Film

Pagglait

Pagglait is a Hindi-language dramedy about a newlywed who can't seem to cry after her husband's sudden death, even as his boisterous family descends on their home. Tender and funny in equal measure, it finds the absurd humanity in grief—how mourning doesn't always look like we expect it to, how families collide, how life insists on being strange. For anyone who's felt out of step with how they're supposed to feel.

TMDb rating3.3

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you like grief handled with a light, observant touch, where awkward family gatherings and small domestic moments do the heavy lifting more than big speeches.

Skip it if you want a story that stays fully serious about loss, since the comedy here is frequent and the family scenes can feel broad.

What it asks of you: It runs under two hours and moves at an unhurried, conversational pace, asking you to sit with quiet stretches and small talk rather than chase a plot.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

The Farewell2019

Another film about a woman caught between family chaos and her own emotional truth, wrestling with cultural expectations around grief and what we owe the people we love. Awkwafina is luminous.

But Quieter and more melancholic than Pagglait, with less comedy—it's a different emotional register, sadder throughout.

The Farewell poster

Piku2015

Indian family comedy-drama with real stakes. Deepika Padukone carries a film about duty, desire, and the impossible gap between what your family needs and what you need. Warm and sharp.

But Focuses more on romance and generational conflict than grief, so the emotional centre is quite different from what you'll find here.

Piku poster

Khosla Ka Ghosla!2006

A Hindi family comedy about small deceptions and big truths, centred on an ensemble cast where every character gets their moment. Funny without ever feeling mean.

But Lighter and more plot-driven than Pagglait; grief isn't the engine here, schemes and comeuppance are.

Khosla Ka Ghosla! poster

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Pagglait

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Worst Person in the World2021

Both are about women realizing they don't have to perform emotions society expects of them, and finding freedom and confusion in that realization.

Joachim Trier's Norwegian film about a young woman adrift between identities, loves, and the people who depend on her. Hilarious, heartbreaking, visually stunning. Radically honest about how we disappoint ourselves.

But Completely different cultural context and no grief plot—it's about choice and indecision rather than loss, and darker in texture than Pagglait's warmth.

The Worst Person in the World poster
More like this (3)

Mulk2018

Taapsee Pannu in a film about a Muslim widow fighting to reclaim her home and dignity in a hostile climate. Smart, angry, beautifully acted—serious drama with real backbone.

But Much more overtly political and confrontational; the tone is defiant rather than reflective, and grief takes a back seat to justice.

Mulk poster

Chhichhore2019

A Bollywood ensemble about friendship across decades, loss, regret, and the people we become. Funny and genuinely moving, with a strong sense of place and community.

But The narrative jumps between timelines, which can feel scattered; it's also more about friendship than family bonds.

Chhichhore poster

Article 152019

Ayushmann Khurrana in a serious Hindi-language thriller about injustice and complicity. Proves Bollywood can do lean, angry social drama without compromise.

But Completely different tone—dark, investigative, and brutal where Pagglait is intimate and character-driven.

Article 15 poster

People

Cast

Directing

Writing

Production

Recommended by

Thappad, Salim Langde Pe Mat Ro, Housefull 3