Big Fat Families on the silver screen have always caught my fancy. The larger the family, the more vibrant could be the assembled cast. Many actors forming a reel family, the emotions, the drama, the confusion, and the chaos is exciting to watch. They make us cry with them, laugh with them and we become an extended family members to them. Be it the grandest and the richest of them from Yashraj, Barjatya and Johar world or the relatable and next – door families of the Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee’s world. 

But to be honest, only 10-20% of us Indians can find similarities in the larger-than-life worlds of Johar and Chopra and ‘sanskaari to death’ Barjatyas and fitting into their shoes is merely a dream.  The families who live in mansions, throw lavish Karwa Chauth parties and travel with the whole family squad for their honeymoon. Do you know such people? Neither me. 

So, here is the list of my favorite filmy families. The people whose troubles were just like me, I rejoiced on their small happiness and I cared for their grief and who made me scream inside,” She is just like my Mom” or “my uncle” for that matter. 

10 times hindi film families were just like us –

1. Apne Paraye

Director: Basu Chatterjee

1980’s was the time of almost realistic family equations in Hindi cinema. ‘Apne Paraye’ is a story about joint family of 3 brothers. Big brother, the patriarch of the family is oblivious to chaos of the home, his wife who is innocent and impressionable, loves her sister-in-law’s kids more than her own, half brother who is carefree musician and has lost money of his elder brother in many small ventures and his wife who solely look after the functioning of domestic errands.  The trouble begins when the cunning second brothers and his wife come to stay with them and object about the half brother being careless and the domestic control being in the hands of younger ‘bahu’.

The story is age old and usual of misunderstandings, communication gap, good people getting influenced by shrewd ones, brothers getting caught amidst the ego issues of their wives but everyone realizing their faults in the end and staying happily together. But there is subtle humor and satire flowing through out the story. There is an over smart city kid too who bullies his village cousins. I simply loved the character of Utpal Dutt as the patriarch who on the surface appears to be oblivious of the chaos in the family and in the end sorts out every problem with his large heart and simple solutions of life’s troubles.

2. Bawarchi

Director: Hrishikesh Mukherjee

A family divided by household chores and united by the ‘Bawarchi’. There is nothing peaceful in the house ironically named as “Shanti Niwas”. A family of a whiny and whimsical Dadu, three sons, their wives and their kids is ill reputed of having to search for a new cook every other month as no one wants to stay there.  Every one wants to mind their own business and have their own little world inside ‘Shanti Niwas’. Everything in the house changes when a bawarchi named ‘Raghu’ enters and teaches them simple lessons of life. They learn to co-exist as a happy loving family. Sharma family is most adorable family in Hindi cinema because in spite of having many minor differences there is no bitterness and enmity amongst them. 

3. Dil Dhadakne Do

Director: Zoya Akhtar

The urbane, polished, elegant and deliciously hypocrite Mehras. The selfish, poking, not -ideal parents are on top of the ladder yet society fearing people. Zoya Akhtar has been criticized for portraying first world problems on a luxurious setting. But, honestly which of these problems is restricted to just first world. A family where the parent’s happy marriage is a scam, patriarch is ready to take down his pants over any beautiful company, mother has turned into a bitter snooty socialite, daughter’s achievements are conveniently ignored and son has to keep aside his dream of flying to keep up with the honor and traditions of his business family. The family confronts every individual and mutual ordeal while on a grand cruise to celebrate the parent’s 25^th Anniversary.  They blame, they fight, they confront each other and eventually come out happy and together. 

Mehras may not be the ideal family but are the most relatable and seriously who wouldn’t like to join the clan for a cruise.

4. Dum Laga Ke Haisha

Director: Sharat Katariya

The family who is unapologetically poor wants to marry their son to an overweight girl because of her prospects of govt job. The father who still takes out slippers to beat his 20 something son, typical nagging buaji, a good for nothing son and fierce bahu. Tiwaris are the most unabashed funny family who takes relief on hearing squeaking sound of bed of newlyweds, faint and cry over a court notice of divorce and have a super ability to make a picnic out of court visit. The Tiwaris, Vermas and the whole extended family of their relatives, friends and neighbors is a marvel universe in itself. 

5. Kapoor & Sons (Since 1921)

Directors: Shakun Batra & Manish Rana

When was the last time we saw such camaraderie between a grandfather and his grandchildren? Kapoors make us relive our memories with our grandparents. They are possibly the most dysfunctional family. They shocked us the most and made us cry buckets. The Kapoors have skeletons in their closet. Nobody’s perfect in the family. But you feel sorry for them, you want to hug them tight and tell them that it will be alright.

6. Khosla Ka Ghosla!

Directors: Dibakar Banerjee & Pravin E. Birje

Every kid who is embarrassed by his family, by their regular dramas, by the helplessness of things never going to change and eventually wants to run away from their daily chaos will find a thing or more common to Khosla Ka Ghosla. Khosla family is overwhelmed on buying new house from the savings of their all life-time. Father is exhilarated to finally give a big house to their kids where they each can have their own rooms. The biggest one is assigned to the elder son but the son has American dreams in his eyes and doesn’t want to limit his opportunities by staying back with the family. Struck by a huge scam they lose their house to a local land mafia which brings them together as a family for the first time. Khosla Ka Ghosla also beautifully defined the relationship between a middle- class, old school father and his ambitious son.

7. Do Dooni Chaar

Directors: Habib Faisal & Mukesh Kumar

A middle-aged teacher and his family striving to make ends meet at the Metropolitan Delhi, one day dreams of going 4-wheeler from 2-wheeler. Their struggles, their dreams, a troubled fierce teenage of kids, hardships of a private school teacher and at last finding the respect for their father and his profession makes their story just like us.

8. Saaheb

Director: Anil Ganguly

There are very less likeable things about the Sharma family of Saheb and this makes it closer to life. An ageing man has the ultimate responsibility of marrying off his younger daughter sees assistance and support from his 4 sons and after their reluctance decides to sell their family home. They all find their vested interests in this opportunity and the incidences reveal their true ugly faces. There is a lot drama going on but nothing is there in the story which is not real. I love this family for sincere portrayal of widower patriarch Utpal Dutt, responsible and motherly elder daughter-in-law Rakhee and the dark horse of the family Anil Kapoor.

9. Masoom

Director: Shekhar Kapur

A happy family of a couple and their two daughters gets disturbed when the husband’s son out of wed lock enters the household as an unwanted guest. The Malhotras are the most elegant, graceful and civil people. The wife is broke but doesn’t let her pain pass to her daughters and fiercely protects them from this bitter truth. The husband accepts his mistake honestly and tries hard to prevent the family from scattering along with taking responsibility of his son. I love Malhotras for the dignity with which they go through this struggle and come out of it together by accepting the biggest weakness of their lives. They prove that true family love can conquer anything in this world.

10. Vicky Donor

Director: Shoojit Sircar

Vicky’s family is small, but the one with the biggest heart while Ashima’s family is a sophisticated Bengali class. Ok, we may not have anyone like Vicky’s ultra-modern Dadi, bold and courageous Mom who drinks together at night in our close vicinity, but we wish to. And with Ashima’s upper-class intellectual dad and pishi, they have the best of both worlds. I love how Shoojit Sircar imbues the quintessential flaws of both communities in the story without offending anyone. The clash between Bengali’s elegance and Punjabi’s pomp and show is sweet and funny. It proves that you don’t really need big fat families to make a happy one. And they complete their family by adopting an orphan girl. They really set the bar high.