BY MAHADEV DESAI
The Hindi movie ‘Tanvi the Great’, directed by acclaimed veteran actor and award-winning film maker Anupam Kher, is a heartwarming and inspiring drama of a 21-year-old autistic girl, debutante Tanvi Raina (Shubhangi Dutt), who wishes to fulfill her late father Capt. Samar Raina (Karan Tacker)’s dream of saluting the flag at Siachen Glacier.
Captain Samar Raina who leaves young Tanvi and his wife Vidya Raina (Pallavi Joshi) who is an autistic expert in Delhi, gets killed in a bomb explosion while travelling in a jeep with Major Srinivasan (Arwind Swami), while travelling on the Kashmir bridge.
Tanvi’s devoted mom takes great care of Tanvi. When she decides to travel to New York to attend a nine months autism research project organized by World Autism Foundation under Michael Simmons (Iain Glen); she travels with Tanvi to Lansdowne, a serene military town in Uttarakhand. There, Tanvi’s grandfather, retired Col.Pratap Raina (played with gravitas by Anupam Kher), who is a widower, lives.
Initially Tanvi and her grandad struggle to connect with each other as the latter is not familiar with autism but Vidya’s gentle advice to “discover Tanvi” becomes a turning point. Slowly, through patience and shared moments, a tender bond forms between grandfather and granddaughter,
Tanvi’s love for music and singing leads her to Raja Sahab’s (Boman Irani) music classes and forges a bond with him. She also forms a warm friendship with Brig. Joshi (Jackie Shroff), affectionately calling him,” Tiger”.
Meanwhile In New York, Vidya gives the valedictorian speech reminding the world that while India may still be learning about autism, it has always known how the care! (heartfelt applause).
One late night, Tanvi watches an old video of her father and makes a life-altering decision.: to join the Indian army and salute the national flag at Siachen. Just as her father once dreamed.
Her granddad tries to talk her out of it and initially resists, fearing for her safety, but her unwavering resolve moves him. so, he gives in. He supports her through the grueling training regimen led by Major Srinivasan- a sequence that showcases Tanvi’s grit, discipline, and emotional resilience.
Despite her hard work, she fails the so, SSB Interview conducted by Brig.K.N. Rao (Nassar). She is naturally dejected. Determined to lift her spirits, her granddad and mom who has returned back home decide to fly her to Siachen, with Jackie Shroff playing pivotal role in making the journey possible.
What unfolds next is best experienced on screen, as the film builds toward an emotionally stirring finale.
The soundtrack by Oscar-winner, M.M. Keeravani enriches the narrative with eleven beautifully captivating songs, including ‘Mann Chala Manwa’ at the Sri Krishna Mandir and the patriotic ‘Sena ki Jai’ at the Army Ball stand out for their emotional depth and cultural resonance.
Tanvi the Great succeeds not only as a family drama but also as a compassionate exploration of autism. It avoids clichés and instead offers a sincere, uplifting story about love, perseverance, and empathy.
The movie has been shortlisted in the Best Film Category for the 2026 Oscars, marking a significant achievement for Indian cinema.
