Film: Apne

Director: Anil Sharma

Producer: Rahul Sugandh and Sangeeta Ahir

Cast: Dharmendra, Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Kirron Kher, Shilpa Shetty, Katrina Kaif, Aryan Vaid, Victor Banerjee, Divya Dutta

Rating: 3.5/5
 
The dictionary describes the term family as a fundamental social group in society, typically consisting of one or two parents and their children.

In a country such as ours, bestowed with a rich culture and values passed on through generations,  the term family takes a new meaning altogether. Apne is the pronunciation of this meaning of family and what it means to be conferred with one.

Every family member watches out for the other, that's the thought Baldev Singh (Dharmendra) leads his life by. After an unsuccessful career in boxing, convicted of doping charges, he asks his son Angad (Sunny Deol) to make him proud in the ring. But Angad refuses, as he opts for an alternative career. This refusal comes at a cost, that of hostility between father and son.

With a great offer to reclaim his honour, Baldev begins coaching Gaurav (Aryan Vaid). All is well till he too deserts him for another coach. Shattered and completely out of control, Baldev's rescue vehicle is none other than his younger son Karan (Bobby Deol), who recuperates from  a paralysed hand. With coaching sessions in full swing, it is up to Karan to salvage his father's honour. What follows is a series of unfortunate events and the re-discovery of familial bonds. A family torn by tension discovers what it means having each other around.

To begin with, the concept of family that is so bound to our being, is also intertwined throughout the film. Without going overboard in trying to state a point, the plot discovers the bond extremely well. The characters are not mundane (there are always exceptions), neither is their feeling. The characters are well carved and executed...