Kapoor & Sons (2016) User Reviews

A Winner All The Way!

[namashi_1 · 9/10 · 18 March 2016]

2016 has found its first pleasant surprise in the form of 'Kapoor and Sons'. This One's a Heartwamring, Emotionally Powerful & also Humorous film, that wins you over. The Writing, The Direction & The Performances, all, are Tremendous.

'Kapoor and Sons' Synopsis: After their grandpa (Rishi Kapoor) gets a heart attack, Two Brothers (Fawad Khan & Sidharth Malhotra) come back to Coonoor & re-kindle with their Dysfunctional Family. Chaos Follows...

'Kapoor and Sons' is a wholesome entertainer. I was seriously impressed & engrossed by the flow of the narrative. The entire concept, of this imperfect, dysfunctional family & the secrets within them, has a terrific undercurrent of emotions. While the first-hour is light in tone & also keeps space for some great jokes, the second-hour shifts into serious family drama, but the shift in the mood, never slows down the momentum. In fact, 'Kapoor and Sons' strengthens even more as it progresses & you begin to feel for the characters a lot more.

Shakun Batra & Ayesha Devitre Dhillon's Screenplay is Tremendous. The Writing is genuinely great, as this story flows wonderfully & ends, on a very high emotional note. There is scope for the emotional bits, comedy, some romance & of course drama. And it all fits in perfectly. Batra's Direction is Excellent. He returns to the Director's chair after a long time & seems more self-assured this time. Cinematography captures the impeccable beauty of Coonoor, aptly. Editing is crisp. Music by Various Artists is melodious. Art & Costume Design are first-rate. Make-Up (Especially for Rishi Kapoor) is fantastic.

Performance-Wise: 'Kapoor and Sons' boasts fabulous performances from its cast. Rishi Kapoor is adorable as the grandpa, who is unmistakably naughty & also the sweetest of his bloodline. Fawad Khan does a remarkable job, enacting a difficult role with flourish. His character is "Unconventional" & a complete departure from the stereotype "Hero" roles. Sidharth Malhotra is natural & portrays a rather sympathetic part with confidence. He & Fawad share a good on-screen chemistry between them & their confrontations are nicely handled too. Ratna Pathak Shah is flawless as the long-suffering woman of the house. Just watch her in the scene when she discovers of Fawad's true-self, her expressions are priceless. Rajat Kapoor is first-rate as the hard to like father/husband. And lastly Alia Bhatt, who's smile alone is worth your ticket.

On the whole, 'Kapoor and Sons' is a must watch. Two Thumbs Up!

A lovable family drama

[nagsaptarshi · 8/10 · 18 March 2016]

2016 is proudly making a statement- Bollywood has matured like hell.First Airlift,then Neerja, then Aligarh-all excellent movies with stories taken from real life.But this is an original screenplay.And perhaps one of the finest in recent times.This family portrayal is as real as possible- without the extra sugar that you expect from a Bollywood offering.This is not a picture about a rosy family.The family has its problems,flaws and ordinariness.But underneath all these, you have the most important ingredient-love.And this touch of reality is what touches you.The acting is magnificent especially that of Rishi Kapoor.Alia, Fawd,Siddharth,Rajat everyone does justice to their respective rolesRatna Pathak delivers a stellar performnce.A few songs are quite peppy.Overall a magnificent family drama with pint of humour, romance,emotions and finally togetherness.Its meant to be viewed with the family.So please do not watch it alone.Enjoy in the large screen with as many members of your family as possible.Highly recommended...

A great family movie questioning and answering the essential values to make your family the ideal one

[rajrad · 9/10 · 19 March 2016]

It is so natural to find another family more perfect than yours. And am sure at some point or another we all have wished if we could one chance to peep into someone else's perfect world or be a part of it. Kapoor & Sons gives you that opportunity.

Shot at a beautiful place, Conoor,showcasing a house which am sure will be envied by many. 2016 till now has seen many good movies. This is a bit different because of its plot.

And maybe because of its simple execution yet complex reasonings. For one, it actually felt that I was not watching a movie but merely peeping into the lives of Kapoor & Sons. Such was the portrayal by all.

Fantastic job by the Director Shakun Batra. And a fantastic job by the Editor Shivkumar V. Panicker. And nothing would have started had it not been for the story. Credit going out to Shakun and Ayesha DeVitre. Stars like Alia Bhatt, Siddharth Malhotra, Fawad Khan…. All did exceptionally well in the part they were to play. And the binding factor, Kapoor Sahab, so effortlessly performed by Rishi Kapoor. Superb!

The film takes you across the realm of wishes to reality, to realization and beyond. Raising and answering questions, which today's times have made us ignore, or maybe we have chosen to ignore. It's a nice family package which endeavors to identify the thin sensitive line which binds the family in strong bonds.

Definitely a movie to be seen. And don't bother to screen. Take all generations with you. You never know. Together you might get the path to make your family, the perfect one.

