Holiday movies have been typically themed around Christmas - a tinge of romance, coming together of families and friends, amidst the general background of Christmas and associated winter themes. Besides big movies like Love Actually, we have a plethora of small "Harlequin romances". The stories in them are simple, the cast is beautiful (in a traditional sense, not the woke eyes of the beholder kind), the conflict and tensions involved is mild, and the ending - happy. However, the festival involved is invariably Christmas, not that I had any issues with that.
Yet, it was a pleasant surprise to discover this gem, based around the best Indian festival - Diwali. The setting is the homestead of a 4th generation matriarch, whose offsprings, along with spouses, their offsprings, and one adopted kid, come together over Diwali holidays. There is young, recently bereaved widower, his recently and suddenly married sister, a teenager with talent and a huge crush, the parents, uncles and aunts and the cousins bring the exact needed amount of side character energy. All this takes place amidst the background of diwali - the lights, lamps, candles, and silky kurtas and other embroidered couture. Suddenly, the always-up-in-your-hiney relatives seem like blessings, and their interplay helps resolve the various minor issues the characters suffer from. The movie leaves you smiling, and it is not just about the two very light hearted hours which have just passed, but about the realization, that it is start of a new trend - Indian holiday movies. This one is on Netflix, while the promo for another Diwali themed movie is being promoted.
If the reader is in the habit of binging on holiday movies every December, and is from India, this movie is a recommended one.
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