When Bollywood is littered with films in which parents hold unrealistic expectations from their children and deem them as ‘examples’ of parenting (which is also borderline toxic), we realise the urgent need for a cultural reset.
Parents, of all people, should be their children’s rock when their self-esteem collapses like dominoes, yet this basic practice has a long way to go before it suffuses every desi household.
However, becoming a ray of sunshine amidst dark clouds, there are filmmakers who have touched parent-child relationships and dealt with them with utmost sensitivity.
These 5 scenes from recent Bollywood movies and shows have set the right example of parenting, leaving us thoroughly impressed.
1. When Maanvi’s father was her strength in Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui.
While Bollywood has a history of portraying the LGBTQ+ community in a distorted light, Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui stood class apart because it showed us how parents can be a strong pillar for their queer children. Typically, mothers are the go-to people for their children, but Kanwaljit Singh plays a father who, no matter what, will always be the biggest cheer-leader of his child.
2. When Savi finally accepts the homosexual relationship of her father Looop Lapeta.
Looop Lapeta also showcases a parent-child relationship but from an angle that is rarely explored in Bollywood. Despite her bitterness against her father, Savi (Taapsee Pannu) realises where his true happiness lies. This scene focused on a homosexual parent and his battle to win his daughter’s love, which made us feel emotions we never experienced before.
3. When Alisha’s father advises her to let go of her past in Gehraiyaan.
“Bhaagne ki zarurat nahi hai, jo hua usei accept karo. And always choose to move on.”
4. When Anamika accepted her son’s sexuality without being melodramatic in The Fame Game.
When Anamika (Madhuri Dixit) notices that her son lacks words to express himself, she asks him “Are you gay?” She not only embraced him without being melodramatic but also assured that he’ll be loved, no matter what his sexuality is.
5. When Anamika is there for her daughter during her phase of self-acceptance in The Fame Game.
Anamika is not your typical sacrificial mother, but she supports her children in ways no one else can. When her daughter Amara is having a hard time being herself, her mother is there to soothe her, pulling her close to her heart and reminding her that she is beautiful.