My rating 4.25/5

• Rajesh Sharma

Also visit http://ycmoviereview.wordpress.com

Lovely!! The first thought that will come to your mind after watching the movie.

[saqlainaali · 10/10 · 21 March 2016]

Excellent,adorable,very pleasant and beautiful is the movie "Kapoor & Sons".It will make you both laugh(happy) and sad,and eventually tells about the basic beliefs of a family and what is the real meaning of a family.The story brings very much freshness as it is not a conventional family drama movie.It has many aspects and details which keeps the viewer engaged for whole time. The Direction of the movie is very good but it must have been easy as if the story is written so beautifully. Acting is also matching the standards of the story.Rishi Kapoor is as always very good although he just has to sit and deliver his thing.Siddharth Malhotra is fine in his role.Alia Bhatt has also done nice acting.But one of the main element of movie is Fawad Khan he has done excellent acting and at last he makes you love his character. There's lot to say about this movie and it can continue for paragraphs but keeping it short I would say please go and watch this movie and please tell everyone else to watch it.

Emotional family entertainer

[navkaran_sandhu · 10/10 · 18 March 2016]

Watching Bollywood movies , you get disillusioned seeing the crassness, but some producers/Directors know their Job well.this weekend release Kapoor and sons (since 1921) proved that right again .In simple words this movie shouldn't be missed.A family entertainer which churns your heart to the core and brings out that baby emotions hidden somewhere. Now coming back to film script is marvelous with all characters beautifully crafted,u long for each one of them, everybody have their problems and their own worries. Casting was done aptly, beautiful acting by all ,special mention Rishi kapoor he's your comic boy in this movie.songs are beautifully interwoven with beautiful lyrics with astutely crafted music. In one go its a must watch.........Family is most important adhesive, don't stretch it that much, so that it looses its capability and doesn't bind anymore.

Not every family is happy,but that doesn't mean it isn't a family

[shekhutomar · 9/10 · 1 April 2017]

A Grumpy Ole Bollywood story showing happy families starting on a positive note, followed by a tragedy being finally resolved in the climax is so prevalent since generations that we believe this is the story of every Indian family, the irony being: this is the story of every other family, not ours.

Shakun Batra's Kapoor & Sons Since 1921 kills this myth and tells the story that is more ours than anyone else's. Kapoor & Sons is a story of a dysfunctional family living in the hills of Coonoor. A financially struggling Harsh Kapoor(Rajat Kapoor) living in a house with an unhappy wife Sunita(Ratna Pathak Shah) and heart patient but larger-than- life father(Rishi Kapoor) whose last wish is to have a full family photo being framed before his death.

Harsh and Sunita have two sons: Rahul(Fawad Khan), the elder and perfect son who is a successful writer settled in UK and Arjun(Siddharth Malhotra), the younger son struggling on his own novel and surviving by doing different jobs in the States.Both Rahul and Arjun arrive home after learning that their Dadu has suffered from a cardiac arrest. This is where they both meet and become involved with the same girl Tia(Alia Bhatt), a freelancer taking care of an ancient property in the town and looking to sell it.

The movie moves at a subtle pace giving us some beautiful and light moments until a moment when a web of secrets slowly start to unravel including a lie that threatens to tear the family apart. It gives you a feel-good vibe while keeping you attached with every character all through and giving a healthy dose of laughter induced frequently by the modern-age porn-loving Dadu and his antics.

The performances of the whole cast are admirable. Rajat Kapoor as a man under the pressure of obligation to his family but unappreciated for his efforts is excellent. Ratna Pathak Shah as a faithful wife living in a burdened marriage and a proud mother is exemplary. Rishi Kapoor with his sarcastic one-liners is lovable. His interactions with his grandsons regarding porn is a treat to watch. Alia Bhatt is bubbly and beautiful at the same time. Siddarth Malhotra is the weakest link in the movie unable to transform himself from a cheated yet moved-on teenager to a distraught adult is unconvincing. But it is Fawad Khan who delivers a masterclass and holds the movie together as Rahul, the not-so-perfect son showing why he is a celebrated actor in Pakistan. Sukant Goel as Wasim also deserves a mention.

The only flaw in the movie is the unraveling of the mysteries that you are confused, who is to blame and who is to be sympathized.

All in all a decent byproduct by Shakun Batra who after his 'Ekk Main Aur Ekk Tu' has made a mark with his mature narratives. The movie delivers a beautiful message that even if there are problems, one should never abandon his family.

Kapoor And Sons will make love, laugh and cry - Highly Recommended !!!

[ketgup83 · 10/10 · 20 March 2016]

"Kapoor And Sons" was out-of-box thinking family comedy film which was enhanced with matured acting, strong direction and well-defined characters.

Rahul (‪#‎FawadKhan‬) meets his brother Arjun (Siddharth Malhotra) after 5 years in Conoor over the news about hospitalization of their grand father(Rishi Kapoor). Enters Tia Malik (Alia Bhatt), a happy- go-lucky gal who enjoys her freedom and lives her life to the fullest, who changes the fate of the brothers forever after they meet her.

