Abhishek Jain: Family dynamics have changed

Hum Do Humare Do director hopes to redefine concept of family with Raj-Kriti starrer that revolves around a man adopting parents
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; October 11, 2021)

After Mimi initiated a dialogue about surrogacy earlier this year, Kriti Sanon and producer Dinesh Vijan have teamed up to serve another novel story with Hum Do Humare Do. The Abhishek Jain-directed film sees leading man Rajkummar Rao adopting parents to charm his ladylove, essayed by Sanon. The director hopes to reassess the concept of family from a modern prism. While the much-loved Modern Family has normalised the different kinds of family units, Jain says his story is rooted in the Indian ethos.

“Coming from a city like Ahmedabad, we had a culture of thronging cinemas in large numbers and watching films together. In the past year-and-a-half, due to lockdown-borne anxiety, people have realised the value of family time. The other set of people who have migrated to the metros or don’t live around loved ones, realised that families don’t necessarily consist of blood relations,” says the writer-director, emphasising that the idea of what constitutes a family has undergone a shift during the pandemic.

“The dynamics of family have changed, and empathy has increased. This film is contextually taking that same idea forward. Family is not always made of blood relations, but [built on] affection and empathy.”

The Disney+ Hotstar offering features Paresh Rawal and Ratna Pathak Shah in supporting roles. Producer Vijan says the movie — like his previous productions that tackle serious subjects with a generous dose of humour — takes an out-of-the-box look at adoption.

He says, “We trust the power of content-driven films. While Mimi was a delightful family entertainer, we are taking the essence of family further with this film.”