Kapoor & Sons: Review

I saw the trailer of 'Kapoor and Sons' during my 'Kshanam' outing.  Frankly, I wasn't impressed with it the least then.  I hadn't even thought I would watch this movie.  Talk about preconceived notions!  However, I woke up to some decent reviews of the movie in the papers yesterday, prompting me to rethink and watch it.

The movie tells the story of a dysfunctional Punjabi family that has settled in Coonoor (near Ooty).  The aged patriarch - who has a great 'lust' (pun intended) for life and leaves no chance to garner attention - has a heartache and his two grandsons - living in London and New Jersey - come running.  Grandpa has only two wishes before he dies.  That he is buried alongside his mates from the army and that there's a 'full family picture' which he can proudly hang on the wall, 'Kapoor and Sons: Since 1921'.  The parents (grandpa's son and his wife) have enough troubles in their marriage - money, responsibility, cheating and the works - to ensure fireworks at every opportunity.  The grandsons - Rahul and Arjun - aren't chummy either.  One's way too perfect while the other is always found wanting, and the resentment is palpable even when not expressed.  The grudges each nurse result in simmering anger waiting to explode; and it does with consequences, of unmasking the facades.  Rahul has a secret that isn't known to anyone and living a lie.  Harsh, the father has lost his job at the bank and also failed at business.  Sunita, the mother believes her husband is cheating on her and also has squandered her money.  Arjun is frustrated at his inability to be a published author - like his celebrated and successful author brother - and has a nagging feeling that he was cheated by his brother.  Tia is the effervescent local girl that also adds to the milieu as she cozies up to both the brothers, making things a bit more difficult.  All these relationships of husband-wife, parents-children, siblings and more come undone as the family prepares for the patriarch's photograph.   

'Kapoor and Sons' is quite a misleading title.  One would possibly enter the cinema expecting to watch a movie about yet another loud Punjabi family that loves its culture, curry and kukkad (not to forget, daroo) and celebrates the same through songs and dances.  It isn't.  Nor is it set in 'sadda Punjab'.  The movie is marvelously written and told.  The characters are real, life-like and believable. So is the treatment to the subjects dealt with - head-on and no squirming or shying away.  The humour is decidedly adult and unapologetic.  The acting is top class by most - it helps that the cast boasts of Rishi Kapoor, Rajat Kapoor and Ratna Pathak Shah.   Alia Bhatt is shines despite the film's only badly written role.  The two male leads are in excellent form, even though I felt Fawad Khan was a shade better than Siddharth Malhotra.  There are a few grouses of course.  For one, it seems the mainstream Hindi cinema isn't yet to say the 'G' word, even though it is quite central to this movie - that is quite surprising and disappointing too, as the director, Shakun Batra doesn't pull punches otherwise.  Alia's role is poorly defined, though vital to the story moving forward.  And, lastly, the party number.  Duh is the only thing I could say about it.  Yet, all these seem inconsequential when compared with the final result.  Go watch it.  Highly recommended.