Baghban
2003 · Directed by Ravi Chopra
Original language: Hindi
- drama
The story
After dedicating their whole life in upbringing their children, elderly couple Raj Malhotra and Pooja gets homeless. Instead of caring, their children treat them as a burden.
What it’s like
Warm, saturated studio colour and a glossy, theatrical look: bright family homes filled with soft lamplight and bold costume palettes, interrupted by lush, sweeping song sequences with orchestral swells and big-hearted vocal numbers. The vibe is sentimental and openly melodramatic, with a warm, weepy register that moves between tender domestic scenes and sharp moments of hurt. Its long running time suits a rainy weekend or a comfort rewatch with family. The arc follows an elderly couple who sacrificed everything for their grown children and are then left to fend for themselves, so the emotional current is grief, resentment and eventual reconciliation rather than suspense. Intensity is low on physical danger: there is no graphic violence or gore, and the cruelty is emotional, handled through dialogue, slights and tearful confrontations. It is built for viewers who want a large, unashamedly emotional family drama, the kind that sets out to make them cry and then hold them.
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