Dining With The Kapoors Review: A Big, Fat Starry Bollywood Party

BOTTOM LINE
A Big, Fat Starry Bollywood Party

PLATFORM
NETFLIX

RUNTIME
Documentary | 65 minutes

What Is the Show About?

Created by Armaan Jain, Dining with the Kapoors is a one-hour English documentary that captures the essence of the Kapoor lifestyle: films, food, and family. Various generations of the clan come together to celebrate Raj Kapoor’s 100th birth anniversary with a menu comprising the dishes that the showman relished munching while he was around.

Analysis

Dining with the Kapoors, out on Netflix, comes as part of the streamer’s conscious attempt to chart the legacy of the iconic film family that has been an integral part of Hindi cinema since its inception. Following the release of Roshans (the Hrithik Roshan family tree), The Romantics (the contributions of the Chopras), Netflix now casts its light on the evergreen charm of the Kapoors.

Watching the documentary is like revisiting The Crown, set in the Bollywood universe. Every famous family member – from Randhir Kapoor to Neetu Singh to Kareena, Karishma, and Navya Naveli Nanda – puts themselves out in the open unabashedly, offering a glimpse of their chatter as they unite for Raj Kapoor’s centenary, modelled on the famous parties he hosted in his bungalow.

For those unaware, the documentary takes off with a crisp recap of the big, fat Bollywood family tree, moving from Prithviraj Kapoor to Agastya Nanda. This lavish party is curated by Armaan Jain (Raj Kapoor’s grandson, Rima Jain’s son), who admits to having an unsavoury start to his film career but found his mojo as an entrepreneur, preserving the Kapoor family’s favourite dishes through a cafe.

The conversations in the film flow seamlessly. Everything is larger than life, and why not; they are, after all, flamboyant Punjabis who eat to their heart’s content, gossip like the padosi aunt, and sing and dance like there’s no tomorrow. Amidst all the debate around nepotism and the display of wealth at film parties, there is no pretence to keep things subtle or tone down the grandeur.

Just as the stories of the forgotten composer Roshan and his son Rajesh Roshan struck a chord better than the famous others (Hrithik and Rakesh) in the family, the true show-stealer of this film is Rima Jain. Beneath her vibrant persona, you get to see the warmth with which she shares tales of the past, shedding a tear or two for the bereaved while being hopeful for the future.

Of course, what is a Kapoors documentary without the harmless trivia? You learn of Neetu Singh’s caution with her diet, Ranbir Kapoor’s elephantine appetite, Karishma’s love for Brun Pav, the endless banter between Randhir Kapoor and Rishi that would entertain guests through the night, and how Raj Kapoor gifted toffees to his grandkids only after they planted a kiss on his cheeks.

One of the most poignant moments in the show has Rima and Randhir visiting Raj Kapoor’s bungalow – the Deonar cottage – before it was sold. Rima even shares her mother’s advice for the property: ‘Don’t let it rot after you move to your houses. Just sell it!’ There is also an interesting episode about Rima dressing up as her father’s avatar for her son’s birthday and managing to look just like him.

It is not hard to realise where Zoya Akhtar’s inspiration for the party sequences in Made in Heaven, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, and Dil Dhadakne Do would have possibly come from (only that this is not fictional). Karishma, too, does not hide this fact. ‘Beyond the gloss, we are like any other family,’ she admits. There is drama, arguments, laughter, and everything is not always pleasant.

While there is selective focus on the various individuals early on, the documentary boils down to a fond homage to Raj Kapoor through his films, the food he enjoyed, the stories he told his children and other descendants, and his home. The documentary fittingly ends with a nostalgic tribute to Mera Naam Joker’s ‘Jaane Kahan Gaye Woh Din,’ with Rima playing the tune on the piano.

The icing on the cake is, of course, the miniature model of the Deonar cottage in the final moments and all the stories that come with it: the marble steps, the swing, the gardens that witnessed the who’s who of Hindi cinema. You are tempted to let it go on for some more time, but this is like a dessert in a meal. The dish tastes sweeter in smaller amounts.

On the technical front, it is picture-perfect and lavish, like the spread on the menu. Though the locations are quite limited, there is no room for redundancy in the visuals: the close-ups are intimate, precise, and yet sharp. The costumes remain elegant (and not overly flashy). Raj Kapoor’s footage from the past lends it the necessary depth and purpose.

Dining with the Kapoors is a harmless indulgence meant for a quintessential Hindi film enthusiast who is in love with anything showbiz. It is light-hearted, conversational, and easy to watch, both for a first-time viewer and a long-time film aficionado. Do not expect nuance or groundedness here. The title is itself an indication of what you are getting into.

Highlights?

Lavish, visual feast

Interesting trivia

Light and easy viewing

Drawbacks?

Nothing subtle about it

Symbolises how the industry lives in a bubble

Did I Enjoy It?

Generally yes

Will You Recommend It?

If you enjoy anything Bollywood, don’t think twice

Dining With The Kapoors Netflix Review by M9