We Are Family

The latest offering from the house of Dharma Productions and Karan Johar consolidates two widely known facts about their projects post AGNEEPATH and GUMRAH which came in the early nineties. One that they now make films majorly for the overseas markets and the multiplex viewers with story-plots revolving only around the rich and upper class section of the society. And two that their films necessarily have to be all glossy, colour perfect and beautiful having no place for the harsh realities of a normal life.

WE ARE FAMILY also exactly follows the same pattern, where everything happens so perfectly and nicely within a rich family to such a level that it all becomes completely uninteresting, unmoving and pointless. In short the only merit of the movie in my opinion is that this time thankfully it's an Official adaptation of Chris Columbus's STEPMOM (1998)featuring Julia Roberts and Susan Sarandon.

But the negatives start right here from its inception, as I really couldn't find the reason to adapt an ORIGINAL which was so English in its concept and also not entertaining enough to get inspired from. May be the makers, as usual only had the Foreign markets and multiplexes in mind to do so.

Anyway, being an honest adaptation, WE ARE FAMILY starts exactly in the same manner as STEPMOM, which in reality becomes utterly confusing for the viewers. Here we have a man still frequently visiting and spending quality time with his three kids and wife even when they have been divorced from the last 3 years……….Quite strange! And on top of this he is hugely interested to introduce all the kids to his loving girlfriend for no reason at all (because the main plot of terminal illness starts after this initial sequence). Now when the kids are happily living with their mom after 3 years of divorce between their parents, then why he is intruding so much in their happy home. At the most he should only visit at regular intervals to meet the kids and that's it. If he is still so much involved with the family then why not accept the mistake and come back to them right away?

Moving ahead with this impact-less start, WE ARE FAMILY goes into the same old mould of Dharma Productions famous flick "KAL HO NA HO" revolving around the ages old formula of terminal illness of the hero. The only difference here is that instead of a love triangle, we have a caring mom in the film, who brings her ex-husband's girlfriend in her own home, as she wishes her to become the mom of their 3 kids after she is gone. Interesting may seem to be on the paper, but on the screen it comes out to be utterly unconvincing, slow and even boring despite of some good performances by the trio of"Pati Patni aur Woh".

Debutant director Siddharth P. Malhotra, makes a typical Dharma Productions film but minus the Hit music and the much needed entertainment factor. The narration keeps on moving at a constantly slow speed and is only able to impress in the last 5 minutes alone when the story shifts to the future mode, where all the 3 kids have grown up to become 3 good looking youngsters. Moreover all the comic scenes in the film, seem to be deliberately added upon to somehow spice up the proceedings and provide few relief moments to the viewers. As a result, the end product is not able to hold your interest throughout its two hours of duration.

Though equipped with two most sought after names in the Industry, Sidhharth fails to extract some energetic stuff from the duo and you simply miss the fire in their scenes together. In simple words, Yes, Kajol and Kareena are there on the screen once again, but they are not able to deliver what was being expected from them by their viewers. Individually Kajol is excellent and Kareena is impressive. But together, the script does not give them anything to excel upon. Kajol's transformation from a healthy lady to a dying patient remains one of the few good things in the movie and the talented lady once again proves that she can easily rise above a not so fine script too.

Kareena displays her acting skills particularly in the second half but her character is not anything different from what she has already done before. Besides, I also couldn't understand why the director tried to portray her as a vamp in the first half. The Original flick never showed Julia Roberts in a bad light in any of its scenes right from the start and that's where the Indianised treatment of the second lady fails completely.

Arjun Rampal as the confused father is fine and the three kids put up an honest show with their sincere performances. But unfortunately, the film has nothing in particular for the kids coming to the theaters with their parents. The other major letdown in the film is its uninspiring music shockingly coming from the multi-talented Shanker-Ehsaan-Loy. The soundtrack is a big disaster with the main song even having few resembling notes with "Tere Hai Zameen Tera Aasman" from THE BURNING TRAIN. Further, the Cinematography had to be eye-catching since the whole film is set in the foreign locations and also has many glossy backdrops related to the fashion world.