Directed by Shakun Batra, who previously made the well-liked "Ek Main Aur EK Tu" dares to cross the line and the result is fruitful. Hats off to the director for choosing such a different subject which challenges the patience of the audience and yet follows the simplicity of Indian Cinema. The film may start of with a typical boy-meet-girl romance but ends on something which I could never ever thought of. Batra succeeds in etching the characters of "Kapoor And Sons" with zest and vibrant which makes the film more alluring. Screenplay is commendable keeping audience's interest alive. Rishi Kapoor is the soul of the film. The veteran actor is magnificent and gives an electrifying performance. Fawad Khan is getting better with each film. He has given his best performance till now and is on the verge of becoming a method actor. Rajat Kapoor and Ratna Pathak drives the film to next level. Both actors have done a commendable job. Siddharth Malhotra is decent in his role while Alia Bhatt is always a reliable when it comes to acting. Cinematography is outstanding capturing the beautiful location of Conoor. Production design is simple yet charming. Music by Amaal Mallik, Badshah and Arko is a big let down with none of songs being memorable after you leave the theater.

So , overall , a perfect family flick coupled with strong performances and brilliant direction. A Must Watch

A Family drama with a twist !!

[sanjubhat · 7/10 · 1 May 2017]

The movie is about a dysfunctional Indian family ... the fights , misunderstandings ,complicated relationships .... something which most of us as Indians can easily relate to.

The story primarily focuses on two brothers ,Fawad khan , a successful writer living in UK and Siddharth Malhotra, also a wannabe writer still trying to find his feet in the US . It also deals with the lives of their parents Rajat Kapur and Ratna Pathak shah who are trying to get their married life back on track.

Not to forget ... the tharki buddha ... Rishi Kapoor as the grandfather, in an awesome role which really invokes spontaneous laughter with his witty one liners. the old one is as horny as a teenager with raging hormones. .. trying to smoke pot on the sly, watch porn on his I-papad (I-pad ) ,making cheesy comments abt the nurses in the hospital and what not . But he is also a lovable old guy who wants to keep the family together and have a happy family pic with all of them ... and hence the title .

Complications occur with the entry of Alia Bhatt ( who does not have much of a role ) ..... she first falls for the "maa ka accha baccha" Fawad and then realizes that she gets along better with the rebellious Sid ... this causes a lot of complications in the brothers lives .... how they sort out things forms the rest of the story.

The first half is light with lots of funny moments mainly due to Rishi Kapoor and his amazing potty ,porn and pyt (pretty young things) jokes. .

The second half is more serious .. Rona Dhona ... melodrama and a few twist as the climax unfolds . Remember it is a Karan Johar film ........ and there is someone who is not who he seems to be ... wont tell who thou( spoiler alert!!!) smile emoticon:)

All the members of the cast have acted well.

"Ladki beautiful " is quite catchy and will definitely appeal to the young crowd .. nothing much to say abt the music otherwise.

Direction is okay .

My rating : 3 Stars ( ***). I recommend watching the movie primarily for the 1st half and Rishi Kapoor's acting which really makes it worth every penny spent.

You can find yourself in this family drama

[divyanshusharma · 8/10 · 18 March 2016]

kapoor and Sons- Initially, after watching the 1st trailer of the movie, I didn't expect so much from it as the trailer was reflecting the ordinary family drama with lots of useless "wear and tear", but to my surprise, Kapoor and Sons undoubtedly surpassed my expectations with its great logical and touching storyline together with excellent performances from the actors which works like an icing on the cake.

The story is about the differences in a family and how the family members come with the answers to their ignored questions. The most affecting thing about the movie is its direction, the movie goes so smoothly and appealingly that it binds you with itself and you don't be able to slide your attention for a bit. You started finding a connect with the characters in no time. In terms of story, direction and screenplay, the movie is undoubtedly 10/10. When it comes to performances, the real scene-stealer is Rishi kapoor, he reminded me of Amitabh bachchan in Piku, outstanding piece of performance from his side. The second scene-stealer of this 132 mins. family drama is Fawad Khan, how easily he carries his character in the movie is a treat to watch. Apart from these two Alia Bhatt, although in a short role, marks her presence with some terrific moments. Rest of the cast have also worked wonders. Remaining covers the plot and the movie's authenticity with the reality of life. In my honest opinion, this movie is a must watch; go with your family or friends and find the "connect" in this movie with your life.

Intelligent family drama

[nadkarnisumeet · 7/10 · 20 March 2021]

Kapoor & Sons review :

Take a short vacation to the scenic Coonoor to meet this ultimate dysfunctional family. Truly, every member of the Kapoor clan has his/her own dark secret to guard with insecurities abound. Welcome then to the Karan Johar version of 'Dil Dhadakne Do' (2015) meets 'Monsoon Wedding' (2001).

