The way people have made ‘shelf life’ a barricade to dreaming suggests that we are commodities and certainly not humans. Honestly, if ageing was that cruel then we wouldn’t blow out candles and cut cakes to celebrate our own setbacks.
When ‘umar ho gayi hai’ has become a catchphrase of every household, films that touch upon the ‘age factor’ reign supreme. Over the years, Bollywood has produced fewer but more influential films that insinuate ‘age is just a number,’ and anyone who holds themselves back because of their age should watch these on repeat!
1. Kaun Pravin Tambe?
Shreyas Talpade-starrer Kaun Pravin Tambe? is carved out from the life of a cricket underdog Pravin Tambe, who became the oldest ever IPL debutant. His extraordinary life serves as an inspiration to all ordinary people who believe that age is a barrier to achieving great things in life. Tambe, at the age of 41, demonstrated to the world that resilience without giving up is the only mantra to success.
2. Sharmaji Namkeen
Sharmaji Namkeen starring Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal in the titular role is a slice-of-life comedy that playfully touches on serious topics yet never fails to bring a smile to your face. A 58-year-old retired man discovered his true calling in cooking and did not faze to prioritise his choices. Although society and his own son tried to belittle his talent, he held his ground. It’s never too late to chase things that make our hearts smile.
3. Panga
Panga upholds a mother’s unending efforts for the family, but not at the expense of her own aspirations. When Kangana Ranaut’s character, a former Kabaddi world champion, is urged by her family to make a comeback in the sport, she strongly combats her internal conflicts and society’s expectations of her.
4. Kaamyaab
A supremely underrated film Kamyaab is based on the story of an overripe ‘sidekick’ of Hindi movies, who wishes to make a comeback with a noteworthy role in order to break the record of acting in 500 films. Who better than Sanjay Mishra to play the lead?
5. English Vinglish
When Sridevi’s character, a housewife and caterer, is fed up with her family lampooning her for not knowing English, she attempts to learn the language. Despite her age, she gives herself a chance which helps her to rediscover herself and reinstate her worth.
6. Saand Ki Aankh
The film has drawn flak for its age-inappropriate casting but the story did leave a mark. When people in their 60s, especially women in a patriarchal society, are stereotypically how you would imagine, these 2 women accidentally discover their shooting skills and spare no effort to chase them.
7. 102 Not Out
Starring Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor, this film is about a 102-year-old man who wishes to break the record of oldest living male. He constantly looks for ways to induce happiness into the life of his 75-year-old son. 102 Not Out makes it to this list because here the elderly learn to live to the fullest when they are nearing the end of their lives.
Making age not a pit but a ladder.