With this review, I hope to reverse the sequence reviews
usually follow. So, here is my verdict about easily the best, most sensible,
most beautifully put together family drama in recent times- it is a mast must watch. (four stars, okay?)
‘Kapoor and Sons’ impressed me, and no, it wasn’t solely
because of a cute-and- droolworthy-as-ever Fawad Khan or an equally adorable
Siddharth Malhotra. The movie made me laugh (a lot, lot, lot) and cry (just a
little, but oh, it was for real!)
So, here is the movie summed up for you. You can read if you
haven’t watched it yet, (no spoilers, I promise) so I can motivate you to spend
your hard earned money without any regrets! J
And if you have watched it already, congratulations on a
wise decision :P
1.
The
plot
An atypical (or is it?) Indian family is
brought together by the news of dear granddad’s heart attack. You have a father
struggling to overcome financial concerns, a mother fed up of all the drama and
two warring/loving brothers, Rahul and Arjun, in Fawad and Siddharth,
respectively. ( A Karan-Arjun equation,
by all means, but the trailer told you so!) There is the extended family with chachu and chachi and two sweet sisters,
too.
And yes, the quintessential pet dog
completes the ‘happy’ family!
So when they all assemble under one roof in
Coonoor, you have to expect more than just colourful fireworks. Explosions,
perhaps?
2.
The
characters
A granddad who practices dying and makes
funny faces while calling the nurse names from his hospital bed; who watches
porn and takes selfies using his iPad; who brings the family together and as a
death wish, orders the whole bunch to pose for that perfect family portrait
bearing the caption ‘Kapoor and Sons,
since 1921.’
A father who provides, but has a lot to
hide.
A mother who thinks, over thinks, reacts
and over reacts; who makes mistakes, but who tries to hold the family together
and breaks when it breaks apart.
Rahul, the elder brother, the perfect baccha, the successful novelist who
hopes to replicate the impact of his previous master stroke. However, he isn’t
the only one crafting stories. And his life story is a well kept secret.
Arjun, the younger brother, who tries to
find himself, running away from his loved ones only to realize they are all he
has, at the end. Tia, the love of his life, the effervescent sweetheart who is
everyone’s sunshine despite battling her internal storms.
Watch the movie for the layers and nuances
that the characters are enriched with. The world was never black and white. Grey
is a common colour that runs through us all.
3.
The
actors
Rajat Kapoor is a natural in the role of
the exasperated father, while Ratna Pathak Shah dons the mother’s place
perfectly. Rishi Kapoor keeps you entertained throughout with his antics as the
silly, jovial grandpa and his comic timing is perfect, though a little crass at
times! :P
Alia is her delightful pretty self. The
girl next door thing suits her well, though I am getting a little bored of her
doing similar roles. And the fact that she can muster up a Highway makes me expect a lot more.
Siddharth is charming. And you do end up
feeling sorry for him while he is trying to make stuff work. A good
performance. Aaaaannnnnd, the less I say about Fawad, the more you will enjoy
the movie. We could very well be heading for a fifth super Khan in Bollywood-
the guy steals the show even in a multi starrer. And I may be biased, but for
me, he was the best thing about the 2.5 hours I spent in the cinema hall.
4.
The
music
The inimitable blend of catchy, peppy,
upbeat, and soul stirring. While Chull has already achieved cult status
and a dedicated fan following, the foot
tapping Buddhu sa Mann won me over
with its festive picturisation and cheerful vibe. Bolna can be heard in the backdrop of Arjun and Tia’s romance, but
I would have preferred a more prominent place for the song. Towards the end, Saathi Rey gives you the feels and it is
one of the tracks that grow on you, slowly and steadily.
5.
The
setting
Beautiful cinematography with the locales
of Coonoor displayed at their most brilliant.
6.
Best
scene
The family breaks into a fight at a time
when the plumber is at his wit’s end, fixing a leak and listening to their
raised voices, and shattering glasses. Once he’s done and asked to quote his
charges, he replies, “Ab is bure samay
mein jo sahi lage, de dijiye.”
And, at the very beginning of this fight
(there are lots in the movie) Siddharth exclaims, “Kya baat hai, aaj sab mere bina hi shuru ho gaye?”
Epic dialogue delivery :P
7.
The
impact
Do we ever know our families? Do we care
enough to know about their jobs, their passion, their struggles, their
loneliness, their wishes, their dreams, their hopes? Or are we so busy crafting
a charade of perfection that we are swept away by the currents of our own
deceptions?
The movie teaches you to never take your
loved ones for granted, no matter what flaws they might suffer from. Because,
in the end, as they always say, love conquers all.
Done reading? Now go, go, go, watch it J