Let me now have the priviledge of introducing you to each of the family members:

Dadu Kapoor (Rishi Kapoor) : A naughty at 90 grandpa who has fun browsing Mandakini's 'Ram Teri Ganga Maili' (1985) videos on his "i-papad" and cheating his friends at a card game, Dadu is the eldest Kapoor who wants his family in a saath saath pose for a family pic. Rishi Kapoor brilliantly transforms in to a nonagenarian with heavy prosthetics and right body language to deliver a memorable performance.

Harsh Kapoor (Rajat Kapoor) : He's a father of two young sons cheating on his wife and going through a financial downside. Rajat Kapoor, a fine actor that he is, goes through the role effortlessly.

Sunita Kapoor (Ratna Pathak) : She's the lady of the house and under severe emotional stress owing to her husbands suspected infidelity and her sons' sibling rivalry. Ratna Pathak is impressive as ever in a character which is slightly over the top and over reacts most of the time..

Rahul Kapoor (Fawad Khan) : The achcha beta of the family, he's hot in looks and cool in attitude. Nursing a dark secret of his own, Rahul is the catalyst for most of the subplots in the Kapoor story. Fawad Khan has got in to the skin of his character and his is the real standout performance in the movie after Rishi Kapoor. Kudos!

Arjun Kapoor (Siddharth Malhotra) : The punching bag and misunderstood guy in the family, Arjun has been unlucky professionally and trying hard to succeed. His life changes when he meets Tia. Siddharth Malhotra is earnest as Arjun displaying the right amount of restraint and vulnerability.

Tia Mallik (Alia Bhatt) : She's the happy go lucky neighbour of Kapoor's who becomes a bone of contention between the two brothers. Alia Bhatt is pleasing on the eyes and does well whatever is expected out of her.

Director Shakun Batra's second outing after 'Ek Main aur Ekk Tu' (2012) - a film I loved tremondously but didn't get its due, is a cleverly packaged family drama which should strike a chord with the urban classes. Relying more on performances than the script, Kapoor & Sons is a likeable fare. Try it once.

Regards, Sumeet Nadkarni.

This family entertainer is a must watch!

[adityakumarprasad · 8/10 · 18 March 2016]

To start with, Rishi Kapoor takes the cake. And his Oscar winning make up artist (It take 6-8 hours to get that makeup done). Its not laudable just because Rishi Kapoor went thru that painstakingly slow process of getting the make up done but because he was the funniest person on the screen and whenever he was not in a scene I was just hoping his character will pop up somehow and crack us all up.

Kapoor and Sons is a pure family drama (with a lot of humour) along with one witty Dadu in the house, his 2 sons (Rajat Kapoor + 1) and Rajat's 2 sons - Fawad being the elder son who gets all the pampering and Sidharth the so called chota nikkamma son.

The best part about the movie is that it sticks to its title. Its about the Kapoor and sons and thats exactly what you get to see in this 2 hours and 20 minutes of drama, comedy and romance. The sons and their struggles, their inhibitions, their lies and their love.

The other beautiful part is the direction and dialogues. Every time the family erupts in a brawl it does not appear made up. It seems as though a real family is fighting with real issues, its not filmy at all. Watch out for the plumber scene. His punchline is ultimate and so apt for that scene. Birthday part was neat too. We have not really seen much of Fawad Khan but this movie could as well be a turning point in his acting career in Bollywood. This changes everything for him. He has delivered real well. Not been a fan of Sidharth Malhotra myself but am not complaining with his performance either. But the true acting stars are Rajat Kapoor and Ratna Pathak (after Rishi Kapoor). Their acting standards needs no introduction and they have outperformed themselves, as always. Alia Bhat brings the glamour factor to the movie (after Fawad) and she seem to get connected to the family instantly (and how! watch out for the mess up).

For the one liners, the argument scenes, the humour, the complexity in the relationships between each other/ with others and for the Kapoors and Sons, go watch it!

All for a Family photograph

[sesht · 18 March 2016]

One of the best, non-mainstream (except for its songs) portrayal of a well-to-do dysfunctional family, that can be forgiven its mainstream transgressions, because, as a whole, its really holds up to scrutiny.

There are (unintended?) callbacks to 'Fireflies' (more on that below), but mainly Hollywood Indie dysfunctional family-fare like 'Dan in real life', 'Winter Passing' and 'The Family Stone', though it does not reach their heights (or depths, if you're thinking of those movies plumbing thru dark themes).

Content is king, and the makers focus on the narrative rather than the paraphernalia that bollywood often goes for, which makes this a breath of relatively better air.

Make no mistake, its all predictable, a la 'Finding Fanny' (to me, it was a disappointment, since I had expected Adajania to aim higher than his debut masterpiece, 'Being Cyrus'), but gets the overall tone right.

The flick looks and sounds good, with credit to the techs involved.

And I dunno what's it about hill stations and rich dysfunctional families with dramatic pasts that they have to revisit in the course of a movie's running time. Remember Sabal Singh Shekhawat's 'Fireflies'? It trod the same ground, albeit in a darker, less dramatic manner, and man did it look great (my review here - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2375666/reviews-1)...

