In Do Dooni Chaar, Rishi Kapoor’s character says, “Khaali fees bharne se papa ki duty poori nahi hoti, papa ki duty hoti hai bachchon ki khushiyan.” While every father strives to give his child all the happiness in the world, we also need to celebrate this spirit of fatherhood. Since there is no better medium than cinema to express your emotions, this Father’s Day we list out our 5 favorite movies which depict the bond between a father and child in a classic way.
Piku
A rather humorous take on father-daughter dynamic, Piku stole hearts for its effortless performances and the simplicity of its story. Right from casual everyday bickering between the two, to them singing Bengali songs in chorus, the film is probably the most honest representation of every father-daughter out there. Shoojit Sircar’s slice-of-life film, is a journey of Piku (Deepika Padukone)trying to understand her grumpy and constipated father, Bhaskor Banerjee (Amitabh Bachchan) and vice-versa. Though tired of her father’s constant nagging and him being a hypochondriac, as she likes to call him, Piku doesn’t fail to uphold her responsibilities towards him. The scene where she tells Rana (Irrfan Khan) about every child’s duty towards their parents, especially in their old age, probably tugged at every child’s heartstrings. You definitely do not want to miss this one, on this Father’s Day!
102 Not Out
Based on a Gujarati play by the same name, 102 Not Out is sweet simple film about two oldies (a 102 year old father and his 75 year old son) trying to understand each other. Though the film didn’t do great the the box office, one thing everyone had to say about it was that it is a movie with its heart in the right place. While Amitabh Bachchan is trying to teach his son to live life positively (which every father tends to do), the son (Rishi Kapoor) ignores him (which every child tends to do). It was a fresh take on the father-son relationship where both are at the late stage of life and are confused about each other’s outlook towards it. To remind yourself of every time your father has been there for you, go watch this one today!
Paa
Need we say something about this film? This ‘very unique father-son-son-father story’ was a marvelous concept that only R Balki could have thought of. Lined with stellar performances by Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Vidya Balan, Paa reversed the real life father son jodi and with what ease! The film shows Auro (Amitabh Bachchan) suffering from progeria, a rare genetic condition that causes him to age fast, and his attempt to get to know his father, Amol (played by Abhishek) before he succumbs to his life-threatening condition. This poignant portrayal of their relationship had moments of innocence and heartbreak, where Amol is trying to figure out what being a father means while he knows that he doesn’t have much time left with his son.
Udaan
Though not the ‘ideal’ watch to mark Father’s Day, the movie brought about a rarely talked about account of a teenager, Rohan (Rajat Barmecha), trying to discover his passion for writing and his relationship with his abusive father (Ronit Roy). Vikramaditya Motwane chose to show us the other side of the coin, where Rohan leaves his home with his step-brother after being troubled with the problematic relationship he shares with his father. Udaan was the first Indian film in seven years to be premiered at Cannes and took home seven Filmfare Awards too. The film is a celebration and triumph of the rebel inside each one of us who wants to break free of the clutches we’re held in. Watch it for those bittersweet moments we’ve all shared with our Dads.
Sanju
While the film received flak for its post-truth portrayal of Sanjay Dutt’s life, it definitely gave us an inside view of the relationship he shared with his father, Sunil Dutt (played by Paresh Rawal). The man was truly the pillar of support for his family, who stood like a rock, come what may. Be it his son’s drug addiction or his jail time, Dutt sahib (as Sunil dutt was lovingly called) never left his son’s side, till his last breath. In a particularly heart-rending scene, Sanjay Dutt (Ranbir Kapoor) reads out a ‘thank you’ note for his Dad and says, “Dad, you deserved a better son.” It moved me to the core and made me feel how ungrateful we often become as children. Watch this scene and go and give a jaadu ki jhappi to your Dad.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)