Family Drama movie review: Akarsh HP and Abhay deliver on their promise of a quirky comedy with aplomb

3.5/5

Family Drama movie story: A perennially cash-strapped lower middle-class family of four – father Prasanna (Mahadeva Hadappad), mother Lakshmi (Rekha Kudligi), daughter Divya (Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy) and son Abhay (Abhay) – is at the centre of this tale. Prasanna is the bread-winner of the family, with an undisclosed job. Lakshmi is hopeful of someday running a neighbourhood kirana store, for which she’s been putting aside money by hook and by crook. BCom graduate Divya is hopeful of landing a job, but her English communication skills and inability to grease palms prove hindrances, while Abhay has a small-time accounting job with a local thug that doesn’t pay well.

Family Drama is a comedy revolving around a bunch of morally corrupt characters, says director Akarsh HP 

When Prasanna unexpectedly ends up dead, the family is presented with a unique opportunity to make a quick buck, which could change their fortunes forever. Can the trio pull this off, especially when each of them is looking out for his/her selfish goals?

Family Drama movie review: When the team of Family Drama introduced their film to audiences earlier this year with the first of two trailers, they were upfront about what to expect – a quirky comedy; nothing more, nothing less. The second trailer and all their promotional material hinged on the premise that all that they were looking to do is give audiences a good laugh. And on that count, they have delivered.

Family Drama is the kind of film that’s not taxing on your brain; it’s silly fun that will have you laugh out loud often enough to ensure a good time while watching. The story or characters may not stay with you once done and is not the stuff of repeat viewing, but while you are at, rest assured, you will not be disappointed – just don’t approach it with expectations.

Family Drama is a situational comedy, with the laughs coming from events transpiring and how different characters respond to them – physically or with words. And what helped translate Akarsh’s script effectively onscreen is, no doubt, his choice of actors – a mix of experienced hands and rank newcomers. While Rekha Kudligi, Sindhu Sreenivasa Murthy, Abhay and Poornachandra Mysore have made merry with their characters, it is Aashith as a don’s right-hand man who literally steals the show.

Daredevil Mustafa’s Abhay says Family Drama’s fun lies in the foolishness of the characters 

The music by Chetan Ammaiah is also a treat, with the songs Shimmy Shimmy and Hanging on the Wall deserving a special shout-out, not just in how they sound, but also in the placement in the course of the narrative. Where Family Drama stumbles, though, is in the pacing – it’s two-and-a-half-hours long and Akarsh takes his sweet time with character building and setting up the crux of the tale, which, unfolds only at interval point. Perhaps 10-15 mins shorter, the film would be even more effective. A quirky comedy like this cannot afford to be sluggish.

Family Drama movie verdict: Family Drama will appeal to audiences for whom a trip to the movie halls is about being entertained for a couple of hours, even if there is no visual grandeur or major event propelling the narrative. If you are okay with jolly good laughs that the whole family will enjoy, this one’s right up your alley.