A stepmother longs for love and recognition

In the altruistic world of perfect family, it was hard for a stepmother to be accorded the level of love, affection and respect that she would rightfully deserve; but it is not often that she gets that privilege.

Modern society has evolved to envelope single and surrogate mothers and with it women who have the innate ability to foster another’s woman’s children as her own.

The tug-of-war between a woman who has stepped into the role of a mother and children who struggle to call her their own could be tumultuous, for the emotional shock and the trauma that ensue could be untenable.

But not all families that encounter such scenes run into tragedy. Chris Columbus narrated a similar story with a comic touch in his 1988 film Step Mom, a movie that had an unpredictable end.

Twenty-two years later, Karan Johar, that irrepressible producer has borrowed the theme to give the Indian audience We are Family, set to hit the big screen on September 3. Arguably the first Bollywood film that acknowledges the original (unlike to many others that shamelessly lift stories, scenes, music and songs, calling them their own), it brings together some of the well-known talents of the Hindi film industry. If the past record of Karan is any indication, We are Family should make you laugh, cry, love and hate him.

Kajol Devgan performs the role of Maya, a divorced woman living in the same house as her ex-husband Aman (Arjun Ramphal). A dutiful mother, she loves her three children Aleya (Aanchal Munjal), Ankush, (Nominath Ginsburg) and Anjali (Diya Sonecha). Life appears perfect in an imperfect world until the entry of Shreya (Kareena Kapoor), who Aman introduces as ‘A girl friend with an eye on her career.’

“We are Family is basically an Indian film, with a sacrificing mother, with plenty of pathos. Every woman who wants to be the perfect mother, perfect wife and perfect daughter will identify with Maya,” she said.

Karan is happy to acknowledge the film as the “first official adaptation in Bollywood of a Hollywood film.”

He said Kajol and Kareena return to pair in this film, after the success of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham (released in 2001).

“Director Siddharth Malhotra has brought these two women of substance, in substantial roles for the first time. As a viewer and a cine goer, I was truly excited to see their pairing,” he said.

Mind Blowing Films is distributing We are Family in Australia and New Zealand from September 3.

Photo :

Scenes from We are Family