Mar 19, 2016 02:54 PM
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"Har family mein problems hoti hai. Par who khushnaseeb hote hai, jinki family hoti hai." Viewers might not have liked Prem Ratan Dhan Payo but they were all unanimously in agreement with this superb one-liner that speaks the universal truth. This is especially true in countries like India. No wonder, most of the films dealing with families always get thumbs up, obviously provided they are well made. Last year, Dil Dhadakne Do won hearts and this year, here comes another film on a dysfunctional family that is bound to be loved - Kapoor & Sons!
The story of the movie: Rahul(Fawad Khan) is in London while his brother Arjun(Sidharth Malhotra) is based in New Jersey. Due to a family emergency, they are compelled to return to their home somewhere in a hill station in India. Both Rahul and Arjun find it difficult to still get along with each other and also with their parents, Harsh(Rajat Kapoor) and Sunita(Ratna Pathak Shah). Moreover, Harsh and Sunita have problems of their own. However, Daadu(Rishi Kapoor), the 89-year-old grandfather seems to be the only sane person in the family, despite his eccentricities. Rahul and Arjun meet Tia(Alia Bhatt), a young free-spirited girl and her presence add colour in their lives but also leads to more problems.
From the very first scene, Kapoor & Sons makes it clear that something's not right between the family members and it's only a while that all the secrets gradually tumble out. However, the journey is quite enjoyable thanks to the watertight script, efficient direction and quirky characters. The fight that the Kapoors have in the beginning amazes you - also because of the way it's shot and edited. Tia's entry is damn good and adds to the fun. There a lot of unexpected moments especially as the characters start revealing startling secrets, and most of them are unpredictable. This continues throughout the film and keeps the interest going. The intermission point, though not executed well, makes for a great watch. The fun and drama continues beautifully in the second half too. One of the best parts of the film is the pre-climax where 2-3 dramatic developments take place simultaneously and the sequence ends on an emotionally moving note. It’s simply a masterstroke on the part of the director and writers! However, the portions thereafter seem rushed and bit incoherent, which dilutes the impact. The same happens with the intermission point as well. But the final scene of the film is simply superb and is an ideal way to end the film.
Kapoor & Sons has a superb ensemble cast, with each and every actor giving his best. Sidharth Malhotra is extremely efficient and proves yet again why he’s one of the best actors of the current generation. The role gives him a chance to showcase his acting talent in abundance and he does very fine. Fawad Khan does a bit better, mainly because his character had more depth and struggle and also innovation! I liked him in Khoobsurat but that film hardly exhibited his acting prowess. It’s in Kapoor & Sons that we get to see what an outstanding performer he is! Alia Bhatt plays a vibrant, funny, sensitive character with aplomb. Here’s another actress who’s trying to bring something new to the table. She doesn’t have much screen time as compared to Fawad-Sidharth but nevertheless, she has significance in the narrative. Rishi Kapoor comes out as a winner! His makeoever is unbelievable and the way he makes viewers laugh and also teary eyed is seen to be believed. Rajat Kapoor delivers a stupendous performance, especially in the second half. Ratna Pathak Shah is explosive but she ensures it looks real and convincing. Sukant Goel(Wasim) is natural. Faheem Shaikh(Boobly) raises loads of laughs. Anuradha Chandan(Anu) does fine. Vickram Kapadia(Shashi uncle) and Anahita Uberoi(Neetu aunty) are okay.
Music is neatly woven in the narrative. Kar Gayi Chull is nicely picturised and choreographed. Buddhu Sa Mann is enjoyable. Saathi Rey and Dooriyaan are quite touching. Bolna doesn’t make much of an impact but is shot well. Sameer Uddin’s background score is beautiful. Jeffery E Beirman’s cinematography is terrific. One can feel the calmness of the hill station and the tensions in the house thanks to the way the film has been shot. Sarada Ramaseshan’s production design is quite real and gives a nice touch to the film. Shivkumar Panicker’s editing is razor sharp, especially in the confrontation scenes. Ayesha Devitre Dhillon and Shakun Batra’s story is quite nice, original and has lot of layers and sub plots that makes for a great film. Dialogues are simple yet sharp and funny, as and when required. Screenplay is quite nicely written. It must have not been easy considering there are so many characters and there’s so much happening. But the writers come out with flying colours. Shakun Batra’s direction is terrific. He had impressed in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu but he goes even further in Kapoor & Sons. This is no easy film to execute but Shakun manages it with ease it seems. If only he had not tried to rush things in the end, Kapoor & Sons would have been an all-time classic. Nevertheless, Shakun is definitely a director to watch out for!
Some of the best scenes:
The introduction of the Kapoors
The major fight while the plumber is working(outstanding)
Arjun meets Tia
Rahul meets Tia
5 Rahul-Tia go out to for food and drinks and what happens next
Arjun reveals about Rahul to Tia
The intermission point
Rahul drives the car for a change
Arjun-Tia’s graveyard date
The major fight in the pre-climax
The final scene
On the whole, Kapoor & Sons is by far the best film of 2016! It has humour, emotions and drama in adequate doses and tells a story that’s original, novel and yet very relatable. The characters are well-written and each and every actor impresses a lot. Go for it with your entire family and enjoy this wonderful saga!
My rating -* ½ out of 5!
