Varun Dhawan’s niece Anjini Dhawan makes an assured debut as an NRI adolescent in Binny and Family, a slice-of-life film that manages to tug at the heartstrings. Directed by Ssanjay Tripaathy, Binny and Family succeeds by being a simple, heartfelt story about the generational gaps that family members struggle to bridge or disconnect from.

Binny and Family follows 18-year-old Binny, played by Anjini, who lives in London with her parents. Every year, her grandparents — played by Pankaj Kapur and Himani Shivpuri — visit them for two months from Patna. This time, Binny is forced to share her room with them, much to her frustration.

Binny’s parents, Vinay (Rajesh Kumar) and Radhika (Charu Shankar), adjust their living arrangement according to the elderly couple’s preferences — turning a bar into a bookshelf and replacing cheeky door signs with mantra door-hangings. Meanwhile, Binny just wants her space, which often results in tense moments with her traditional grandparents.

It’s here that Binny and Family finds its groove. The intergenerational clash is captured not through explosive melodrama but relatable moments of friction that would resonate with anyone who’s ever had to wade through complex family dynamics. The film acknowledges the emotional toll it takes on both parties.

The film picks up steam in the second half when Binny's grandmother has an asthma attack in Patna, Vinay plans to get them over to London for treatment but Binny puts her foot down, unwilling to give up her room again. The guilt Binny feels when her grandmother dies is a turning point in the film.

Binny and Family focuses on the loneliness that is felt by both the old and young generations as a result of lack of communication. Binny feels misunderstood and isolated at school where fitting in is a constant pressure, but is unable to open up to her parents. On the other hand, her grandfather struggles with the loneliness of old age.

Tripaathy also hits the bull’s eye in depicting the relationship between Vinay and his father — how people of Vinay’s generation confuse fear of parental authority with respect. A tight hug between the father and the son in the final moments of the film brings the wall down between them.

The success of Binny and Family owes a lot to its cast. Pankaj Kapur delivers a standout performance as a quiet, melancholic grandfather trying to stay connected with his family in a rapidly changing world while the loneliness following his wife’s death begins to sink in. Kapur’s chemistry with Anjini Dhawan is spot on.

Anjini’s Binny is not a caricature of a rebellious teenager but a nuanced portrayal of a young person at the cusp of adulthood. When her grandmother passes away in Patna, Binny’s emotional ordeal over not letting her return to London for treatment touches a chord. The scene where Binny breaks down in front of her grandfather shows a promising actor in Anjini.

Himani Shivpuri as the doting grandmother is heartwarming, and Charu Shankar and Rajesh Kumar as Binny’s parents are equally impressive.