When it comes to depicting the pure bond of a brother and sister, Bollywood has some of the best movies to offer
Rakhsha Bandhan, one of the most significant
Hindu festivals celebrating the unconditional love between brothers and sisters, calls for celebration. However, with the monsoon in full swing in most parts of the country, it seems any sort of plan outside the home might not be feasible. Fortunately, movies and music come to the rescue for any indoor plan, and over the years, Bollywood has produced some of the finest movies, navigating the complex, fun, and delicate relationship between a brother and sister.
My Brother…Nikhil
(Credit- Amazon)
Released in 2005, the movie starred Sanjay Suri in the lead role and Juhi Chawla as his sister. The movie dealt with the delicate topic of a budding swimmer (Nikhil—Sanjay Suri) who is diagnosed with HIV. What follows is societal judgement, getting disowned by his family, and living in isolation. However, through all these struggles, Juhi Chawla’s character stays by Nikhil’s side. The underrated film also starred Purab Kohli in a titular role.
Dhanak
(Credit- Netflix)
Starring Hetal Gada as Pari and Krrish Chhabria as Chhotu, the film revolves around the life of Pari and his impaired little brother, Chhotu. Pari promises Chhotu that he’ll get his vision back before he turns nine. When Pari comes to know that Chhotu’s favourite star, Shah Rukh Khan, is shooting in a village, they both take a 300-kilometre hike to the shooting location, hoping to get Khan’s assistance for Chhotu’s eye surgery. Dhanak is one of the finest works by two child artists.
Sarabjit
(Credit- Google Play)
What does a sister do when her brother unintentionally passes the international border into another country with which India doesn’t have a good relationship? She puts on a legal battle for 22 years. Sarabjit, played by Randeep Hooda, and his sister, Dalbir Kaur, played by Aishwarya Rai, demonstrated how a sister can go to enormous lengths to save her brother's life. Unfortunately, despite all the legal battles by Dalbir Kaur and India, Sarabjit Singh’s life was taken away by inmates at Kot Lakhpat Jail in 2013. The movie is available for rent on YouTube for INR 50.
Iqbal
(Credit- Chitramala)
One of the finest films ever made by Nagesh Kukunoor, Shreyas Talpade nailed his debut film as Iqbal, a deaf and mute cricket-obsessed boy from a remote village. While Talpade stole all the limelight, Shweta Basu Prasad as Iqbal’s sister was the pivot of the film that kept every character in check, be it Iqbal’s father, who was against cricket, mentor Naseeruddin Shah, who didn’t wish to coach Iqbal, or those who bullied Iqbal in the film—Basu was the protective sister for whom Iqbal simply could not fail.
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
(Credit- Filmycharcha)
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag doesn’t need any introduction, given that it didn't fly under the radar and was a commercial success, earning over INR 100 crore. The film takes the audience on a journey with the late Milkha Singh, known as the Flying Sikh. Although the movie revolved heavily around Milkha Singh, it portrayed the important role played by his sister, Ishri Kaur, whether during the partition days or during his days as an elite athlete. Farhan Akhtar as Milkha Singh nailed the role, but Divya Dutta as Ishri Kaur brought tears to our eyes.
