Grandparents Day is all about cherishing the beautiful bond that we share with our grandparents. They love us unconditionally, never miss a chance when it comes to pampering us, and of course, always enlighten us with their wisdom. We often forget to acknowledge the presence of our grandparents and how precious they are, but that is exactly where Bollywood steps in. With some of the most celebrated portrayals of grandparents on screen, Indian films have surely made us realise the importance of grandparents in our lives.
May that be the cool dadi in Queen who reminds Rani that life must go on, or scary Bhootnath who ends up becoming the grandparent figure to the child in the film, Bollywood has given us so many lovely and relatable grandparents' characters.
Here are the most popular grandparents in Bollywood movies in recent times
1. Rishi Kapoor in Kapoor & Sons
Definitely the most savage, quirky and cutest grandfather is portrayed by the Late Rishi Kapoor in the film Kapoor & Sons. Set in Coonoor, the story begins when two estranged sons living abroad are asked to return home when their grandfather longs to have a family picture taken as his last wish. Thereafter the family is met with a number of surprises, when secrets start unearthing and a bunch of incidents begin to take place. The story is filled with laughter, drama, tears and a lot of love. A thoughtful story portraying the quintessential Indian family, with the grandfather played by Rishi Kapoor being the liveliest member of the family, Kapoor & Sons will tug at your heartstrings.
Director: Shakun Batra
Streaming platform: Netflix, Amazon Prime
2. Kamlesh Gill in Vicky Donor
Beeji in the film Vicky Donor, Kamlesh Gill played the taboo-busting, whiskey-loving grandmother we didn't know we needed. Vicky is a handsome, young Punjabi boy who is brought to a fertility clinic and becomes the biggest sperm donor there while falling for a Bengali girl who works at a bank. Not only is she progressive about the entire situation but also has some of the most hilarious moments in the film. She is a pragmatic grandmother who is also a lot of fun.
Director: Shoojit Sircar
Streaming platform: Amazon Prime, Jio Cinema, Apple TV
3. Farida Jalal in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
Bubbly and affectionate, the grandmother played by Farida Jalal in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is one of the sweetest of grandparents' portrayals on the screen. Not only is she her granddaughter's aide in getting to the summer camp of her choice, but she also helps in reuniting the two romantic leads. An iconic Bollywood film, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai explores a great bond between the grandmother and granddaughter.
Director: Karan Johar
Streaming platform: Netflix, Amazon Prime
4. Waheeda Rehman in Delhi 6
Delhi 6 follows the story of a young man, who is accompanying his grandmother to their ancestral property in Chandni Chowk, Delhi because she wishes to take her last breath there. The talented and beautiful Waheeda Rehman plays a loving and devoted grandmother and quite became the highlight of the movie with the song ‘Genda Phool’ that featured her.
Director: Rakeysh Omprakas Mehra
Streaming Platform: Netflix, Apple TV
5. Amitabh Bachhan in Bhoothnath
While not a real grandparent-grandchild duo, the mischievous house ghost in Bhoothnath played by Amitabh Bachchan is definitely one of the most memorable characters. Initially, he intends to drive away the new residents by scaring the little boy Banku but soon befriends him and his outlook changes completely. How he ends up being the grandparent figure in the young child's life is very well portrayed in the film.
Directors: Nitesh Tiwari, Vivek Sharma
Streaming platform: Disney+Hotstar, Amazon Prime
6. Tripta Lakhanpal in Queen
In the much-loved Queen, Tripta Lakhanpal plays the character of the grandmother who very subtly nudges her granddaughter towards finding herself first. When Rani gets dumped a week before her wedding, it is Tripta's pragmatic grandmother who talks about her former flings and encourages Rani to come out of her shell and enjoy herself on her solo honeymoon to Paris. We all love a Dadi as cool and quirky as her!
Director: Vikas Bahl
Streaming platform: Netflix
Disclaimer: The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication only.