The 10 Types Of Bollywood Parents We Can All Relate To
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Just as Bollywood movies have inspired so many youngsters to chase after their dreams and woo their object of desire, they have also influenced parents to adopt their parenting tactics. Of course, your mother will probably not be as dramatic as a Bollywood mom (we hope) but we’re sure you’ll be able to relate to at least one of these Bollywood tropes. Parents in Bollywood have evolved from being figures of authority to more friendly and modern as time has gone by. Here is a list of common Bollywood parent tropes you will encounter as a fan:
1. The Paranoid And Over-protective Parent
Every parent wants what’s best for their children. But some parents take it too far. Way too far. Some parents go out of their way to keep a hawk’s eye on their child. Like Boman Irani in 3 Idiots who goes out of his way to give Aamir Khan’s character a bad time. In the movie, he decides what his children’s profession is going to be and he even decides who his daughter will get married to. He just can’t let them be and any kind of “disorder” will make him paranoid.
Some parents in this character trope have even gone so far as to fake being poor to get their child admitted into the school of their dreams.
2. The Sanskar Obsessed Parent
If Alok Nath is the first actor who comes to mind when you think of Sanskar obsessed, then you’re not the only one. The Sanskar obsessed parents are the poster child of Bollywood and sadly, a deep reflection on the reality for so many adults in this country.
These over-sanskari parents will go to great lengths to deny their daughters the right to choose the man they love. Even their sons aren’t spared from this and they’re shown disowning their sons when they decide to marry someone of their own choice.
The Sanskar obsessed parents often resort to dirty tricks to get their children to do what they want. These tricks include guilt-tripping, slapping and general enrage towards anything that is considered “un-sanskari”.
3. The “I’m Too Cool To Be A Parent” Parent
“I’m not a regular mom. I’m a cool mom!”. This is the type of Bollywood parent who will buy you a beer and then game and drink with you and your buds. One of the rarest forms of Bollywood parents, they’re slowly getting more and more popular with time.
Prime examples of cool parents are Anupam Kher in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and Amitabh Bachchan in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna.
4. The Thirsty For Vengeance Parent
This kind of parent will do whatever it takes to avenge something that has happened to their child. The thirsty for vengeance trope is popular even in Hollywood.
An example of the trope is Sridevi in Mom looking to exact revenge on the boys who gang-raped her stepdaughter. Movies like this prove the love a parent has for their child and always leave us feeling teary-eyed by the end of it. Another such parent would be Sanjay Dutt from the movie Bhoomi.
5. The Struggling Single Parent
In Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Naa, Ratna Pathak Shah is shown as a single mom who is struggling to deal with her late husband’s “violent past” and doesn’t want their son to turn into him. Despite her struggles to do so, her son ends up following his father’s footsteps, but only to win back the woman he loves.
Waheeda Rehman in Rang De Basanti is a single mom who loses the only person she has— her son (played by R Madhavan). She does her best to get justice for her son and is treated horribly by the police while doing so. The movie is an example for how strong mothers are and to what extent they can go when it comes to their children.
6. The “You Have To Live My Dreams” Parent
This parent is all about living vicariously through their child. Their mentality is like “If I can’t do it, you have to.” Sadly, this character trope is the common reality of many Indians around the world.
This kind of parent gets their kicks out of seeing their kids beat other kids in various aspects of life. If their child chooses to go their own way or want to do better, this parent will name and shame the child until he/she is forced to walk away. However, for a few lucky kids, their parents will understand and mend their ways if you talk to them.
7. The “Shaadi Kab Karoge” Parent
One of the most common and prevalent character stereotypes in Hindi cinema, this kind of parent only lives to watch their child get married and make them grandparents.
While it’s perfectly fine to want your child to have some kind of companionship, this parent often borders on being pushy.
8. The Overly Selfless Parent
This parent will stand by your side against the world. If you’re in prison, they’d use whatever money they had to bail you out. They’ll support you even if they don’t agree with you. This Bollywood parent is very very rare in real life.
Vidya Balan’s character in Paa raises Amitabh Bachchan’s character almost single-handedly for many years and would do whatever it takes to make sure her progeria-affected son gets a good life.
9. The Toxic Parent
Who can forget Ronit Roy’s egotistical maniac of a character in Udaan? In the movie, his only purpose is to make the audience hate him. He is emotionally and physically abusive, rude, and basically just a shitty person in general.
Another example of absolute horrendous parenting is Shah Rukh Khan’s character in Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna. In the movie, he takes out all the anger of his loveless marriage on the child he shares with Preity Zinta’s character. Luckily for the kid, Preity Zinta is an excellent mom.
10. The Overly Dramatic Parent
The most iconic character trope there is. The overly dramatic parent (usually a mom) is shown to have extreme sanskari values and a Zero Tolerance for BS attitude. In the movie Dostana, Kirron Kher’s character is initially shocked at her son’s admission of being gay but learns to accept the truth. She even blesses her son and his “alleged” partner.
In 2 States, Amrita Singh comes off as an extremely loud and boisterous Punjabi mom and is initially pretty unreasonable and racist towards her son’s South Indian girlfriend. However, even these moms have a soft corner and slowly learn to accept their children for who they truly are.
While some of these stereotypes are slowly being erased out of the industry, you’ll still see a few common tropes being used here and there. Is there a Bollywood parent you can relate to? Do any of your parents resemble Bollywood parents? Let us know in the comments below.
