We are the Family
Info
The story is about Aman (Arjun Rampal) and Maya (Karol) who are divorced yet cordially connected for the sake of their three kids. Aman has found new love in Shreya (Kareena Kapoor) and wants her to warm up to his kids. Despite Shreya’s genuine attempts, the kids give her a cold shoulder. And Maya doesn’t want Shreya to be anywhere in the close vicinity of her children. Until she is diagnosed of cervical cancer! Having only a few months to survive, Maya’s prime concern is the future of her kids and suddenly she sees Shreya as her ideal substitute.
Malhotra’s storytelling is crisp and he doesn’t splurge any screen-time in elaborating the background account of Aman and Maya or what lead to their separation. You never know or wish to know what went wrong between the two but at the same time also wonder what makes them so amiable despite the divorce. But you surely wish to know what happened to Karan Johar’s Indian culture endorsement when, in a scene, the mother apologizes to her eldest daughter for being responsible for her uncool persona by not allowing her to booze or have fun with boys. A sequence straight out of Baghban (the Rimi Sen – Hema Malini sequence), it doesn’t go in sync with the family feel of the film but culminates more prudently.
warm, doting single mother, losing before her eyes, her life and her sweet children to fatal cancer, you can tell, is something that’ll weep any woman off her feet. The premise is stuff dry tissues are made for. Yet, the pathos here is produced not from moments, but from performances alone: a stunning Kajol’s in particular. She appears superior to Susan Sarandon, I suspect, because the corny background score here, unlike the quietness of the original, rarely allows for sheer drama to take over. She also cannot quite place her family in the fakeness around, which can’t be concealed in candyfloss anymore. This ain't Archie Andrews.
This is an Indian family drama over a dying single mom. Most such families would have a support stream of parents, uncles, aunties, many other relatives, pooling in at this tragedy. The mom’s hip, self-sufficient, in control, alone; despite an ex, and his hot girlfriend. The children look lost. This cultivated suaveness is but suddenly forgone as everybody begins to simultaneously weep from the screen. The heroine morphs into the image of the desi mother, in a saree, hoping the best for her daughter’s grand wedding after her death. Bollywood dhol beats hit the crescendo. Filmmakers hope you’ll hear the lady behind you go, sob sob sob… Hmmm.
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User reviews
Average user rating from: 1 user(s)
The Same Old Family !
Nothing is really original about your lifted script. It's the same old hoopla all over again.
But debutant director Siddharth P. Malhotra surprises you constantly. Casting the best available talent for two pivotal parts and doing complete justice to their roles is tough. Very tough. But the ease with which he handles the tense moments between the women and also the emotional finale shows he has learnt his lessons well from his peers.
Final word? We Are Family is for the family. It is well acted, deftly written, entertaining and broadly appealing drama. Watch it with someone you love!
Arjun Rampal hams and basically looks pretty. He adds immense glamour value to the film which is pretty much all he does. Kareena Kapoor pouts and tries so hard to bring some substance to a role that demands nothing from her. We all know why she did WAF. Anything to get back into Karan Johar's good books. Bebo, spare yourself the pain darling. It ain't worth it. For Kajol, this role was a piece of cake. The veteran loves roles that allow her to be melodramatic and explode on screen. With WAF, she does just that. Scream, shout, howl and cry. A lot. The kids. Oh dear, children. You all were wonderful and add a sense of watchfulness to a film that otherwise would beg to be watched.
