In the era of expansion of digital and OTT platforms, web series like 'Panchayat' and 'Gullak' have proved that stories related to the roots of small towns, neighborhoods and middle-class families of India have the most power to engage the audience. One such family story full of simplicity has now hit the big screen. The comedy-drama film 'Om Ka Hari', directed by director Harish Vyas, has been released in theaters on 18 September 2026. This film revolves around a retired father with strict principles, a son suffocated by his decisions, a mother trying to balance both and the self-realization that comes at the end of life, this film tries to touch the hearts directly.
The story begins in an old residential house in Bhopal, the capital of Madhya Pradesh, where the Sharma family has been living for generations. The head of the family is Hari Prasad Sharma (Raghubir Yadav), who is respectfully called “Anup Jalota of Bhopal” in the entire locality due to his singing. After retiring from government service, he devoted his entire time to bhajan singing and devotion to God. His wife Saroj Sharma (Soni Razdan) is a typical housewife, who is busy keeping the household and family together, while his younger daughter Guddi (Samta Sudiksha) is currently completing her college studies. On the other hand, fed up with Hari Prasad's strict nature, constant interruptions and rebuke on every issue, his son Om (Anshuman Jha) leaves his father's shadow and goes to live in a separate house with his wife Priya (Ayesha Kapoor).
This normal and drawn out routine of life takes an unexpected turn when one day during a bhajan kirtan, Hari Prasad suddenly falls unconscious on the stage. After this incident, a strange spiritual illusion develops in his mind that now only seven days are left in his life and his last wish is to sacrifice his life on the ghats of the salvation-giving city of Kashi (Varanasi). Being forced to face his father's stubborn insistence, son Om takes him from Bhopal to Varanasi. This emotional story progresses with the unraveling of the relationship between father and son, grievances, conflicts and deep introspection of life on the banks of Ganga.
The film has been directed by Harish Vyas and he has also prepared its original screenplay. Although this story of emotional bond between an elderly father and a rebellious son is not completely new or untouched on the cinematic pages, the intention and sincerity of the makers behind presenting it on the big screen is clearly visible. In the current era where middle-class and sentimental family films choose the easy route of direct OTT release, taking the risk of releasing 'Om Ka Hari' in theaters is in itself a bold and commendable move.
The dialogues and scenes of the film, created by Harish Vyas along with co-writer Swati, come alive like the discussions happening behind the walls of every ordinary Indian house. In every second-third family there is a stubborn father who imposes his experiences and decisions on his children believing that they are the best for their future. Instead of understanding the goodness hidden behind the father's harshness, the children feel pressured, and the mother of the family continues to be crushed amidst all this conflict. In the film, the father's dismissal of his son's salon business as a “barber's job” and the dictatorship like “I will not eat this, that” at the dinner table, closely highlights the reality of middle-class life.
On the technical front, the film's production designing and visual aesthetics deserve special appreciation. Shantanu Chatterjee's production design and Shivani Patil's costumes do full justice to the narrow house in a small town, the simple clothes and household trappings of the people living there. Rakesh Rawat's cinematography has captured the beauty of the old streets of Bhopal to the ancient ghats of Varanasi with great naturalness.
One of the biggest highlights of the film is the background voiceover of actor Vijay Raaz as Sharmaji's house. His style of becoming the voice of a lifeless house and narrating the story of happiness and sorrow of the entire family makes the story interesting from the beginning. Along with this, on the music front, the song 'Aye Meri Zindagi…' composed in the melodious tunes of playback singer Asha Bhosle provides depth to the emotional ups and downs of the story and makes the audience's eyes moist.
If seen from the acting point of view, Raghubir Yadav has once again been seen completely getting into the soul of his character. His casting as a strict, irritable but deeply worried father for his children's future is perfect. Soni Razdan has given a very measured and dignified performance as a helpless mother who sacrifices her dreams and spends her life in the service of her children and husband.
In the role of son Om, Anshuman Jha has effortlessly portrayed the inner frustration, anger and hidden affection towards his father on screen. Whereas, experienced actor Jagat Rawat has left a deep impression with his unmatched comic and emotional timing in the brief role of Pandit Atmaram, the local priest of Varanasi. Despite the limited scope, Samta Sudiksha and Ayesha Kapoor have also done justice to their respective characters.
The duration of the film is not very long, but there are some flaws at the screenplay level. Around the intermission, the pace of the film slows down at many places due to the love affair between Om and Priya and the songs coming back-to-back. If these scenes had been tightened a little on the editing table, the flow of the story could have been more effective. Despite this, whenever there are sharp and touching dialogues between Raghubir Yadav and Anshuman Jha, the film immediately gets back on track.
Overall, 'Om Ka Hari' is a clean, emotional and thoughtful film with the simplicity and earthy fragrance of the popular OTT series 'Panchayat' and 'Gullak'. If you want to watch a relaxing and heart-touching family movie with your whole family over the weekend without any vulgarity or noise, then 'Om Ka Hari' in theaters proves to be a great option.