In any case, this is a far superior effort to the writing/directing team's earlier effort, 'Ek main aur Ek tu' (ripped off of 'What happens in Vegas', which wasn't a great source, in the first place). Miles ahead, miles above. No exaggeration.

Performance-wise, the mainstream stars are just about adequate, but have the audience eating outta their fingers, and while seasoned veterans like Ratna Pathak Shah and Rajat Kapoor are fantastic, the revelation, to me, was actor Fawad Khan, who's prolly playing one of the most difficult roles, considering the milieu, and gives one of the most dignified portrayals I've seen to date, no matter which language this has been shot in.

One of the most interesting things though - is how each dramatic beat seems to have been shot like an action sequence, with 2 different dramatic tones in play, 2 different scenarios in play, each reaching its comedic/drama-comedic/dramatic crescendo. This happens about 3 times in the movie, and is not unlike the setting up, and execution of, 3 different action set-pieces, with the intensity being heightened up a notch each time. Fascinating viewing, if you're looking for something like that, or not.

Rishi Kapoor's old guy makeup detracts, the way Kamal's copy of Mrs. Doubtfire did, regardless of the credit heaped on the techs involved, its a 'dry' look, which takes away from the intended effect. RK is a great actor, but if they needed him to look 90, his role could have been cast better, using an actual older actor in his stead. For a movie that seems to take pride in not glossing over the little things, this one was way too big to ignore.

The way certain nouveau topics have been treated in this flick, with one of them being the addressing of p*** (won't reveal the other, since it is integral to the plot), is refreshingly mature, and absolutely empathetic. Something new in a mainstream flick (I did call it Indie, but it is getting a huge mainstream push, courtesy the distributor/s). Very, very welcome.

Though you would not think that if you were forced to play close attention to (all genders involved) the catcalls/hoots/comments coming from universally regressive minds in the multiplex (who'd surely take offense if you went ahead and identified their real selves to them).

Sigh. Nothing's perfect.

The kicker? Some of them brought their kids to watch this (for-sure adult/mature content. Perhaps the jokes' on them, eventually? One can hope.

There are a couple of interestingly woven twists almost right into the final act, which, in spite of being predictable, pack a wallop. Good writing, great enacting.

The (anti)smoking warnings do not detract from the viewing experience (esp. since there are multiple sequences of good ol' smoking, not just ciggies, mind), but that's perhaps because this is a movie that comes from a prestigious production house, which can take the local censor board on, if necessary. Everyone else, esp. non-local movies, will have to display them in a fashion that is intrusive to the art of storytelling. Sigh.

All in all, a flick that's not to be missed at the local cinema, in spite of the predictability, songs and bad make-up.

Now, if only someone can do the dysfunctional family thing in a non well-to-do milieu. Oops. They have. It was also a neo-noir crime cult classic. Titli. Played for 1 week. :-).

A movie that has nothing special, but something is really special

[ankitcom · 7/10 · 19 March 2016]

As soon as you see Dharma productions and these type of stars, there's a mindset created for the whole story line. Despite being on those same lines, this movie has its own charm in many ways. Right from the start, it creates an aura that's not new but lays its own significance. It has nice dialogue writing that flavors all types of moments in the film. It has usual family fights, still it provides a very light-hearted cinematography. Even after summing up all the points, 'Kapoor and Sons' is definitely forgettable. Nevertheless, it's a real good time pass. It has nothing special, but something is really special.

Shakun Batra really has something when it comes to direction. Similar to the feel that his films provide, you'll not know that what you've liked, but you really enjoy. His direction is like a fuel that can lighten any dull thing. Even a family jhagda was directed in a very interesting way. I hope he gets a good script someday and his talent is rated well.

Unsurprisingly, a certain star of the show was Rishi Kapoor. His complete indulgence in the character is just marvelous. A nearly perfect old man role stuffed with all ingredients in the right amount. All other actors have done a very good job. Each one has done full justice to their respective roles.

Overall, a movie that has nothing special, but something is really special.

A highly subjective review

[PimpinAinttEasy · 1/10 · 21 March 2016]

Dear Shakun Batra,

You made a film about the most boring people one could ever imagine. Yes, the two sons (Fawad and Sidharth) are writers. But they are of the Chetan Bhagat/Madhuri Banerjee variety. Or a genteel Amitav Ghosh/Tarun Tejpal at best.

The father (Rajat Kapoor) is the sort who has like one drink every night. Oh and he is having an affair. Less said about the mother, the better. She does weird stuff like take one son's novel and give it to the other. For the silliest reason. Wtf? That part would have been interesting if it was expanded upon. But the mother explains it away. And well, things return to normal.

The granddad (Rishi Kapoor) likes to watch porn and is very mischievous - his character is just a collection of the worst sort of clichés. The heroine is your typical obnoxiously modern (shouts a lot and acts like a male, drinks beer (nothing wrong with that) and hits on guys) girl. Her character is also a collection of clichés.

