Critical response
Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter remarked, "But there’s a sense that, despite the specificity of its social fabric, it refuses to alienate the average viewer." Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave the film 2.5 out of 5 stars and stated, "kind of film, revolving around complex, relatable human emotions, that we need more of: the end-note is perhaps most conflicting, leaving us to question our feelings." Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in observed, "An elephant in the room – a shocking secret – has driven a wedge between Hemalata and Swati. This sensitively handled passage boosts Tighee’s credibility as one of the acutely observed films about childhood trauma and its echoes into adulthood." Anub George of The Times of India rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and praised its performances, writing, "The masterfully written story is given wings by the flawless performances from the three leading ladies. Each essay their roles to perfection, with nuances that will have you tearing up in many scenes." Sakshi Salil Chavan of Outlook India rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, noting, "The film’s unpredictability carries anxiety, hope and anger, cascading through its screenplay at once."
Sreeju Sudhakaran of Rediff rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and called it a "must watch", adding, "Its premise may feel familiar, both cinematically and in real life, but the emotional authenticity elevates it." Reshma Raikwar of Loksatta praised the film's screenplay, performances and emotional depth, particularly highlighting Bharati Achrekar, Sonalee Kulkarni and Nehha Pendse, as well as Adwait Nemlekar's music and Milind Jog's cinematography. She described the film as sincere and heartfelt. Santosh Bhingarde of Sakal gave the film 3 out of 5 stars and praised Jog's cinematography. He noted that the first half progresses slowly, but the narrative gains momentum in the second half and becomes more emotionally engaging, describing the film as a sensitive and emotional story with a fluid yet slow-paced narrative. Aashna Nadkarni of Mashable India rated the film 4 out of 5 stars and praised its direction and performances, stating, "Frankly, the movie felt like a fresh breath. A huge kudos to the director and writers for bringing the story so rooted in reality, and not to mention the actors who leave you emotional with their performances."
Srushti Pathak of Social Ketchup described the film as being focused on its characters' emotional journeys, stating, "Tighee is less about plot twists and more about emotional discovery. By the time the story reaches its final turn, the film has quietly built a space where the audience is not just watching these women but feeling alongside them." Sameer Ahire of Movie Talkies rated the film 3.5 out of 5 stars and noted, "There are so many things that you can instantly relate to, and the big reveal in the pre-climax portion works as a huge shocking element." Keyur Seta of The Common Man Speaks gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and praised Kale's direction, wrote, "Kale has presented the drama in a new-age manner. She has displayed maturity in her first feature film itself." Trupti Gaikwad of Navarashtra observed, "This movie seems to be about understanding not only motherhood but also women. But even so, the movie does not seem to support cold feminism anywhere."
Reviewer Keerti Kadam gave the film 4 out of 5 stars and praised Kale's direction and the film's editing, stating, "The director’s sincerity is evident from the beginning, and she keeps the narrative simple yet effective, ably supported by crisp editing." Subhash K. Jha gave the film 4 out of 5 stars, highlighting, "The sequence where the mother tells her daughters she won’t allow them to be defiled a second time is the moment where Tighee acquires its status as a remarkable film." Critic Baradwaj Rangan praised the film's visual presentation and editing, writing, "Tighee is also a beautifully staged film, with evocative camerawork and super-smooth (and at times, very sharp) editing. So much of Tighee works so well that the minor imperfections begin to look like the minor flaws we see in otherwise good people."
