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While originally the occasion of Rakshabandhan was meant for brothers and sisters, the celebration of the festival has wholesomely expanded to honour all sibling relationships (or similar equations) in general. Sisters, brothers, and even friends tie each other Rakhis with the intention of honouring the fact that one does not necessarily need to be a brother, or related by blood to create a safe, nurturing space for the other.
In the same breath, no sibling relationship is perfect. Far from it actually. Fights, squabbles and disagreements are part and parcel of the average sibling experience. But so are the sentiments of making up after a fight, looking out for one another and not necessarily liking each other everyday, but still having a whole lot of love to give. Keeping this in mind, here’s taking a look at films which have aptly captured the authentic nature of sibling relationships.
Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan in Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…
‘It’s all about loving your family’, professed Karan Johar back when the century turned and ended up giving us a thorough Bollywood gem, whose relevance only seems to be growing year on year. Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham…(2001) was of course about the strained family dynamics of the iconic Raichand family and the cross-continental efforts to bring them all back together. But truly, at its core, K3G was about Hrithik’s Ladoo bringing elder brother Rahul (played by Shah Rukh Khan) back home.
It goes without saying that sisters Anjali (Kajol) and Poo’s (Kareena Kapoor Khan) almost mother-daughter-like equation also stole the spotlight on multiple occasions.
Genelia D’Souza and Prateik Babbar in Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na
Let’s face it, the kind of overwhelming but wholesome mushiness that characterised K3G is not really an everyday occurrence when it comes to siblings. Jaane Tu…Ya Jaane Na (2008) got that spot-on with Genelia D’Souza’s Aditi Mahant and Prateik Babbar’s Amit Mahant. The two were as different as chalk and cheese. While Aditi had a thriving social circle, Amit was more of a social recluse, and happily so. But their quiet conversations, particularly the one where Amit helps Aditi realise her feelings for Imran Khan’s Jai, is incredibly telling of the close bond siblings share, even if they can’t stand each other most days.
Ajay Devgn and company in Golmaal 3
You don’t need to be related by blood to consider each other family. Rohit Shetty’s whacky family comedy Golmaal 3 (2010), hoists the message loud and clear. Amid the absolute riot of colours and jokes that the film is, what comes through in a very non-preachy way, are the wondrous ways in which some families come together. Ajay Devgn’s Gopal, Shreyas Talapde’s Laxman, Arshad Warsi’s Madhav, Tusshar Kapoor’s Lucky and Kunal Khemu’s Laxman started off as sworn enemies, but eventually blended into one big happy family with their Maa and Paa, hilariously played to perfection by Ratna Pathak Shah and Mithun Chakraborty respectively.
Ranveer Singh and Priyanka Chopra in Dil Dhadakne Do
Often our own struggles are very different from that of our siblings, making it a little difficult to relate to where they’re coming from. But we’re still there for them no matter what. This is what Ranveer Singh’s Kabir Mehra and Priyanka Chopra’s Ayesha Mehra encapsulate in Dil Dhadakne Do (2015). Ayesha, an independent successful businesswoman finds herself caught between the onslaught of maintaining her father’s (played by Anil Kapoor) façade and catering to her very-openly misogynistic husband’s (played by Rahul Bose) demands. Kabir on the other hand has a lot on his plate between trying to save his precious plane from being sold off and wanting to break the news of him having fallen in love with dancer Farah Ali (played by Anushka Sharma).
Both don’t really understand where the other is coming from and don’t necessarily know the right thing to say. But, when push comes to shove they’re both behind each other as a solid pair of siblings should be.
Sidharth Malhotra and Fawad Khan in Kapoor & Sons
This is easily the most atypical sibling duo on this list. Sometimes those closest to us hurt us the most. The wound is deeper when its your own sibling. Plagiarised work, favouritism by parents and a vast difference in success form the basis of the equation between Sidharth’s Arjun and Fawad’s Rahul in Kapoor & Sons (2016). A lot of dysfunctional family dynamics also further worsen their already stringy bond. The climax of the film however, presents a rather realistic resolution (of sorts at best), towards mending such a far-gone relationship. A small step in the right direction.
Special mention: Kangana Rananut and Chinmai Chandranshuh in Queen
Queen (2013) was all about Kangana Ranaut’s Rani truly finding herself at a time when her own world was caving in on her. Every other theme in the film really drowns out in the face of her larger-than-life road to self-discovery. That being said, those small moments before Rani’s life-changing solo trip, when she is accompanied by her (very) younger brother Chintu, as her ‘protector’, each time she steps out of the house, is heartening to watch.
Will you be binging on any of these movies with your siblings today?
