What a Delightful Luncheon Outing !
Watch on ‘Netflix’
Looking for a cool ‘cinematic’ getaway from the normal fare being dished out on OTT & theatres with heavy doses of action packed mayhem, violence & gore in the new age spy and crime movies of the thriller/horror genre that leave us with jarred nerves ! We were lucky to catch up with this wondrously delightful show – a short one hour journey where cinema heritage meets culinary passion in the most unscripted fashion. It’s not the usual film story but really a lovely afternoon conversation, full of nostalgia and of homemade delicacies that offers a rare glimpse into the ‘Kapoors’, Hindi cinema’s first family,
It’s titled ‘Dining with the Kapoors’ conceived almost in-house, to honor the 100th birth anniversary of patriarch Raj Kapoor. It celebrates Bollywood’s legendary Kapoor family and as ‘Ranbir’ says their love for fun, food & family. It was created & crafted by Armaan Jain and directed by Smriti Mundhra and incredibly brought together five generations under one famous roof (that of iconinc mansion built by the Showman ‘Raj Kapoor’ ) and old/new superstars Neetu, Kareena, Ranbir, Karisma, ‘Jamai’ Saif Ali Khan, among many others gather in family bon-homie and sibling banter for a heartwarming meal.
Just like in big family reunions the excitement and loud squeals are palpable as they meet and greet each other and elder generation Kapoors share with the younger lot their treasured memories, laughter & the culinary delights curated by talented Armaan Jain teased as ‘Chef’ Ali Khan. It explores intimately the Kapoor family’s deep connection to food and cinema, showcasing their bond through shared memories and favorite dishes and the family traditions shaping the legendary dynasty.
While the entire action is on the ‘dining table’ & exotic dishes, it had innovative themes like seating arrangements not with name plates but with childhood pics of each that was cute. Ranbir wanted each one seated to share their favorite childhood ‘food’ memories which invited lots of cross talk and suggestions jumping in. The post lunch speeches by Adar (Armaan’s bro), Ranbir & Saif were so heartwarming, generously earning applause. We missed those wonderful Kapoors of our generation – Late Shammi, Shashi & Rishi.
The show made us very emotional as it brought back many memories of reunions of our Extended ‘Sinha’ family. Our ancestors started with roots in Lucknow back in early 20th Century – we have now spread to many continents and on last count ‘Sinhas’ have forty members but maintain close family bonds and ties. Last year we had a grand reunion in Kolkata celebrating the Golden Wedding Anniverary of Shibani and Debashish. It was a gala event spread over 4 days. It was ‘Dining with the Sinhas’ sans huge superstars and their opulence. When big families celebrate together, it’s their bonding that matters !
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