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IT’S ALL IN THE FAMILY
New films of Bollywood’s top stars have their nearest relations as collaborators
Family dramas and Bollywood go together. There’s always something — happy or tense, good or bad — happening with the families on-screen. Right now, there’s a lot happening offscreen, too, and it’s all good.
Top Bollywood stars such as Akshay Kumar, Salman Khan, Sonam K Ahuja, Hrithik Roshan, and Arjun Kapoor are all doing — or have recently done — films that have their closest family members as venture collaborators.
The list is a long one. Arjun is set to come together with father Boney Kapoor in a “masala entertainer” after Tevar (2015). Sonam is working with father Anil Kapoor for the first time in Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga. The recent release, Veere Di Wedding, marks her third collaboration with sister Rhea Kapoor, who had also produced the Sonamstarrers Aisha (2010) and Khoobsurat (2014). The fatherson duo Rakesh and Hrithik Roshan are reportedly planning two sequels in their hit franchise, Krrish, and shooting may start in 2019.
Salman’s Race 3 has mother Salma Khan as a co-producer, while father Salim Khan handles distribution. Brother Arbaaz and brother-in-law Atul Agnihotri will produce Salman’s Dabangg 3 and Bharat, respectively.
Then, the Kajol-starrer Eela is being produced by husband Ajay Devgn. And Shaheen Bhatt is writing the script for Aashiqui 3, which is likely to star her sister Alia Bhatt.
INSIDE OUT
Experts feel that this “relative value” adds a “lot of ease” to the entire set-up. “When family members work together, there’s a great comfort level,” says trade expert Taran Adarsh. “If you’re related, then you know each other inside out. You’re aware of the plusses as well as minuses.”
Anees Bazmee, who directed Arjun and his uncle Anil in Mubarakan, concurs, saying, “Family members, more than anyone else, will always share a great understanding.”
There’s proof how well such collaborations can work — Pad Man (Akshay Kumar’s film, produced by wife Twinkle Khanna) and Judwaa 2 (Varun and David Dhawan’s latest hit after Main Tera Hero, 2013) are the best examples.
LEARNING MORE
Actors relish such familial partnerships. “I’m excited about working with my father. I don’t know if I’m ready even now [to work with him] or not, but this film needed my dad,” says Sonam, adding that Rhea is “the best producer as she is creatively involved”.
Hrithik says that his “benchmark is at the highest level” when working with his father, while Varun feels “blessed” to have worked with David twice. “He is a senior director, so you can only learn from him,” says Varun.