Tanvi The Great Review: A Great Subject, but Lacks Emotional Depth

In Bollywood, films are often treated more like projects than art. That’s a harsh truth. Everyone here seems to follow the herd.

By Bollyy 19 Jul 2025 in Reviews

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By Shanti Swaroop Tripathi

Rating: ★★½
Producer: Anupam Kher, NFDC
Writers: Ankur Suman, Abhishek Dixit, Anupam Kher
Director: Anupam Kher
Cast: Anupam Kher, Shubhangi Dutta, Jane Glenn, Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, Arvind Swamy, Pallavi Joshi, Karan Tacker, Nassar
Duration: 2 hours 40 minutes

In Bollywood, films are often treated more like projects than art. That’s a harsh truth. Everyone here seems to follow the herd. Recently, there has been a rush among filmmakers to prove that “disability is not a curse.” Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par took this theme head-on not long ago. Now, Anupam Kher returns to direction after 23 years, also serving as co-writer, director, and actor, with his film Tanvi the Great, which hit theatres on July 18. Sadly, despite Kher’s heartfelt attempt, the film fails to strike an emotional chord with the audience.

Story

The film begins with Vidya Raina (Pallavi Joshi), an autism expert and single mother, preparing to travel to an international autism conference in the U.S. Her autistic daughter Tanvi (Shubhangi Dutta) struggles even with simple tasks like tying her shoelaces. A photo of her father, Captain Samar Raina, reminds Vidya of how he was martyred.

Before leaving, Vidya takes Tanvi to stay with her grandfather, Colonel Pratap Raina (Anupam Kher), in Lansdowne, Uttarakhand. Initially unaware of autism, Colonel Raina finds it difficult to bond with Tanvi, treating her like any other child. Vidya tries to bridge this gap before she leaves, and Tanvi expresses her wish to learn music from local music teacher Raj Sahab (Boman Irani). Gradually, a bond begins to form between the grandfather and granddaughter.

Things change dramatically when Tanvi learns about her father’s martyrdom in Siachen. Inspired by this, she decides — at precisely 2:17 AM one night — that she wants to join the Indian Army. She’s supported in her journey by Brigadier Joshi (Jackie Shroff) and Major Kailash Srinivasan (Arvind Swamy), who plays a small yet pivotal role in helping her inch closer to her dream. Despite army regulations, Major Srinivasan begins training Tanvi in his academy.

However, just before her big test, Major Srinivasan expels her from the academy. A series of dramatic events follow, leading to Tanvi ultimately scaling the highest peak of the Siachen Glacier and becoming the first civilian to salute the Indian flag there.

Review

Anupam Kher’s decision to direct again after 23 years and his choice of subject is commendable. However, the biggest flaw lies in the lack of in-depth understanding of autism. Before making the film, Kher did not bother to study the condition thoroughly or watch internationally acclaimed films on autism. He drew inspiration from an autistic niece he saw at a family wedding but didn’t spend time with her or do the required research. This lack of insight weakens the film significantly.

While the film does send a strong message about autism, it hardly discusses autism or the Indian Army — instead, it focuses heavily on human relationships. Even when Pallavi Joshi’s character attends the international autism conference in the U.S., nothing substantial about autism is shown. The film repeatedly emphasizes the same message but fails to convey it effectively to the audience.

Ultimately, the film is less about autism and more about acceptance — acceptance of oneself, of others, and the idea that no dream is too big if someone believes in you. Anupam Kher fails to distinguish between self-acceptance and autism. The emotional weight that such a serious topic demands is sorely missing.

Boman Irani’s character as the music teacher Raj feels unnecessary and forced. The climax is weak — the scenes in Siachen lack spirit, passion, and the patriotic fervor expected in such moments. Kher’s own grand introduction scene feels pointless. The army training camp scenes at Major Kailash’s academy are handled half-heartedly. It also seems like Kher tried to insert himself into every scene, which becomes odd and distracting.

Several scenes and plotlines feel unnecessarily stretched and should have been tightened on the editing table. The film, which is supposed to be intense and emotional, ends up feeling emotionally hollow.

The cinematography is impressive, but the music is a letdown.

Performances

Newcomer Shubhangi Dutta, who plays Tanvi, shows potential, but it feels as though the director didn’t allow her to fully express herself. She does her best within the limits set by the director, carefully portraying small nuances. Overall, the performances are passable. While the film is performance-oriented, none of the veteran actors deliver anything extraordinary. Most offer average, routine performances.

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