Hi Nanna Movie Review: A Tender Tale of Love & Parenthood

Six-year-old Mahi (Baby Kiara Khanna) lives with her father Viraj (Nani), a celebrated fashion photographer grappling with single parenthood. Mahi has cystic fibrosis-a condition that makes everyday life a careful negotiation of medication, hospital visits, and suppressed questions. The biggest question? Her mother. Viraj avoids the topic, but Mahi’s curiosity is relentless. One day, she runs away with her dog Pluto, hoping to find answers. A chance meeting with Yashna (Mrunal Thakur), a kind stranger, sets off a chain of revelations that bind the three in unexpected, emotionally charged ways. What follows is a non-linear narrative of love, loss, and the quiet sacrifices that define family.

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Let’s start with the obvious: this film belongs to Baby Kiara Khanna. As Mahi, she is not just precocious but profoundly natural-her giggles feel unscripted, her silences carry weight, and her stubbornness never feels like a child-actor trope. She anchors a story that could have crumbled under its own emotional ambition. Nani, meanwhile, sheds his usual boy-next-door charm to inhabit a man whose grief is as quiet as it is consuming. His Viraj is a father who overcompensates with love because he can’t give the truth. The scenes where he explains Mahi’s illness to her-simply, gently, without condescension-are heartbreaking precisely because they’re so understated.

Mrunal Thakur’s Yashna enters late, but her presence reshapes the narrative’s architecture. She isn’t just a love interest; she’s the emotional fulcrum around which past and present converge. Her chemistry with both Nani and Kiara feels lived-in, not manufactured. Jayaram, as Mahi’s grandfather, brings a welcome layer of gentle wisdom, while Priyadarshi (as Justin) offers comic relief that never undercuts the drama.

Shouryuv’s direction is assured for a debut. He avoids the trap of over-scoring emotional beats-the music by Hesham Abdul Wahab is effective but never manipulative. The cinematography (by Sanu Varghese and Shreesha Kuduvalli) leans into earthy tones and warm close-ups, capturing the coastal beauty of the backdrop without making it a travelogue. The non-linear structure, switching between a present-day road trip and flashbacks to Viraj’s past with Yashna, is handled with clarity. You never feel lost, just teased.

The film’s real triumph, however, is how it handles cystic fibrosis. It doesn’t use the disease as a prop for cheap sympathy. Mahi’s struggles are real-hospital gowns, breathing exercises, the exhaustion of being “different.” Yet the film never loses sight of her spirit. She’s a fighter, not a victim. That balance is rare.

But “Hi Nanna” isn’t perfect. The second act drags a bit, especially during a middle stretch where the road trip feels more scenic than purposeful. Some dialogues-particularly in the romantic flashbacks-lean toward the poetic in ways that feel slightly overwritten. And a few plot conveniences (like the timing of certain revelations) strain believability, even within an emotional drama. The runtime of 155 minutes could have been trimmed by at least ten without losing heart.

Still, when the climax arrives, with its revelations and reconciliations, you will cry. Not because the film forces you to, but because it has earned your investment. It’s a crying that feels cathartic, not cheap.

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Pros

• Baby Kiara Khanna delivers one of the finest child performances in recent Telugu cinema.
• Nani’s restrained, layered portrayal of a grieving father is a career highlight.
• Mrunal Thakur’s warmth and chemistry with the cast elevate the emotional core.
• The non-linear storytelling is engaging and never confusing.
• Sensitive, respectful handling of cystic fibrosis as a real condition, not a plot device.
• Hesham Abdul Wahab’s music complements without overwhelming.

Cons

• The middle act sags with repetitive road-trip sequences that test patience.
• Some romantic flashback dialogues feel too polished, lacking natural spontaneity.
• A couple of narrative coincidences strain logic, even for a drama.
• The runtime could be tighter; a ten-minute trim would improve pacing.

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“Hi Nanna” is a tender, beautifully acted family drama that understands that love isn’t about grand gestures-it’s about showing up, again and again, even when it hurts. It stumbles in the middle, yes, and a few plot threads are pulled too tightly. But when it’s good-and it is good for most of its length-it reminds you why we go to the movies: to feel something real. Not a perfect film, but a deeply human one. Watch it with your family, and don’t forget the tissues.

Rating: 8.5/10