From 'Masoom' to 'Shakti', Bollywood’s best father-son encounters on screen

What is at the heart of SRK’s Jawan? It is a mainstream father-son revenge story that is inherently Bollywood. However, there is no cinematic conflict in the father-son relationship. That brings me to another big film to be released this year whose dramatic narrative is all about a father-son conflict: Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal. An intense teaser featuring a disturbing scene in which Anil Kapoor is mercilessly slapping his young son (Ranbir) was recently released. Despite the toxicity, the son is conditioned to believe that his father was the ‘best father in the world’. It reminded me of another intense father-son drama Udaan (2010), where the father (Ronit Roy) perpetually vents his frustration on his son. However, unlike Animal, the son here considers his father to be ‘the worst father in the world’. Eventually, we witness how the son liberates himself from his father’s toxic grip.

Bollywood has a rich tradition of crafting grand, star-studded father-son narratives on the silver screen, right from Mughal-E-Azam (1960), Awaara (1951), Aakhree Raasta (1986) to Paa (2009). Watching the Animal teaser evoked a sense of nostalgia, reminding me of my favourite father-son scenes.

The quintessential film that explores the complexities of the father-son dynamic is Ramesh Sippy’s Shakti (1982). Though it was inspired by Sivaji Ganesan’s hit Tamil film Thanga Pathakkam (1960), screenwriters Salim-Javed reimagined the script retaining only the shocking climax: an honest policeman shooting his son for duty. It is also a rare Hindi mainstream film where the power of silence surpasses the impact of dialogue. Remember the poignant scene where the son (Amitabh Bachchan) consoles a weeping father (Dilip Kumar) on Rakhee’s death? No words are exchanged, yet their eyes convey a sense of shared pain and loss.

Often perceived as the ‘strict’ parent who doesn’t express emotions as openly as mothers, fathers are sometimes misunderstood. The difficulty in expressing emotions in a sensitive manner can indeed add complexity to this unique bond on celluloid. That is what makes Shekhar Kapoor’s Masoom (1983) an absolute classic. The warmth between Naseeruddin Shah and Master Jugal Hansraj is very sensitive, and the dilemmas are very real. I believe no other film portrays the tenderness of the father-child relationship as well as Masoom. In Aakhree Raasta (1986), Amitabh Bachchan plays two roles: a father on a revenge mission and the cop son determined to stop him. In a moving scene set in a cemetery, with his wife’s grave nearby, the father and son come face to face. The father draws ‘6’ on his hand and says, “What looks 6 to me will seem 9 to you.” A timeless lesson on differing perspectives.

Another cherished father-son scene featuring Naseeruddin Shah that I adore is from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), where three friends embark on a bachelor’s trip. The distant father-son relationship profoundly influences Imran’s (Farhan Akhtar) character and life, yet they only have one encounter in the film. When Imran asks the reason behind his father’s absence in his life, his artist father (Naseeruddin Shah) delivers a matter-of-fact apology. The heartbroken son places his hand over his heart and retorts, “Sorry tab kehna jab yahan se nikle.” (Say sorry when it comes from here). An emotionally charged scene that lingers.

But the most simple, heartwarming father-son scene I often revisit is Farooq Sheikh and Ranbir Kapoor’s in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013). Sheikh plays the understanding father of Bunny (Ranbir) who wants to live life on his own terms. In this scene, Bunny is leaving, and the father is feeling sad. The son offers to stay if his father requests it. The father becomes emotional, deeply touched that his son would do this for him. But he knows that Bunny needs to spread his wings and fly, so he asks him to go live his life to the fullest because his father will always be there for him. Sheikh’s performance in this scene is simply masterful. So touching that it might make you feel like calling up your father or giving him a hug. That is the power of relationship stories. When crafted with care, they can be among the most emotionally stirring experiences in cinema.

wknd@khaleejtimes.com

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