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Star Cast: Alia Bhatt, Sidharth Malhotra, Fawad Khan, Rishi Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah, Rajat Kapoor
Director: Shakun Batra
What’s Good: Shakun Batra’s lively direction captures the family moments brilliantly and one feels for this tale in an instant. It’s an endearing family movie!
What’s Bad: The writers try to overdo when it comes to humor. Comedy seems like a weak link in this otherwise emotionally burdened film.
Loo Break: Interval should suffice!
Watch or Not?: Kapoor And Sons could be your pick if emotional family dramas are your thing. This is a slice of life film, laden with some cherishable moments.
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Rahul (Fawad Khan) and Arjun (Sidharth Malhotra) are based in London and New Jersery respectively while their family consisting their parents Harsh (Rajat Kapoor), Sunita (Ratna Pathak Shah) and Daadu (Rishi Kapoor) are settled in Coonoor. After Daadu suffers a heart attack, Rahul and Arjun rush to their hometown. While Daadu is a happy go lucky character, the tension between Harsh and Sunita who are struggling with their marriage is evident. In the meanwhile, Rahul and Arjun too have some unsettled issues which come to the fore when they start living together.
Tia (Alia Bhatt) becomes a common link between both the brothers unknowingly and forms an additional tension to their already strained relationship.
Amidst all the personal as well as ups downs as a unit, will there be a happy family photo of Kapoor And Sons?
Kapoor And Sons Review: Script Analysis
After I first watched the trailer of Kapoor And Sons, I was under the impression that the dysfunctional family drama card of Dil Dhadakne Do was once again being used with a cliched two brothers falling for one girl theme. Fortunately, Shakun Batra and Ayesha Devitre’s writing came as a breath of fresh air concentrating on a dysfunctional family but with such brilliantly written flawed characters that you relate to each of them. What works for this script is the way it flows, the connectivity of scenes, character nuances and spot on dialogues.
From the dining room fight scenes to a lovely evening family get together, Batra’s characters come to life because of their realistic nature.
I particular laud the way how sibling rivalry is tackled due to misconstrued situations. In a subtle manner, the writers convey with great ease, a pressure children have in Indian families to be ‘perfect’ or for that matter how younger siblings are generally labeled to be ‘irresponsible’ and how it forms a part of their personalities.
Families may be the closest bonds one has but as a unit when they fail, it is a collective effect. This is exactly what the story nails.
Daadu’s character is written to please the audiences with a humorous touch. He is a weed-smoking, porn-watching Daadu and while at start it is hilarious, after a point his mischief seems forced. Another character that could have been crafted in a better manner is Tia. A lone child who lost her parents at an early age, Tia’s ‘live in the moment’ nature is slightly stereotypical considering her past.
Winsome moments for the script are in the second half when it is revelation time for each member to come out clean about their mistakes.
Kapoor And Sons Review: Star Performance
Even though the film is not particularly based on one lead, Fawad Khan’s performance stands out. As Rahul, a sensitive, loving ‘perfect’ son with a heavy duty past, he is simply spot on. While many girls may flock to the theaters to just watch him smile, mind you he will make you cry with that performance.
Sidharth Malhotra as the troubled younger brother Arjun is average. His performance is quite stagnated all through the film and he fails to shine in any particular moment.
Alia Bhatt looks stunning as Tia. She does her part well of playing the otherwise bubbly and sometimes emotional character.
Rajat Kapoor and Ratna Pathak Shah are perfect in their roles. They look natural as a couple who are more of Mr. and Mrs. than sharing an actual husband wife relation. In a minor scene like the one that they reminisce their honeymoon, the duo make sure to bring a smile to your face.
Rishi Kapoor with all the prosthetic work, turns Daadu. He is easily lovable and endearing with his antics. A emotionally riveting performance from him.
Kapoor And Sons Review: Music, Direction
Shakun Batra’s last film was Ekk Main Aur Ek Tu. While not many liked the film, it was quite clear back then that the director has an eye for great stories that revel on emotions and especially his easy treatment with them. With Kapoor And Sons, he makes Karan Johar’s famed ‘It’s all about loving your family’ come true.
The first half is easy on the eyes as we are introduced to the characters and reels you in with its simplicity. The director’s choice of setting, being a town like Coonoor is a marvelous idea. The town’s freshness and seasonal nature is starkly visible and compliments the film extremely well. The living rooms and kitchens look as natural as your home and it is clear that the director does not need fancy houses to showcase his already fancy cast in a realistic story.
I would have loved if there was a little balance of drama in the two halves as the second half may come as a heavy one.
The editing is slick and the background score gels well in the scenes where there are no dialogues.
Music is peppy and only used when relevant which is a sane choice.
Basically, Shakun Batra proves that drama is one genre that he can twist into something as emotional as this.
Kapoor And Sons Review: The Last Word
Kapoor And Sons is a modern-age family drama. It does not shy away from being emotionally soppy yet convincingly lovable. You could laugh, cry and smile through this one! I am going with a 3.5/5
Kapoor And Sons Trailer
Kapoor And Sons releases on 18th March, 2016.
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