Kapoor & Sons is a dramedy at its best, with a modern yet dysfunctional family in the middle. Though the story and characters are pretty simple, the director has successfully brought to life the complexities, expectations and turmoil that comes with being a ‘normal family’.
Cast: Rishi Kapoor, Rajat Kapoor, Ratna Pathak Shah, Fawad Khan, Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt
Director: Shakun Batra
Rating: 8/10
Rishi Kapoor plays the grandfather who is turning 90 but still has some good years left in him. He is full of life, we owe most of the laughter to his character. Apparently, the grandpa is the only one who seems to have his wits together. The family lives in a small town, Coonoor. The parents are played by father Harsh (Rajat Kapoor) and mother Sunita (Ratna Pathak Shah). The couple fight a lot and over trivial things at times. The two kids Rahul and Arjun are used to the bickering that goes on between their parents at home. The mother in rage doesn’t hesitate to throw jars at her husband.
Rahul played by Fawad Khan is a successful writer and lives in London, whereas Arjun is the irresponsible one who struggles with finding his professional identity. The two brothers get along but we can feel the animosity between the two, whenever they have an argument, Arjun brings up his unresolved issue with his brother. Arjun blames Rahul for stealing his idea and then publishing the book.
But, is it like every other family movie?
No it is not. There is a big fat elephant in the room, which is still in the closet.
So it begins, the directors and writers bring on screen one of the most methodically planned family drama.
Well, here begins the director’s meticulous planning. The writers of the film, Shakun Batra and Ayesha Devitre Dhillon, have somehow managed to give equal screen time to each character. The characters grow with time and become more three-dimensional to us.
The audience could relate to their angst and disruptive behavior at times. The sequences where the family is fighting over paying a plumber is something so grounded, the four characters seamlessly argue without breaking out of character and sounded so natural. The chemistry between the husband and wife, the brother and even the grandfathers with his children is one of a kind. The mixture of love and emotional instability reflects in the characters.
One could tell from the very beginning each one is either lying about something or hiding a secret. The couple Harsh and Sunita are struggling to save their marriage.
Amidst, the family drama, enters Alia Bhatt; the free spirit. For a moment, it feels like a love-triangle. But reality is far from it.
The language is quite simple and relevant. Alia’s character is lively, yet has depth to it.
Our very own Fawad Khan shines bright!
The role of Rahul was the most mysterious out of the four from the very beginning. He is the most accomplished and put together character. The demeanor in which he approaches everything says a lot about his character. He is very careful and defensive at times. The margin to show his capabilities as an actor was immense and Fawad Khan proved himself once again.
Fawad Khan’s character is a ticking time bomb and one can see the vulnerability and strength of Rahul's character. If Fawad Khan missed out on PK's 'Pakistani boy', this definitely was worth it.
It is indeed a directorial gem and is extremely well-scripted. I will recommend it.