Parent-child relations are perhaps the strangest of all loving relationships. We unconditionally love them, yet as we grow in age, we realize the generation gap is real. There comes a time in life, when we start to resist and dislike their interference in different aspects of our lives – this is also a way of asserting our independence during teenage years. But we also know that the value of having parents is immeasurable. Amid all the extra care and bonus conflicts, the wholeness which parents bring to our lives cannot be replaced. 

There are many such films that focus on this sweet yet fraught relationship. Some of of our favorites include:

1. Piku: Starring Deepika Padukone, Irrfan Khan, and Amitabh Bachchan, Piku is the best portrayal of a father-daughter relationship. It wonderfully showcases how a daughter empowers herself through the responsibility of her “cranky old man.” If you haven’t watched it yet, then you need to get familiar with one of the most beautiful films of the last decade.

2. Kaksha Gyarvi: Taking his audience through his personal journey from boys-school to college, comedian Zakir Khan is hilariously heart-warming in making us laugh out of our guts while teaching us so much about our relationship with our parents. This one is available on Amazon Prime.

3. Nil Battey Sannata: How would it be if our mothers started attending school along with us? How embarrassed would we be? This mother-daughter friendship will make you laugh but also leave you teary-eyed.

4. Bommarillu: For our South Indian film lovers, here’s a popular rom-com in Telugu. Bommarillu is a love-story embedded in the context of a close-knit family that lives under the fear of its patriarch. The movie can be easily found online with subtitles.

5. The Pursuit of Happyness: Just how much a parent can go at length to provide the best to his child, this film will show the grit, hard work, and the sheer love between a father and his son. Watch it out for an inspiring masterpiece by the legend, Will Smith. 

This compilation was originally featured in The Plus magazine. Browse through the themes here.