Do you remember what a staple Karan Johar film is all about? Though it was a long time ago but the man has made the frames which has built the false hopes of our childhood. KJo is all about the razzmatazz of the crème de la crème, the glitz of the upper classes and their issues which cannot resonate with the rest of the world. His world is specifically restricted to the privileged classes and their unworthy problems. The only time the man and his banner has surprised us with its a typical thinking was in Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu. The movie was a romantic comedy where the hero and heroine meet, become friends, fall in love but don't want to define the relationship they share. It was a refreshing change to see a film that has all the makings of an epic romantic comedy attempt a quirky ending. It could've easily backfired. But it rather made the instance worth being an example. Whenever Karan Johar was asked what made him try a film that could have gone against popular sensibilities, he credited it to his director Shakun Batra. In this film, Shakun tries to further Karan's Student of the Year story but induces his intrinsic maturity to it. It is no longer about naive children battling it over relationships.
The concept of who gets the girl is passe. Perhaps the crux of the story is the same as the afore mentioned film but Kapoor and Sons is a fine work that explores an in-depth understanding of human relationships. Contrary to popular opinion, it isn't a love triangle. Rather it is an emotional story that delves into the myriad facets of human psyche. It unravels what broken relationships are made of, what broken hearts lead to and what a 2-hour film is capable of. No, we don't claim that Kapoor and Sons is a spectacular movie without flaws. But sometimes watching a heartfelt film does the trick. This one just manages that without many hiccups. It has its share of glitches but power packed performances purge the narrative.
But unlike his first film, Shakun is far from his original innocent self, we were then introduced to a filmmaker who could lay himself bare sans any qualms. This time the filmmaker quivers, he worries. His casting is strictly driven from his needs to create a movie that makes it to the mark. A hot Fawad Khan who works as a crowd-pleaser and a rumored couple works wonders. Especially in a script that is tailored categorically to appease people.
But one cannot deny that the film has a charming impact. Derived partly from Fawad's good looks and the performances of actors like Ratna Pathak, Rajat Kapoor and mostly Rishi Kapor, the film scores. But the performances of Sidharth Malhotra and Alia Bhatt, which lie at the heart of the film disappoint. They are adequate but are never compelling like the rest of the prolific cast.
Fawad plays a writer, who returns to meet their ailing grandfather after five years. In every scene, Khan is mind blowing. He proves he is more than just a pretty face and the actor brings out the nuances of his character beautifully. He almost matches up to the likes of Ratna and Rajat.
Shakun handles the story with great sensitivity. Like he never subjected Kareena to any judgement in EMAET, even here he never looks at the flaws of his characters condescendingly. His imperfect characters come together to create a near perfect movie. He is kind enough to never let the dialogues get overdramatic. Fawad and Sidharth's altercation is real. They never indulge in the heavy duty dialogues like Saif and Akshaye from Race. They are loving and hence their animosity is always in check.
Mostly you'll love Shakun's gentle reminder of how vain the concept of perfection is. We harp so much in creating a perfect family, perfect people but perfection is highly overrated. It is lovely to be flawed. Like the naughty dadu played by Rishi, who is a knockout. Alia Bhatt adapts her naughty streak from him and is oh-so-lovable in the film.
What doesn't work in the film is its coherence. The screenplay feels scattered. Letting out too much will be a spoiler but when you decide to watch you need to have some patience. The story simmers over a while and the drama packs a punch in parts, especially towards the end.
Watch Kapoor and Sons to celebrate your imperfections. Here's a perfect ode to being imperfect...how definitions dampen life. Live in the moment and enjoy every bit of the carnival we call life.
We rate this film a 68%
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