WE ARE FAMILY- BOLLYWOOD’S LATEST RELEASE
Posted on September 3, 2010
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Kareena enjoys playing the second fiddle in “We Are family”. Kareena’s character is much more appealing and challenging as she needs to convince the audiences as to why she chose to be the second fiddle? Yes, my character is a power-packed character. It is more challenging for me because being the second.
Far from an overly dramatic tale or a frame-by-frame remake of Stepmom, Malhotra’s We Are Family does have a lot in common with its 1998 Hollywood predecessor. The overarching story of We Are Family is about a family dealing with a terminal illness. Specifically, Maya (Kajol) has only months to live and struggles to give up the reigns as a loyal wife and loving mother. She reluctantly allows Shreya (Kareena), a struggling designer with a peppy attitude, into her family’s life. Coincidentally, Shreya falls in love with Maya’s ex-husband, Aman (Arjun), himself a busy professional who worries about not being there for his ex-wife.
With Shreya moved in as a “step mom” and Maya and Aman living together as a family, despite their divorce, to look after the children (portrayed by Aanchal Munjal, Nominath Ginsburg and Diya Sonecha). A family drama laced with obvious hints of social commentary, We Are Family is what one would come to expect out of a Karan Johar production. There are three elements that worked well for We Are Family: balance, acting, and writing.
Malhotra does a swell job of balancing the film’s more serious aspects with lighthearted and entertaining scenes, including witty jokes and playful interactions among cast members. Speaking of cast members, the overall acting performances were, at the very least, above average. Finally, as evident by the plot development and dialogue, the script is well-written.
Even with the balance of serious and lighthearted moments, Malhotra does not fall short when he does tackle the film’s more dramatic scenes. Of note are the confrontational scenes between Maya and Shreya. Not only were Kajol and Kareena masterful in delivering solid performances over all, but Malhotra did a fine job of making the audience feel the tension between the two characters at vital points of the story’s development. Kajol’s physical transformation that is both believable and consistent with the character’s ailment.
Shot on location in Australia, the cinematography is better than one would expect. As mentioned earlier, the dialogue is first-rate and, at times, positively weighted with a strong sense of realism. Also featuring the work of Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, the music is not too shabby.
Ultimately, what makes We Are Family a worthy watch are the acting performances. Kajol is her usual amazing self, believably playing a character who is not only riddled with a seriously life-threatening illness but also struggling to come to terms with her reality while being headstrong in doing all she can to hold her family together.
Meanwhile, Kareena is starting to hold her own as a legitimate Bollywood actress, continuing in her steady rise to the upper echelons of masterful performances. While Kajol and Kareena definitely steal the show, Arjun is quite impressive himself, holding his own even in the most difficult (and emotional) of scenes. Indeed, he is proving himself an actor who consistently delivers solid performances.
All in all, We Are Family is every bit a movie as it advertises itself to be — a solid family-themed film with good acting and a heartfelt story. Yes, We Are Family should indeed be watched with the entire family.
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