So overall, WE ARE FAMILY falls flat in absence of anything exceptional or new to convey to its audience. But you can try it, only if you are interested in its honest performances and cast.

I haven't watched Stepmom, so cant compare this with the original… Anyway, this itself is a very good movie you can watch with your family or your spouse. This is not a kind of full entertainment movie, of course, the movie has its light moments, but the main task is far more than brainless entertainment…

Siddharth Malhotra, the debutant did a very good job as the director. Performance wise, Kareena and Kajol were equally good, both of them acted very very well… Arjun Rampal was also good, he did complete justice to the character.. In fact, he is one of the very few actors in Indian film industry, who can portray this role… The kids were very good, especially, the eldest girl. Some of her expressions were just WoWWW!!! The youngest girl was so cute, she was like a doll in Bumm Bumm Bole also… The other child, the boy was also good, don't know why, he did not get that much role as of the other two.

Music department, not so great… I saw many people praising a song Hamesha & Forever, I didn't feel anything for the song… In fact, the other songs like Aankhon Mein Neendein, Reham O Karam and Let's Rock were nice…

A good movie, on the whole..

I went to see the movie mainly because I saw few reviews saying it is a entertaining movie. But take my words 'It is not entertaining at all except one song(lets rock)'. Personally I did not liked a movie having so much of centiment through-out the movie but if you are seeing the movie with your family you may like it.First half is good but it was unbearable for me in the second half. Here is some good and bad things about it...

good: 1. You should take your kids to see the movie as there are three beautiful kids in the movie who in actual best part of it. 2. Cinematography in Bollywood standard is quite good. 3. If you liked 'Kabhi Albida na Kahena' you may like it. 4. As expected Kajol, Kareena, Arjun done their job, specially Arjut Rampal lifted his acting up one level.

bad: 1. Does not do what a film should do-take the viewers fully into the story. I heard few people beside me laughing in a very emotional moment. 2. Music is so so. 3. No entertainment as such. 4. Could have been better if the duration bit short.

I appreciate that 'We Are Family' is an official remake and not a rip-off (which has become the traditional Bollywood thing to do). More than a decade ago, when I first saw 'Stepmom', I knew Bollywood was going to copy this. 'Am only surprised it took them this long.

'We Are Family' is pretty much a melodramatic tearjerker. The scenes that were directly copied from 'Stepmom' were quite laughable. I preferred the more original sequences, like when Maya and Shreya go shopping with Aaliyah, Shreya chooses a dress for Aaliyah who is thrilled while Maya feels some resentment.

'We Are Family' has the look of a typical Yashraj film. It's shot in Australia. Really, why couldn't they have made the movie in India? Are the makers really that ashamed of their own country? The movie, not surprisingly, revolves around very rich people. The story is told in a melodramatic and sugarcoated fashion. The sets are quite lavish. Cinematography is flat and music is horrendous. The 'Jailhouse Rock' remake is one of the worst songs and the way it was visualized made me cringe.

It's good to see Kajol not pair up with someone who's not a Khan or a Devgan. Her pairing with Arjun Rampal was quite refreshing and both actors have good chemistry. However, Rampal is underused as the film is more about Shreya and Maya. Kareena Kapoor tries his best but she's completely overshadowed by Kajol. 'We Are Family' belongs to Kajol who yet again delivers an excellent performance. If there is anything watchable about 'We Are Family' then it's her.

"We Are Family" is Karan Johar's adaptation of Susan Sarandon and Julia Roberts starrer "Step mom," a family drama on the rivalry between the two female protagonists on motherhood, played by Kajol and Kareena Kapoor. Indeed the performances of both make it an enjoyable yarn with amiable performances from the three kids. Despite its glibness or a lackluster epilogue, the film is able to impart emotions and grips you most of the times.

Rating: 2 stars out of 4