International Day of Families: Heartwarming Tales of Timeless Bonds

Actor Michael J. Fox famously said, “Family is not an important thing. It’s everything. And on International Day of Families, we bring to you stories from the big and small screen that exemplify this sentiment perfectly. 

Family: Everything in Life - International Day Celebrations

Hi Nanna: This Telugu drama directed by Shouryuv in his directorial debut revolves around an amnesiac mother who has been separated from her young daughter Mahi and her husband Viraj by a twist of fate. Even though she is unaware that the six-year-old girl suffering from cystic fibrosis is her own daughter, she grows attached to her and also to Viraj. How the three inevitably become an unbreakable unit makes up for the rest of this emotional family drama with numerous twists and turns. The message? That ties of the heart can never be broken. The film stars Mrunal Thakur, Nani and Kiara Khanna in lead roles and can be watched on Netflix.  

Gullak: This OTT show reminds viewers of the cinema of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee who told stories of immensely resilient but uncelebrated Indians. Set in a dusty, north-Indian town, 'Gullak' takes audiences into the modest home of the endearing Mishra family and shows how they deal with the middle-class challenges of everyday life with a smile and a united front. The parents, Santosh and Shanti Mishra (Jameel Khan and Geetanjali Kulkarni) and their sons Annu and Aman (Vaibhav Raj Gupta and Harsh Mayar) may bicker occasionally but they remain a strong family unit in the face of every difficulty. They laugh, cry and celebrate their little victories as one. Directed by Palash Vaswani and Amrit Raj Gupta, the show can be seen on SonyLIV.

 
Gudiya ki Shaadi: This Zee Theatre teleplay penned and directed for stage by Samta Sagar explores the societal obsession with unrealistic beauty standards when it comes to girls of a marriageable age. It goes on to depict how a young, spunky bride who loses her eyebrows on the eve of her wedding refuses to be shamed for her altered appearance even when her family members panic. With her unshakeable self-love, Gudiya communicates not just to her family but to the audience that a woman's worth does not lie in her physical beauty. She also refuses to hold a grudge against her own family and instead makes them see her perspective. Filmed by Sourabh Shrivastava, the teleplay stars Shweta Basu Prasad, Virendra Saxena, Samta Sagar, Ishtiyaq Khan, Saroj Sharma, Neha Saraf, Vikram Kochhar and Anveshi Jain. You can watch it on Zee5.

Jaana Tha Roshanpura: This Samta Sagar creation is a poignant exploration of the meaning of extended family. It narrates how a grieving father and his son-in-law are brought together by the shared loss of a remarkable woman, Panja. Even though Panja was the daughter of the former and the wife of the latter, the two men can't see eye to eye and constantly quarrel. However, they are forced to endure each other to honour Panja's dying wish, who wanted them to stay together for a year. Slowly, as time passes, they begin to see each other with more compassion, empathy and respect and become a family in the real sense. Directed for stage by Samta Sagar and filmed by Sanjay Jha, the Zee Theatre teleplay stars Virendra Saxena, Ravi Mahashabde and Samta herself. You can watch it on Zee5.

Maa Retire Hoti Hai: Can a mother ever put her feet up and retire from her domestic duties? In this Zee Theatre teleplay penned by Ashok Patole, that is exactly what happens. A matriarch decides that she will no longer sacrifice her time or energy for her children and husband who have for years taken her for granted. Once she withdraws from the day-to-day toil, her family realizes just how enormous her contribution to their lives is. The slice-of-life drama is a reminder that in a family unit, everyone must do their bit and appreciate each other. Filmed by Suman Mukhopadhyay and directed for stage by Rajan Tamhane, it stars the late Reema Lagoo, Yatin Karyekar, Sachin Deshpande, Shweta  Mehendale, Sanket Phatak, Mansi Naik, and Rutuja Nagwekar. You can watch it on Zee5.

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