Top 5 Father Moments Of B-Wood!

Comments [ 23 ] By Nadia M. | 17 June 2012 | 4:02pm

As we mature, we outgrow many of the those things that we used to call our favorites. One that we can never get too old for, though, is the love of our dear dads. On the occasion of Father's Day, BollyCurry reflects on that special bond by presenting our five favorite filmy father-child scenes from Bollywood's recent past!

1) Wake Up Sid: Ranbir Kapoor's coming-of-age film was something of a trailblazer with its contemporary characterizations and no-frills storytelling style. There was no dramatic conflict or obstacles for our hero, Sid, to overcome; he merely has to come to terms with the fact that he is no longer a child and develop a sense of responsibility. His journey begins when he has a rift with his father over joining the family business, leaves the house, and tries to make it on his own in the world. Eventually he finds his true calling while working as an intern with a magazine photographer. When Sid gets his first paycheck, he immediately wants to share the joy with his father and goes to his office for the first time since their argument. He hands over the paycheck and they have a poignant little chat that ends in an affectionate reconciliation. Anupam Kher's dialogues can bring tears to the eyes with their sweet simplicity, rendering the moment a gem among family scenes from modern Indian cinema.

2) Munnabhai M.B.B.S.: This film is almost universally loved by fans of Indian cinema for its perfect balance of humor and heart. The title character spends much of the film concocting an elaborate charade to satisfy his father's dream of seeing him as a doctor. By the time the ruse finally falls apart, Munnabhai has become disheartened upon seeing a lack of empathy for patients among medical students and healthcare professionals. In that frame of mind, he comes home and is surprised to find his father welcoming him with open arms. Having been filled in on how his son spread cheer among suffering patients, he encloses him in a proud and affectionate embrace. Given that the scene was enacted by a real life father son duo and that it was the late Sunil Dutt's last time on the silver screen, it will forever hold an extra special place in the history of Indian cinema.

3) 3 Idiots: This 2009 blockbuster had a number of touching moments amidst the laugh-a-minute dialogues that rendered it an instant classic. One that comes to mind on this occasion concerns R. Madhavan's character Farhan. He spends the earlier parts of the film struggling to reconcile his father's aspirations of a future in engineering for him, with his own dreams of pursuing a less lucrative career as a wildlife photographer. The scene in which his father, portrayed by veteran actor Parikshit Sahni, finally accepts his son's wishes after an emotional monologue from Madhavan truly tugs at the heartstrings. He suddenly asks his son how much it would cost to buy the camera required for his dream career, thus implying his acceptance and minimizing the sacrifices he made to get him into the most prestigious engineering college in the country.

4) Kuch Kuch Hota Hai: Karan Johar's directorial debut has become a pop culture phenomenon, of sorts, for several different reasons. Somewhere on that list is the fact that our hero is shown in two different timelines, as both a college-going lover boy and a doting, protective father. The latter gave us a chance to see a Shah Rukh Khan we hadn't seen much of yet, and it came across beautifully, thanks in part to child actress Sana Saeed's turn as the precocious little Anjali. A particularly poignant moment takes place at a school function where Anjali is asked to speak about mothers onstage, but is a loss for words since her own passed away soon after she was born. Her father Rahul (Shah Rukh) joins her on the stage and quickly but effectively delivers an emotional little speech. In words, he describes the importance of maternal love, but in deed he exemplifies the love of a father in a most memorable fashion.

5) Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham: This star-studded family drama derived its central conflict from the rift between a father and son over love, so it is but natural that the resolution involves their loving reunion. That much was expected, but when the father is portrayed by megastar Amitabh Bachchan and none other than Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan play his sons, one can also expect their expectations of that tear-soaked reunion to be exceeded in terms of performances and emotional appeal. In that moment when all is forgiven, the stars brought enough intensity to the screen that audiences may well have flooded the cinema halls with their tears and needed boats just to get back to their cars at the end of it all!

That rounds out our list of the most memorable displays of parental love in Bollywood's recent past. We hope it inspires a mood of affection and gratitude among our readers this Father's Day, and we look forward to your additions to the list!

Author: Harjot D.
Editor(s): Lola & Jenifer.
Graphics: Nadia.