Director - Aditya Chandiok 
Writer – Ritu Mago
Cast - Ahsaas Channa, Supriya Shukla, Happy Ranajit, Poojan Chhabra, Akshaya Naik, Aditya Pandey, Keshav Mehta, Sangeeta Balachandran 
Duration – 52 Minutes
 
Netflix’s Greater Kalesh is a delightful 52-minute emotional rollercoaster that captures the soul of Indian family life — messy, loud, loving, and painfully real. Directed with warmth and wit, the short film follows Twinkle Handa (Ahsaas Channa), who returns home to surprise her family for Diwali, only to be met with secrets, confrontations, and the kind of chaos that only an Indian household can deliver. What begins as a light-hearted homecoming turns into a series of revelations that challenge Twinkle’s understanding of family, love, and belonging.
 
The film opens on a nostalgic note — Twinkle watching children burst crackers on the street, reminiscing about her carefree childhood. Her monologue about growing up and drifting away from home strikes a chord instantly, much like Deepika Padukone’s reflective moments in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani. This theme — that home remains constant while we change — forms the emotional backbone of Greater Kalesh. Twinkle’s return is not just a visit for Diwali but a rediscovery of the people and memories that shaped her.
 
What follows is pure “kalesh” — affectionate chaos wrapped in family drama. From her mother worrying that her son is dating a woman her age to Twinkle discovering that their ancestral home no longer belongs to them, the film moves from comedy to confrontation with effortless ease. And just when things couldn’t get more dramatic, Twinkle learns that her brother is in love with a man named Karan, while she suspects her father of having an affair. Yet, beneath the whirlwind of misunderstandings lies a tender story about acceptance, identity, and the quiet strength that binds families together.
 
One of the film’s strongest achievements is how it uses Diwali not just as a festive backdrop but as a metaphor. The lights, noise, and celebration parallel the emotional storms within the Handa household — every argument followed by laughter, every conflict illuminated by affection. The festival of light becomes symbolic of healing and rediscovery, as the family learns that love doesn’t always mean peace, and home isn’t defined by perfection but by togetherness.
 
Ahsaas Channa shines as Twinkle — charming, vulnerable, and quietly fierce in her attempts to hold her family together. Supriya Shukla delivers warmth and gravitas as the matriarch, while the supporting cast, including Happy Ranajit, Poojan Chhabra, and Akshaya Naik, contribute to the film’s lived-in authenticity. Not a single scene feels wasted; the pacing is crisp, the writing sharp, and the emotions genuine. The concise runtime works beautifully in its favor — it’s a story that knows when to arrive, when to linger, and when to leave.
 
Greater Kalesh is a small film with a big heart. It celebrates the contradictions that make Indian families both exhausting and irreplaceable — where arguments are expressions of love, secrets are shared with sighs, and every Diwali reminds us that even in chaos, there is comfort. It’s a film that leaves you smiling through tears, thinking about your own home, and maybe, even missing the noise.