Anupam Kher’s ‘Tanvi the Great’

The story of a bitter old man brought back to life by a bright-souled child has never been more relevant or touching.

By Juhi Varma

Centered on autism and the Indian Army, Anupam Kher’s new film Tanvi the Great is set for theatrical release on July 18, 2025.

I was among the lucky Houstonians who had the chance to watch the film ahead of its release and take part in a Q&A with Kher and newcomer Shubhangi, who stars as Tanvi. Here’s my spoiler-free review (with minor details drawn from the trailer, which, incidentally, has already garnered 21 million views).

You’ll get a crash course in autism and the heartbreak that comes with it. You’ll see what it takes to wear an Indian Army uniform. You will leave the theatre misty-eyed, contemplative, possibly on the verge of enlisting—but you will not be bored.

Anupam Kher’s Colonel Raina has spent years barricaded behind old routines and older resentments. His only son is dead, and his only grandchild is “like this.”

We’ll hear many labels used to describe Tanvi’s autism — some unkind, like “abnormal” or “aisi hai”, and others gentler, like “alag hai” or “different, but no less.”

The film follows two arcs: Colonel Raina, hardened by loss, slowly sheds his grief and resentment as he learns to truly see and appreciate his autistic granddaughter, and Tanvi, whose time with her grandfather becomes a journey of self-discovery. Taking charge of her future, she decides to join the Indian Army—whether she succeeds is for the audience to discover. What’s certain is that her journey is heroic, and the film ends on a powerfully emotional, deeply satisfying note.

Newcomer Shubhangi makes a sparkling debut. The audience’s reactions to Tanvi are a testament to her convincing performance—you will care about her, you will find yourself wanting to scold her, to tell her to act her age and stop crying, just as her grandfather does in a pivotal scene. In the end, you will feel very proud of her.

Complementing these two storylines is Vidya Raina played by Pallavi Joshi, Tanvi’s devoted and intelligent mother, who has raised her autistic daughter alone since her husband’s death. Vidya travels abroad for an autism awareness conference, entrusting Tanvi to her grandfather. Her storyline gently educates the audience about the challenges presented by neurodivergence, societal perceptions, and what life with autism looks like.

“There is no set formula for parenting, and especially for autistic children,” Vidya says. “Autistic people think differently, hence, their reactions are also very different. This is not a disability. The ability to think differently is what we call autism, when, in fact, it’s a superpower.”

Rounding out the cast is a stellar lineup, including Boman Irani, Jackie Shroff, and Arvind Swami, along with Iain Glen, recognizable to audiences from Game of Thrones and Downton Abbey.

Kher disclosed during the Q&A session that the film’s senior actors had waived their fees.
“None of our senior actors asked for a single penny,” he said.

I am the greatest fan of the Indian army

The film also sheds light on the Indian Army. Jackie Shroff’s Brigadier Joshi embodies honor and bravery, while his son, a cynical vlogger, scoffs at the profession, noting that “a CEO deciding bubblegum thickness earns more in a year than an army officer does in a lifetime.” It’s a sharp commentary that highlights both the unfairness of the system and the quiet heroism of those who serve despite better-paying options elsewhere.

“I am the greatest fan of the Indian army,” Kher said during the Q&A.  “I grew up in Shimla, which was the headquarters of Western command.”

Kher said he wanted to make a film that truly honored the army, a sentiment reflected in the film’s songs.

“Sena ki Jai” showcases the more glamorous side of army life, complete with champagne flutes and elegant hors d’oeuvres, and gives Tanvi a chance to wear a stylish dress. The rousing track is likely to become a staple at school celebrations across India on Independence Day and Republic Day.

After earning a standing ovation at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and being showcased in several U.S. cities, the Tanvi the Great is set for release on July 18.

The Houston screening, part of the film’s promotional tour, was hosted by Rajender Singh, President of Star Promotion Inc.

A veteran of Houston’s show promotion scene for over 25 years, Singh had never organized a film premiere until Kher, a longtime friend, asked him to host the screening. “Hosting the Houston premiere of Tanvi The Great was an unforgettable honor,” Singh said.

The Real Tanvi

Kher, an icon of Indian cinema with countless films to his credit, said Tanvi the Great is only his second directorial venture. The first was Om Jai Jagdish in 2002—a film he hadn’t written and, as he admitted, wasn’t a story to which he’d felt deeply connected. He’d wanted to write his own script for years but hadn’t found the right story, he said. More than 20 years later, Tanvi The Great finally gave him that chance.

“I have a niece, my first cousin sister’s daughter,” Kher said. “Also named Tanvi. Tanvi is autistic.”

Kher shared the exact moment the film popped into his head— three years ago, at a family celebration in Gurgaon.

“Tanvi was 13 years old at that time,” Kher said.  “We were all having fun, but Tanvi was standing at a window looking at the mountains. I went up to her and said, ‘what are you doing?’ she said, ‘I’m looking at my world.’ I could not understand what her world was, and she could not describe her world– that was when the first scene came into came into my mind.”

Kher shared that financing the film was a major challenge, but he was determined to see it through, believing that if it wasn’t made now, it might never be made at all. In the end, it was friends—people with no connection to cinema—who stepped in to help. “There is a certain amount of sincerity and joy behind this film,” he said.

A total of 240 people, including several senior actors, were involved in bringing the project to life, he said.

All in all, Tanvi The Great is the kind of sweeping, feel-good family epic that just might help revive Indian movie theaters. At a time when audiences often prefer the convenience of streaming at home, this film feels too grand to be confined to a flatscreen. Its scale and warmth practically demand the communal experience of the big screen. Word of mouth alone is likely to draw crowds eager to recapture the kind of cinematic magic that can’t be replicated in a living room.