We Are Family (2010 film)

We Are Family is a 2010 Indian drama film directed by Siddharth Malhotra and produced by Karan Johar.[1] The movie features Kajol, Arjun Rampal and Kareena Kapoor in the lead roles, and is an official remake of the 1998 film Stepmom.[1] It released worldwide on 3 September 2010, and a day before in India and UAE. Upon release, it received positive reviews from critics.[2] In particular Kajol and Kareena Kapoor’s performance were much acclaimed. [3]

For the French comedy film, see We Are Family (2016 film).

We Are Family
Theatrical release poster
Directed bySiddharth P. Malhotra
Produced byHiroo Yash Johar
Karan Johar
Written byGigi Levangie Grazer
Venita Coelho
StarringKajol
Kareena Kapoor
Arjun Rampal
Music byShankar-Ehsaan-Loy
CinematographyK.U. Mohanan
Edited byDeepa Bhatia
Production
company
Distributed byUTV Motion Pictures
Release date
  • 3 September 2010 (2010-09-03)
Running time
115 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi

Plot

Maya (Kajol) is a perfect mother whose life revolves around her three children, Aaliya (Aanchal Munjal), Ankush, and Anjali. Despite being divorced from Aman (Arjun Rampal), Maya has ensured that they remain a happy family unit. However, things take an unexpected turn when Aman's girlfriend, Shreya Arora (Kareena Kapoor), a career-oriented fashion designer with a lot to learn about children, joins the family.

When Aman introduces Shreya at Anjali's birthday party, she accidentally drops Anjali's birthday cake, which leads the children to perceive her as evil. At a fashion show, Anjali helps Shreya with one of the outfits for the models. When Shreya goes to get ice cream for the children, Aaliya tells her siblings that she is using them so she can take their father away, and Anjali goes missing after. At the police station, Anjali is found and Aman tells Shreya that she cannot go near the children without Maya's permission.

Maya finds out that she has cervical cancer and tells Aman, which prompts him to move back in with the family and leave Shreya. However, he is unable to forget her, which Maya notices. Maya tells their children that she has cancer and Aaliya retaliates by going to a party with an older boy. Maya then tells Shreya that she has cancer, and tells her she wants her to take care of the kids after she’s gone, as they’ll need a mother in their lives. Shreya refuses at first, not believing herself to be the ‘mom type,’ but agrees to move in and leave her career. In the following days, the children develop an attachment towards Shreya but when Maya and Shreya have an argument, it is revealed that Shreya is an orphan. After the argument, Aman tells Maya that they should not be competing with each other for the children's love. Maya faints and is brought to the hospital, where the doctor tells her that she has only a few days left. Shreya decides to take care of the children while Aman tends to Maya.

When Shreya and the children go to visit Maya at the hospital, the two women have a private conversation. Shreya admits that the children need their real mother, not her. Maya bequeaths guardianship of the children to Shreya, and confesses a mistake she made that almost killed Anjali. She explains to Shreya that not every mother is perfect but that she needs to keep trying. Maya tells Aman she wants to return home for Diwali as the last chance to see her house before she dies. During the festival, the children hold a special event for her, replaying the memories they had together. When they take a family photograph, Maya asks Shreya to join, as she is now family. The last scene is set ten years later, during Aaliya's wedding, where Shreya gives her a bracelet that had belonged to Maya.

Cast
  • Kajol as Maya, Aman’s first wife, Aaliya, Ankush and Anjali’s mother
  • Kareena Kapoor as Shreya Arora, Aman’s girlfriend turned wife, Aaliya, Ankush and Anjali’s step-mother
  • Arjun Rampal as Aman, Shreya’s husband, Maya’s ex husband, Aaliya, Ankush and Anjali’s father
  • Aanchal Munjal as Aaliya, Aman and Maya’s eldest daughter, Shreya’s step-daughter
  • Nominath Ginsberg as Ankush, Aman and Maya’s only son, Shreya’s step-son
  • Diya Sonecha as Anjali, Aman and Maya’s youngest daughter, Shreya’s step-daughter
  • Iravati Harshe as Dr. Rati Malhotra, Maya’s doctor
  • Amrita Prakash as elder Aaliya (cameo)
  • Ankit Malik as elder Ankush (cameo)
  • Dingy Vira as elder Anjali (cameo)

