Bollywood films are well known for being entertaining, and Vijay Krishna Acharya’s 2023 film is no exception! The Great Indian Family gives a very loud message against religious disparity in India. Starring famous actors like Vicky Kaushal, Manushi Chillar, Manoj Pahwa, Alka Amin, and others, the film is a blockbuster! The film revolves around Ved Vyas Tripathi, or Billu, and his identity crisis based on his religion. The Brahmin family to which Billu is born starts doubting his religious credibility, and the issue stems right there! Will Billu be able to decipher his religion? What message does the film give us? Let’s find the answers to all these questions!
Spoilers Ahead
How Has Billu Been Brought Up In the Tripathi Family?
Born into a very strict Brahmin family, Ved Vyas Tripathi, or Billu, has always been an ardent follower of rituals. His father, Pandit Siyaram Tripathi, is a well-known Brahmin in Balrampur and is envied by his rival, Pandit Jagannath Mishra. He leaves no scope to put the Tripathi family down and prove his authority. However, the Tripathi family is simple and down to earth, with a lot of respect for traditional values. Billu is a gifted bhajan singer in the locality and is revered by everyone. Billu’s ideals are to never leave the side of a friend and to support them in difficult situations.
When his friend Sarwesh comes up to him and tells him that the girl he likes has been secretly meeting another guy, Billu and his friends follow the guy and scare him off, telling him that they are from a gang connected to the anti- Romeo-squad. After they scare him off, they are confronted by Jasmeet, a performer, and she tells them that she has not seeing Abdul but works with him as a singer at local functions. They realize their mistake and go up to Abdul to apologize to him. Billu, who had been brought up in a strict Brahmin family, was completely against the Mohammedans and thought them to be creatures who were different from him, resulting in him bullying people from those communities.
How Does The Confusion Arise?
Billu gets bowled over after meeting Jasmeet and tells his friends that he is in love with her. His friend Sarwesh, who was also in love with Jasmeet, holds a grudge against him for trying to snatch away his love interest. Meanwhile, a mysterious letter arrives at Billu’s home stating that Billu was not their own blood but belonged to a Muslim family. Initially, his family members overlooked it as a rumor, but word started spreading in the locality slowly. People are suspicious that the priest, who is well known for his devotion, has raised a Mohammedan.
It is later revealed that Sarwesh was behind spreading the news after Billu shared the letter with his friends. All the confusion arose when Siyaram went out of town on a pilgrimage, making it easier for Jagannath and his son to taint the reputation of the family in his absence. Jagannath’s main motive was to snatch away the marriage-ritual contract that the famous businessman Malpani had entrusted the Tripathy family with. He wanted to prove that the rituals that he would conduct would be better than the services provided by the Tripathy family.
What Decision Does Billu Make?
When word starts spreading, Billu gets into an altercation with his uncle, Balakram Tripathy. He asks Billu to stay out of the Malpani marriage contract rituals and refrain from singing bhajans at their house. Billu gets infuriated after his identity is questioned, and he leaves home to go and stay at Abdul’s place. He believes that his life is a game of snake and ladder, and his family members are the snakes. Billu decides that he will completely change his identity and starts dressing Mohammedan. While his family realizes their mistake and wants him to come back, Jagannath plots further to create a rift in the family. He gets some of Billu’s photos photoshopped, puts Muslim attire on him, and circulates them in the locality. People are utterly shocked and start questioning their real identity of Billu. When Billu hears of this, he thinks that the Hindus of the locality are going to boycott his family and decides to distance himself from them. He decides that he will convert to and accept the Mohammedan religion.
What Is The Real Identity Of Billu?
When Siyaram arrives in Balrampur, he learns how Billu has been humiliated by Jagannath. He goes straight to Billu and brings him back home, and then confronts Jagannath and Malpani, stating that Billu was his son and that he had given him the right parenting. However, Jagannath suggests that a DNA test be done on Billu and Siyaram to prove their blood relation. On coming back home, Siyaram reveals to his family that Billu was indeed born into a Muslim family. He talks about 1992 when a riot broke out between the Hindus and the Muslims. Siyaram had gone to the hospital along with his wife for her delivery and found a doctor, bringing in a pregnant Muslim woman who was already dead. He said that he could not save the mother but could save the child. After delivering the child, it was handed over to Siyaram and his wife. They had gladly accepted Billu as their own son and later told everyone that they had twins.
How Was The Problem Mitigated?
Billu’s sister, Gunja, comes up with a plan to save her family from the humiliation. She says that her friend was a doctor who would conduct a false DNA test and reveal to everyone that Billu was indeed a Hindu. On the day of the test, many people gathered near the hospital to learn the results of the test. However, Billu goes against the plan and tells everyone about his real identity. He does this, as he does not want his family to shield their status with lies. He said that he was content with his identity and that the DNA test could not determine his relationship with the Tripathi family. He realized that his family members were not the snakes but the ladder that was always there to support him in the game. Billu highlighted the fact that he respected the diversity of religions in his locality and that it was a blessing for him. His speech moved Aishwarya Malpani, the daughter of the businessman, and the ritual contract for marriage was restored to the Tripathi family.
Final Words
This film has given out a very strong message about the religious distinction in Indian society. It highlights the fact that one’s religious identity is not as important as their actions. Humanity is the greatest truth above all, which has been beautifully depicted in the film. It is important to ensure that we all feel a sense of solidarity among ourselves, embracing each other’s religious faiths. A rainbow won’t become colorful if there is just one color in it. Similarly, if we don’t accept the differences, then that would not make us diverse, and it would spread hatred in the long run. The color of the blood that flows in all our veins is the same; it is just the outer appearances and habits that set up barriers. It is ironic that Billu, who had thought of Mohammedans as completely different, was one of them. He failed to realize the importance of accepting them until all fingers were pointed at him!
