Best friends Ronak and JJ live a middle-class life and share one dream, to get rich fast. Their shortcut runs through Altaf Anna, a local underworld don they turn to for a way out of their money troubles. The plan is also meant to help Ronak win over Riya, but a debt to a don rarely stays simple.
Family Circus is a 2018 Gujarati buddy comedy that runs on a familiar but dependable engine, two broke friends who think crime is a shortcut to the good life. Director Viral Rao sets Ronak and JJ loose on a get-rich-quick scheme that leads them straight to Altaf Anna, an underworld don, while Ronak tries to win the affections of Riya on the side. It is a musical comedy drama in the mould that Dhollywood was leaning on heavily that year, aimed squarely at a family audience out for a light evening.
The casting is the film's biggest asset. Raunaq Kamdar and Mitra Gadhavi make a natural pair as the scheming friends, and Monal Gajjar brings recognisability and screen presence to Riya. Smit Pandya has fun as the don Altaf Anna, and reliable character actors Bharat Chawda and Mehul Buch fill out the ensemble. Hemang Dholakia's songs, with lyrics from Krupesh Thacker and Milind Gadhavi, keep the tone bright and the pace moving between comic set pieces.
This is comfort food rather than ambition. The plot telegraphs its beats, the underworld menace is played for laughs more than tension, and the moral arc arrives on schedule. What the film gets right is warmth and watchability, an easy chemistry among the leads and a friendly, uncomplicated sense of humour that never overstays. There is no verified critic score on record to lean on, so the fairest reading is that Family Circus works best for viewers who want a breezy, low-stakes Gujarati comedy with a likeable cast and a few hummable songs, and who are not looking for surprises. On those terms it delivers exactly what its title promises.
Verdict
A likeable, low-stakes Gujarati buddy comedy that trades surprise for warmth. Good company for a light evening if you like the cast and the songs.
What works
- Easy chemistry between Raunaq Kamdar and Mitra Gadhavi
- Monal Gajjar adds star presence
- Bright, hummable soundtrack
- Family-friendly, low-stakes fun
What holds it back
- Predictable get-rich-quick plot
- Menace played too safe for real tension
- Moral arc arrives on schedule
- Adds little new to the buddy-comedy formula
Cast & crew
Music: Hemang Dholakia
Cast: Monal Gajjar (Riya), Raunaq Kamdar (Ronak), Mitra Gadhavi (JJ), Smit Pandya (Altaf Anna), Bharat Chawda (Aarav), Mehul Buch (Riya's father)
Producers: Alpesh Patel, Digesh Patel
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore from Viral Rao
More Comedy Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Family Circus worth watching?
A likeable, low-stakes Gujarati buddy comedy that trades surprise for warmth. Good company for a light evening if you like the cast and the songs. Kevu Che rates it 3 out of 5.
What is Family Circus about?
Best friends Ronak and JJ live a middle-class life and share one dream, to get rich fast. Their shortcut runs through Altaf Anna, a local underworld don they turn to for a way out of their money troubles. The plan is also meant to help Ronak win over Riya, but a debt to a don rarely stays simple.
What is the IMDb rating of Family Circus?
Family Circus (2018) holds an IMDb rating of 7.5 out of 10.