Production

Karan Johar decided to adapt Stepmom for the Indian audience with a working title 'Love You Maa'. Although he initially intended to buy the rights to the film, he eventually opted to co-produce it with Sony Pictures.[4]

The film was shot in Sydney, Australia[5] and Mumbai from November 2009 to April 2010. According to Siddharth Malhotra, several scenes involving racial prejudice against the children were cut to avoid the appearance of using the controversy over violence against Indians in Australia to promote the film.[6]

Soundtrack
We Are Family
Soundtrack album by
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy
Released2 August 2010 (2010-08-02)[7]
GenreFilm soundtrack
Length26:22
LabelSony Music India
ProducerKaran Johar
Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy chronology
Housefull
(2010)		 We Are Family
(2010)		 Patiala House
(2010)

The album has six original songs composed by Shankar Ehsaan Loy and lyrics by Irshad Kamil and Anvita Dutt Guptan, including a tribute to Elvis Presley's "Jailhouse Rock".[8]

  1. "Ankhon Mein Neendein" - Rahat Fateh Ali Khan & Shreya Ghoshal (5:02)
  2. "Dil Khol Ke Let's Rock" - Anushka Manchanda, Akriti Kakkar & Suraj Jagan (03:57)
  3. "Reham O Karam" - Vishal Dadlani & Shankar Mahadevan (05:47)
  4. "Hamesha & Forever" - Sonu Nigam & Shreya Ghoshal (04:51)
  5. "Sun Le Dua Yeh Aasmaan (Theme Slow Version)" - Bela Shende (03:53)
  6. "We Are Family (Theme)" - (02:48)

Reception

Critical response

Upon release, the film received positive reviews from critics.[9] IANS rated the film 4 out of 5 saying, "We Are Family" is equally appealing from the outside and at the heart".[10][11][12][13][14]

Box office performance

The film grossed about ₹27 million on opening day and collected a total of ₹205 million at the end of its second week. At the end of its theatrical run, it grossed ₹220 million and was eventually declared an average grosser.[15] We Are Family also performed well overseas, particularly in the UK. The movie was declared "Average" overall.

Award

Kareena Kapoor won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 56th Filmfare Awards.

gollark: What accursed hellscape are tags stored in?
gollark: I am free between 2 and 2.00000007 in Earth Standard Time.
gollark: I fear that that would result in [DATA FILLED WITH BEES].
gollark: I may have to shut down the project.
gollark: Oh no, it must have triggered one of those consistency protection things, oops.

References
  1. Bollywood Hungama News Network (19 June 2010). "Karan Johar's Stepmom remake titled as We Are Family". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  2. Adarsh, Taran (28 July 2010). "Clash averted: We Are Family to arrive a week before Dabangg". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  3. We Are Family Movie Review {3/5}: Critic Review of We Are Family by Times of India, retrieved 25 June 2019
  4. Arjun Rampal & Karan Johar talk about their new film 'We Are Family' BBC Asian Network. 4 September 2010.
  5. "News By Industry". The Times of India. 28 October 2009.
  6. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Racist-scenes-from-We-Are-Family-deleted/Article1-591132.aspx
  7. "Tere Bin Laden: Soundtrack listing and details". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  8. Times News Network (6 August 2010). "Arjun rocks it the Elvis style". The Times of India. Retrieved 6 August 2010.
  9. "We Are Family Movie Review: STOPmom".
  10. "'We Are Family':Movie Review". WorldSnap. Retrieved 3 September 2010.
  11. "We Are Family Review".
  12. "Kajol to the rescue".
  13. "Komal Nahta's Review: We Are Family".
  14. Kazmi, Nikhat (1 September 2010). "We Are Family". The Times of India.
  15. "Dabangg Dominates We Are Family Drops". Boxofficeindia.com. 18 September 2010. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.