The Bollywood bhai-products

sibling bonding in our films is generally highlighted by much weeping and hysterics. Mainstream Hindi cinema has a whole small-scale industry set aside for films about brother-sister ties.

 

Here's looking at the best bhai-products of the sibling theme.

The Sacrificial Siblings

Rakhi (1962) and Bhai Bahen (1969): Two of the most successful tearjerkers of the 1960s -- both directed by the eminently saleable A Bhim Singh -- were about a brother and sister outdoing each other for the martyr's cup.

 

In Rakhi, Waheeda Rehman and Ashok Kumar played siblings who just can't be without each other. Six years later, Bhim Singh made Bhai Bahen, a straight-off saga of sibling suffering with Sunil Dutt and Nutan in the lead.

 

The Over-Possessive Brother

 

Manoj Bajpai's possessiveness for sister Antara Mali in Ram Gopal Varma's Telugu flop Prem Katha (1999) verged on the incestuous. 

 

Shah Rukh Khan went completely ballistic trying to keep sister Aishwarya Rai from Chandrachur Singh's arms in Mansoor Khan's Josh (2000). Interestingly, they played lovers in Mohabbatein a year later.

 

Mahesh Manjrekar would not let little sis Bhoomika Chawla anywhere near Abhishek Bachchan in Jeeva's Run (2004), and in Bapu's Pyari Behna (1985) hyper-protective brother Mithun Chakraborty smothers poor Tanvi Azmi in brotherly affection while his love interest Padmini Kolhapure fumes.

 

In Bandhan (1998), Ashwini Bhawe takes kid brother Salman Khan to her sasural as the dahej. Impact: Brother-in-law Jackie Shroff feels sidelined and spends his nights at the kothewali Shweta Reddy's place.

 

The Vendetta Catalyst Sister

 

This is a favourite 'siney mein jalan' cliché where the sister is totured/raped/murdered and so Big Brother goes on a vendetta binge.

 

In Suneel Darshan's Talaash (2003), the entire drama was based on the brother's search for his sister. Blessedly, the sis wasn't played by leading lady Kareena Kapoor. Imagine how Akshay and Kareena would've looked playing lovers in Bewafaa after doing the rakhi-mera-naam anthem!

 

In Deepak Shivdasani's Pehchaan (1993), Suniel Shetty goes in search of sister Madhoo in the red-light

area. Does anyone even remember the leading lady in the film?

 

Sister As Sacrificial Lamb

Bollywood's resident screen-sister Nazima played the central role in Mere Bhaiya (1972). The actress' image as the rakhi-ki-rani was seldom showcased with such splendid sibling sentimentality.

 

In Yeh Kaisa Insaaf (1980), Shabana Azmi played a sister willing to sacrifice marital happiness for the sake of her kid brother.

 

In Tapasya (1976), Raakhee was the long-suffering didi who tells her lover to take a walk when his mom says she must let her siblings fend for themselves.

 

In K Balachander's Aaina (1977), Mumtaz becomes a prostitute to support her impoverished siblings.

 

And in Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam (2002), Madhuri Dixit is willing to suffer husband Shah Rukh Khan's taunts to look after brother Atul Agnihotri in her sasural.

 

In Rajesh Seth's Angaaray (1986), sister Smita Patil becomes a mujrewalli for her kid brother Alankar's financial security.

 

The Song

 

In Manmohan Desai's Sachcha Jhutha (1970), Rajesh Khanna takes off for the city to collect dowry money for sister Naaz, only after singing Meri pyari behaniya banegi dulhaniya.

 

Sister Nanda sang Bhaiyya mere rakhi ke bandhan ko nibhana to Balraj Sahni in L V Prasad's Chhoti Bahen (1959). And Nazima sang Hum baheno ke liye mere bhaiyya aata hai ek din saal mein for Rajendra Kumar in Anjaana (1969).

 

But the best sis song is by an unidentified actress in a prison singing Ab ke baras bhej bhaiyya ko babul in Bimal Roy's Bandini (1963).

Incidentally, sisters have always had it tough switching to romantic roles. Nanda could never get out of  the sisterly image though she tried so hard to do so by playing a killer in Ittefaq (1969).