This is NOT a dysfunctional family. There are no pathetic losers in this family. They are all winners who pretend to be dysfunctional. These are the sort of people who have great table manners. They drink fine wine and read Gabriel Garcia Marquez. And thinks that Di Caprio is a great actor. They are the sort of people who are socially mobile.

Nothing interesting happens in the whole film. Just the regular problems of boring regular successful people.

Best Regards, Pimpin.

(1/10)

Really exceptional

[Harshithnagraj · 9/10 · 11 March 2021]

This is one the best film that hits your heart a all-rounder movie all emotions are mixed really well in this movie acting is good overall a nice movie

Beautiful, entertaining, realistic - so far the best Bollywood film of 2016

[rehaanready · 10/10 · 25 April 2016]

This has to be the best Bollywood film so far in 2016, beating others like Airlift, Neerja and Fan. OK, I am going to do my best trying not to spoil it. Songs, acting and story was some of the best points of the film. Fawad Khan - excellent. Alia - Really Good. Sidharth - Amazing. Ratna - superb. Rajesh - exceptional. But my praise goes to the one and only Rishi Kapoor, hilarious! The direction and story by Shakun Batra is original and magnificent. The film is a family movie which blends different genres beautifully.

Go for it! Worth the money and time! Actors were great, story direction as well

Imperfect Perfection!

[ikshulnew · 10/10 · 14 September 2021]

With a beautiful script and wonderfully thought provoking dialogues, this is a story of how 2 mistakes and one truth can build up pressure that shatters a family. But how acquiring the willingness to forgive with time, can bring the family back together.

Acting is phenomenal all around. Rajat Kapoor is brilliant. Alia Bhatt shines even in a small role. Siddharth Malhotra's growth as an actor can be visibly seen as he is so real in many moments. Ratna Pathak Shah is great, and has many great scenes (especially near the end). Coming to the two standouts- It's just sad we lost Rishi Kapoor so young. Man was a legend!! He is so funny, raw, real, tired, juvenile, jovial, authentic and emotional in this role...no words...just chef's kiss.

For me, the absolute best performance (and also the meatiest role) was portrayed by the outsider- Fawad Khan! I really wish Indo-Pak relations stay healthy so Bollywood can be further graced by his presence. The shades of subtle insecurity, fear, anger and emotions in his portrayal just add to an already impeccably authentic performance. So good!

Cinematography and music are excellent as well.

My only gripe is that it could do without the one item number.

But all in all, this movie is an underrated Bollywood gem and one of the most realistically brilliant family dramas in recent history.

Surrendering to the will to live?

[faroukgulsara · 9/10 · 2 May 2020]

Maybe, like what Schopenhauer said, every life history is the history of suffering. Life has no intrinsic worth but is kept in motion loosely by desire and illusion. We hopelessly fall in love, to marry to do everything possible to become an object of disgust to each other. The 'will to live' for continuity of progeny has hijacked our will power. He further went on to say that our inborn error is to think that we exist to be happy. But at every turn, we soon realise the contradiction that the world and life have to offer. It seems that is why the face of the elderly intrinsically appear deeply frowned and depressed, realising the futility of life and death that will ensue.

From the moment of the first cry, life is just a barrage of tests, tragedy and turmoil. We somehow are geniuses in creating troubles for ourselves. Rational people make rash decisions under the influence of emotion, giving intellect a rest. We think we are wiser with time and will not make the same mistake twice. Once bitten twice shy, we tell ourselves. But hell no! At the most crucial moment, our hormones and heart dominate over our intellect. Like Sisyphus, within the cycles of seeming joy of achievement and agony of defeat, we have to find contentment.

Aristotle believed that the final goal of mankind is happiness, and this is achieved with virtue and knowledge. The Greek thought we needed tragedy in life, through art and culture, to remind us of the hopelessness of life. It is a catharsis of sorts for us to purify our minds and souls to understand truths about suffering, loss, misery, adversity, and redemption.

This 2016 film is not the usual Bollywood fare. Done in a not so melodramatic fashion, it showcases the issues an average middle-class family encounters as the husband-and-wife couple is married too long to each other and their children have all grown up with a mind of their own. The husband and wife cannot stand the sight of each other. Their every action seems like an annoyance. Sometimes they ponder where love disappeared to. Trying to make the most politically correct response and trying to pacify warring factions between offspring proof stressful. Celebrations come and go. Everybody puts a brave front, putting fake smiles to display of portrait of happiness. Simmering beneath the cover are the frustrations, anger and disappointments of broken dreams just waiting to explode. The display of emotion does not always end in resolution. The end result can sometimes be quite devastating, and we wallow in melancholy. Hindsight vision is 20/20. We had seen it all along. We tell ourselves that we will be wiser the next around. But we will never learn, just waiting to plunge on head-on to the speeding trailer all over again.

