Football Club: Manav Kaul, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub Score A Winning Goal For Hope & Unity |
The two actors anchor a thoughtful, calm underdog story using football as a powerful metaphor for hope, unity, and resilience in Kashmir, writes Aishwarya Vasudevan.
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| | Dir: Mahesh Mathai, Rajesh Mapuskar |
| Cast: Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Manav Kaul, Abhishant Rana, Mu'Azzam Bhat, Afnan Fazli | | | | UNDERDOG STORIES, in some way or another, become special and bring some tenderness when shown with sensitivity. Over the years, we have seen sports dramas, be they fictional or inspired by true events, demonstrate how there is always the right way to lift yourself up despite the barriers that arise at every step. Real Kashmir Football Club focuses on one such team which people probably might not have thought possible, especially in a cricket-obsessed country. The show's foundation is powerfully encapsulated in a dialogue by Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub (who plays Sohail): "There cannot be an Indian tournament without having a team from Kashmir." This statement immediately elevates the club's mission beyond mere sports.
The series immediately dives into the tensions, opening with youngsters protesting outside a wine shop — a scene that underscores the pressure from powerful local political figures who deem alcohol 'haraam' despite its legality. This incident, culminating in one young man throwing a fake grenade and igniting chaos, serves as the catalyst for the central mission. Amid a peaceful protest, one young lad throws a fake grenade, which ignites chaos in no time. This incident brings to light a significant issue: these young individuals are succumbing to brainwashing and turning to violence or radical actions as a default response. So as to control that, Sohail teams up with Shirish (Manav Kaul), a rich Kashmiri Hindu Pandit who is back in his hometown for good. They both decide to create a football team for these youngsters to have a secure future and not go astray into violence. Stream other inspiring sports dramas like Jhund, Soorma, and Ghoomer on 25+ OTT platforms including JioHotstar, Sony LIV, discovery+, and Fancode with OTTplay's Power Play monthly pack, for only Rs 149. |
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