We have grown up watching Bollywood movies. They were the best thing to entertain ourselves after Doordarshan TV shows and serials. If only today’s children could appreciate the magic and charm of Bollywood movies! They are more interested in Hollywood flicks, K-pop and vlogs. So, it was a Herculean effort for me to compel my daughter to watch old Hindi cinema with me and that too without subtitles.
I picked up a few film titles that I thought would still be relevant to inspire the young generation even today. She loved these movies – mission accomplished! Check out my recommendations.
Chak De! India (Amazon Prime Video)
Unarguably one of the best sports drama films, it takes you through the Indian Women’s Hockey team’s journey to win an international tournament. It is incredible to watch Shahrukh Khan who plays the ex-Indian captain and coach, bring these female players from diverse backgrounds to put their differences aside and unite to bring home the victory! Your children will understand the value of teamwork and team spirit through this film.
3 Idiots (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video)
This legendary movie starring Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi is a story of three engineering college friends. The film delves into their strong bond of friendship as they navigate through academic burdens, meet their parents’ expectations and battle between choosing their passion and traditional careers. Laced with comedy, 3 Idiots will give you and your children something to think about.
Lagaan (Netflix)
Okay, I had to switch on the subtitles for this one because I got tired of explaining the village dialect to my daughterJ Coming back to the point, Lagaan, an Oscar-nominated film depicts the dominance of the British rulers over poor farmers as they are unable to pay taxes (lagaan). The farmers fight back through a game of cricket which they have never played. It is super fascinating to watch Aamir Khan, the protagonist motivate his villagers to take part in the game and how he leads them towards victory. Your children will learn soft skills such as leadership, communication, decision-making, teamwork, etc from this movie.
English Vinglish (Amazon Prime Video, Jio Cinema)
This movie portrays the life of a simple homemaker whose life revolves around taking care of her family. Her husband and teen daughter often mock her for not being familiar with the English language. The daughter feels ashamed of taking her mother to school meetings. In one of the finest performances of her life, Sridevi as a homemaker nails the role. When she travels abroad to help with her niece’s wedding, she joins English classes and her life changes. She learns to value and respect herself. After watching this movie, your children will learn to respect you as parents. It will also teach your children about dignity, self-love and self-esteem.
I Am Kalam (Amazon Prime Video)
A recipient of several national and international awards, this movie earned accolades at the Cannes Film Festival. It narrates the story of an intelligent but poor boy Chotu who works as a child labourer. He befriends a rich kid who doesn’t hesitate to form friendships with someone below his social class. One day, Chotu comes to know about the Indian president Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and starts dreaming of becoming like him. He then runs away to Delhi to meet the President and even writes him a letter about his aspirations. What happens next? Well, you will have to watch the movie. This movie will teach your children about privileges, equality in education and friendship.
Do you have other recommendations?