Fall in love with this family

[roniksharma · 7/10 · 18 March 2016]

Kapoor and Sons is magical. You will laugh and cry while watching this movie. A man (Sidharth Malhotra) and his brother (Fawad Khan) fall for the same woman (Alia Bhatt) while visiting their parents and grandfather in Coonoor, a beautiful hill station in Tamil Nadu.

After a god-awful performance in Brothers, Sidharth Malhotra is back with a bang! His performance is very strong and will make you believe when he's sad or happy.

After (the not-so) Shaandaar, Alia has made a grand return as a chirpy and beautiful girl who will fall in between two brothers.

Fawad Khan's performance is always delightful and he proves this again in his second Bollywood venture.

Rajat Kapoor and Ratna Pathak performed well and Rishi Kapoor steals every scene where he appears.

Overall, two thumbs up for this romantic drama

Super movie...Super actors....Superhot Fawad Khan!!!!

[RebelNaina · 8/10 · 18 March 2016]

What an amazing amazing movie!! So many scenes reminded me of my fights with siblings...our insecurities....who is adopted....whom does mom love more....awesomeness!!! The two lead guys have absolutely had my heart. Don't know whom to give it more...both were equally fab...but if really have to take a call than will give it to Fawad khan. He is super cute. Story flows so softly that it doesn't feel i m in a theatre with a crowd and watching a family drama. Alia bhatt is good as usual but nothing extra ordinary. The parents are profound actors and they have done their job well. Rishi kapoor as dadu is the surprise delight and his sense of humour and emotions make the movie so bright and lovable!!!! Go watch it people with your families and go watch it again with your friends and keep fighting and loving your siblings....afterall they are our first bestfriends!!

Family Drama - An emotional roller coaster

[SivakumarBalachandran · 7/10 · 22 March 2016]

This is one emotional roller coaster ride. Roller coaster doesn't mean the movie is going to be fast paced, it is a pure drama genre which rolls around a dysfunctional family taking emotional twists and turns. Having said that if you want to know what is the meaning of a dysfunctional family watch this movie.

The story revolves strongly around six characters which include a Grand Pa, Dad, Mom and two sons and a girl who plays the sons' love interest. So now you do the math and this is not a usual cinematic family with all artificialness or two boys falling for one girl type of story.

The screenplay is structured in such a way you have a leisurely watch in the first half and a revelation session second half. Yes, as the story moves on towards the second half lots of secrets open up and emotions play around which include conflict in family, child neglect, fight, abuse etc.,

This movie lauds best performances delivered by the leads which eventually becomes the backbone of the tale. Rajat and Rathan Pathak they were so natural and vivid in their characters. Siddharth Malhothra delivers a decent performance with the usual struggling youth character and our Star import Fawad Khan was simply superb and wickedly talented playing his part which involves unconventional twists.Rishi Kapoor as the naughty and family love longing grandpa stands as an epitome of dedication at this age towards delivering a role which involves a heavy makeup session every day. Miss Bhatt adding the love spice to the story plays cool with her overloaded cuteness turns which will make any boy go crazy.

As a South Indian viewer, I had one thing which kept on resonating in my mind was the location which said Coonoor a village in the famous hill station in Tamil Nadu where there is least chance of North Indians settling and this film boasts too many Hindi party surroundings and coversations. I felt it could have been reasoned out properly.

Overall I enjoyed the movie and would give 7.5 on 10. I would say definite watch for drama lovers and not for total entertainment seekers. -Sivakumar Balachandran

Will be a classic!

[shamimara-07365 · 10/10 · 7 July 2018]

I've been a fan of Hindi movies for 50 years and this one will surely become a classic! Very well done.

Ratna & Fawad are good, screenplay is superb. Otherwise boring!

[maulin5 · 6/10 · 31 March 2016]

Lot's of people and critics are praising about this movie. Some are saying that this is the best of this year up till now. But, frankly speaking, I'm not agree with these kind of statements or even these kind of positive reviews of this movie. Director Shakun Batra, who earlier directed Ek Main Aur Ek Tu, which was not a hit, comes back with this family drama. I must say it is far better than the previous one. The major plus point is the screenplay. Scenes have been written so well. Because of that, the shooting schedule had been completed in a shorter time, I guess. Actors are good. Location is suitable. Background score is perfect. And I think, because of the number of twists and turns is more in the post interval part, critics loved this film. But, I want to ask them, what about the boring portions in the first half!? Alia Bhatt is as cute as she looks earlier in her films. Sidharth Malhotra lacks in acting in some scenes. And I heard this statement from many viewers. Rajat Kapoor is good. Rishi Kapoor is funny and adorable. His make-up is the only time-taking thing in the whole movie. Two factors that affect the movie are Fawad Khan and Ratna Pathak Shah. She is the best actor of this movie. And for Fawad, if you please don't consider his character, haha, I like him. He looks hot and charming and stylish. So, a hero material has been found. He will go far and up. Chul song is a waste of time for me. Two background songs are good. Comedy is fine. Bhajan in iPad, Mandakini the heroine, the plumber asking for the money- these are my favorite comic scenes. So, I think this film is a one time watch. As I've seen Pyar Ka Punchnama 2 as an overrated movie last year, this movie stands for this category in this year. On the whole, I am confuse about what I get from the film. So the praising audience, who find out the meaning of life and relationships from this film, can you help me

