Father's Day special: Looking at five best Bollywood fathers
Bollywood has treated us with numerous memorable characters over the years. With hundreds of films heavily focused on families, it is only natural that several cinematic offerings zoom in on interpersonal relationships. On this Father's Day, let's take a deep dive into the portrayal of one such selfless relationship: that of a father and their child. Here are our five favorite Bollywood fathers.
Narottam Mishra in 'Bareilly ki Barfi' (2017)
Bareilly ki Barfi is a special film due to its gravitas-laden characters. Pankaj Tripathi played a liberal, progressive father who, despite being from a small Indian town, doesn't confine his daughter to the shackles of patriarchy or society-approved code of conduct. Their bond is so special that she confides in him sans any embarrassment. If only such fathers were more real and less fictional.
Dharamvir Malhotra in 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' (1995)
The classic 1995 quintessential guide to romance is etched in the annals of Bollywood history. Anupam Kher played "Daddy Cool," a doting, funny, and supportive man who is more like a friend than a typical father. He also acts as a foil to Amrish Puri's notorious character who wouldn't think twice before putting his daughter's life on the line for the most part.
Jai Prakash Paswan in 'Chachi 420' (1997)
Oh, the lengths Kamal Haasan's character goes just to spend some time with his daughter in this film! Not only does he crossdress, but he even adopts an entirely different personality and risks his life every single day to stay close to his daughter he otherwise cannot meet. He goes to show the extent of things fathers do in a heartbeat for their kids.
Bashkor Banerjee in 'Piku' (2015)
Who can forget Amitabh Bachchan as a nagging, complaining man in Piku? A man who has no regret in living with his daughter in a society where women are considered paraya dhan, he is a man of his own will. Piku beautifully explores the nuanced relationship between an aging father and a strong-willed woman, showing that men are not their parents' sole custodians.
Mr. Thapar in 'Ye Jawaani Hai Deewani' (2013)
Farooq Shaikh, in one of his last acting roles, played a concerned, tender father who doesn't straightjacket his son into a box and pressurize him to walk on the "respectable" path of conventional jobs. What he wants is for him to fly high and live life on his terms. So much so that he even buys his son a backpack ahead of a trip!
