Kapoor and Sons, 2016 — ★★★★
At some level, we all believe in Just World Hypothesis. When we see a movie the expectations are a notch higher. We want to see how each thread closes up at the end and what emerges is a neat bow. Some movies do not do that. Some movies picture realities and not aim to fulfill your expectations of a just world. The realities that leave you sad and upset, that question the point of tussles and quarrels, that highlights the human elements of the family. ‘Kapoor and Sons’ falls under that bucket.
I was weary of watching a family drama. We are far too skeptical about the family drama that comes out of Bollywood in general, so I was wondering if it made sense to go in theaters for this. After watching the cast I was convinced that if not thoroughly enjoyable, the movie would not be a waste of time. It indeed isn’t.
Kapoor and Sons is a story of two estranged brothers, their parents and their army veteran grandfather. Amarjeet Kapoor, the grandfather, suffers from a heart attack and both Arjun (Siddharth Malhotra) and Rahul (Fawad Khan) fly from USA and England respectively. We are not explicitly told reasons of their estrangement, but as the story unfolds the veneer of a good family image starts to collapse revealing the fractured relationships. It is interesting to follow the story as it is told and so I won’t add more plot details.
This is a new age drama. A movie that has no central character. You can put that burden on either of the brothers, but it is also a story of the father, mother and the grandfather. The movie brings perspectives and perceptions of family members. That is where is excels. A plain black and white character is a thing of the past now. The family members have their reasons for disappointments, and those are agreeable from their standpoints. This is where the just world hypothesis comes in. As the layers of their past and reasons for friction comes to light, you start sympathizing with all, at the same time blaming each one for their actions. But then you also realize that all of them are mortals. Human beings are fallible. That is what keeps the world moving. Yet the just world equation is also at times fallible or holds secrets which balance in upsetting ways. You feel sad when reality hits and your notions are put on trial.
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The cast has some powerful names. This is the movie which gave some material for Rishi Kapoor to act. He was stuck in Houseful and the like. Rajat Kapoor and Ratna Pathak need no introductions either. They both blend in with the setting, a typical married couple with disagreements. Ratna Pathak is a versatile actress. She is very well known for Sarabhai vs Sarabhai, and she shows that she can handle very serious roles with equal ease. Alia is the shining star in the otherwise dark skies of young Bollywood actresses. From the frivolous Student of the Year, she has had a very good career. Even when she’s not in a prominent role, she leaves a mark in a couple of scenes. Fawad Khan is a pleasure to watch. From sarcastic punches to bottled up emotions, his screen presence is confident. Unfortunately, such a praise can’t be offered to Siddharth Malhotra. He stumbles on the edges of mediocre acting until finally falling into the abyss of abysmal performances. Three people had set out from Student of the Year, but he is the only one still finding his talent. Good looks can only take you this far.
Music is completely forgettable. The tracks are dull, the lyrics are bland and overall do not go with the tone of the movie. Incidentally, I remembered Anupam Roy’s Piku soundtrack. It is a fine example of music for a drama movie which always feels in context and firmly attached to the narrative. Kapoor and Sons has miserably failed in this regard. However, the sound effects were strikingly perfect for the mood of the scenes; those helped to intensify the emotions throughout the movie. You are left wishing that a fraction of that talent could have made the music much better.
Good sound effects are coupled with serene cinematography. Although the emphasis is on close ups, the beautiful green city of Coonor leaves a lovely impression. Even when both the leads are out of India for work, the plot treats it as a backstory element. The cinematography enhances the freshness of the Indian city. From a cemetery to a simple walk in the nighttime, the camera greatly helps the narrative.
Shakun Batra, the second time director, should be praised a little extra for keeping things balanced. This movie has an ensemble cast. It was easy to inadvertently make this a story of a single person. Yet, he shows restraint. The story remains that of a family and everyone gets their share. I guess he must have tried hard to get Siddharth to match Ratna Pathak in one of the very emotional scenes, but well…tough luck.
Overall, I enjoyed the film. I am giving it four. Although the bad music and Siddharth’s acting leave a sour tinge as you leave, remembering other performances reduce the bad effects. It is worth going to encourage the move of Bollywood to a more realistic and down to earth depiction of family and paving a way for more and more good drama.