Over dramatic family with clumsy climax

[dineshprakash · 4/10 · 18 March 2016]

Director Mr. Shakun Batra had tried to treat family over dramatic scenes in thriller style by using hand held camera with shaking effects which irritate more than giving the dramatic effect otherwise his work is fine. There is nothing in the name of story. An old person wish to click a family photo and few other sub tracks like jealousy of brothers for love, parents attention and career thing. Due to lack of story screenplay is in bits and pieces, mostly in shots. It offers so many fresh shots but fails to create the emotional quotient. Scene, when family argues badly with each other after first reunion while plumber is trying to fix the leakage is very good. A person practicing for being dead is also fresh. Almost the treatment of most of the scenes of grand father is good and humorous. Dramatic scenes are over the notes at places while somewhere under the notes. Somehow it raptures the characterization, like it was not clear that female lead was fun loving or religiously flirtiest, elder brother is shown caring and mature then why did he reveal the fact about his father to his mother while he had handled the issue previously in grand father birthday in mature way. Love scenes are stale which is another negative point of screenplay. First half is slow. Second half takes pace but then over dramatic pre climax and over stretched climax ruins it. Film is very subtle at places. Rain in the backdrop of emotional scenes are too stale. Performance wise Alia Bhatt is superb. She strikes the correct note in the emotional scene when she was talking about her parents plane crash incident. You have to have moist eyes in seconds. Rishi Kapoor as grand father is amazing. He is the charm for whom you can try this movie. Fawad Khan as elder brother Rahul is impressive. Siddharath Malhotra as younger brother Arjun is just OK. Ratna Pathak Shah as mother is very good. Rajat Kapoor as father is fine.

Family drama at its best

[bharadwajsujay · 9/10 · 29 March 2016]

The last time we saw Sidharth Malhotra & Alia Bhatt together in a movie was 'Student of the Year', the cute pair was very much loved & appreciated by audience. In Kapoor and Sons the hot Fawad Khan has shared the screen space with the both of them. Kapoor & Sons centres on the relationship between brothers Rahul and Arjun, who have returned back home- to Coonoor, to be with their grandfather in (what they think will be) his last few days, after he has a heart attack at the age of 90. Rahul, for his age, seems to have built a pretty good life for himself; a good looking man, doing very well professionally, living in a swanky apartment in London, and also planning to pursue architecture along with writing. On the other hand is his younger brother- Arjun. Arjun is also an aspiring writer, living in New Jersey, clearly struggling to make ends meet. Kapoor & Sons centres on the relationship between brothers Rahul and Arjun, who have returned back home- to Coonoor, to be with their grandfather in (what they think will be) his last few days, after he has a heart attack at the age of 90. Rahul, for his age, seems to have built a pretty good life for himself; a good looking man, doing very well professionally, living in a swanky apartment in London, and also planning to pursue architecture along with writing. On the other hand is his younger brother- Arjun. Arjun is also an aspiring writer, living in New Jersey, clearly struggling to make ends meet. As far as performances are concerned, the film totally belongs to Fawad Khan, Ratna Pathak Shah and Rajat Kapoor. It's extremely endearing to see Rishi Kapoor playing a 90 year old man with the heavy make up. Its something that has never been done before in Bollywood. One has to watch his trysts with his 'I-papad' to know what we are saying. Rishi also brings maximum humor with his cute act as the lovable grandpa. Fawad Khan, on the other hand, surprises everyone with his exceptionally sensitive performance that can be rightly termed as a 'straight-from-the-heart' act. The emotional bond that his character develops with the audiences is so strong that almost everyone will want to have a son and a brother like him. The sensitivity, with which he has handled his character and the film, is really something that needs to be seen. The term that best describes Rajat Kapoor and Ratna Pathak Shah's performances in the film is 'outstanding'. They two talented actors get to show their full potential in the film. Sidharth Malhotra is decent in his role of the black sheep of the family and the way with which he has held burden of his character is really good. Alia Bhatt, on the other hand, has comparatively less screen space. But she simply owns the scenes she is in. Her on screen chemistry with Sidharth Malhotra is sweet.

The film's music (Amaal Mallik, Badshah, Arko) is a letdown and has nothing to boast about except for the chartbuster 'Chul' track. There could be been better tracks to complement the film. On the other hand, the film's background score really scores with the film and its narrative.

The film's cinematographer (Jeffery F. Bierman) has done an excellent job in capturing the serenity of Coonoor like never before. His camera-work is such that it never seems to interrupt the actors in their performances. The film's editing (Shivkumar V. Panicker) is excellent.

On the whole, KAPOOR & SONS makes for an excellent movie that you must watch with your entire family. This film is Beautiful kar gayi Chul!