Sunday, 07 September 2025
Sunday, 07 September 2025
For most kids growing up, grandparents have always been anchors, best friends and pillars of support. They are the ones we run to when the rest of the world turns its back on us. They may be old, but their love is unparalleled — from pampering that heals to countless gifts, the comforting aroma of home-cooked food to timeless stories of days past.
And what better occasion to tip our hats to these endearing figures than Grandparents’ Day? This year, we take a look at six unforgettable Bollywood grandpas and grandmas who hold a special place in our hearts through laugh-out-loud moments, tears and wisdom.
Rishi Kapoor in Kapoor & Sons
In Shakun Batra’s 2016 film Kapoor & Sons, Rishi Kapoor essayed the role of Amarjeet Kapoor, the 90-year-old ‘shaukeen’ dada ji, who acts as the calmest and wisest figure in the dysfunctional family. The film follows the patriarch’s arrival back home after a heart attack that shakes up the family dynamics. Although secretly witnessing the simmering conflicts around him, he brims with a cheery, lighthearted demeanour.
Despite his old age, he is anything but traditional. He cheekily browses through Mandakini's Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985) videos on his “i-papad”, smokes pot, cheats at cards, and cracks potty jokes with glee. However, beneath all the mischief lies a wish: the desire to capture a family photo, prompting his fragmented family to bond again.
Farida Jalal in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai
When we think of iconic grandmothers in Bollywood, the first name that comes to mind is undoubtedly Farida Jalal. The OG ‘nani’ of Hindi cinema, Jalal has left an indelible mark as Mrs. Khanna, the loving and supportive grandmother of Shah Rukh Khan’s character Rahul’s daughter Anjali.
A warm, playful and spirited woman with a high sense of responsibility, Mrs Khanna is a delight, especially when she teases her family in scenes involving kitty parties and school moments. Straying away from the conventional matriarch roles, Jalal posits herself as a cool grandma, who is as wise and nurturing when it comes to her family’s joys as she is for the heartbreaks.
Kamlesh Gill in Vicky Donor
For veteran actress Kamlesh Gill, her breakthrough moment came at the age of 75 with the Bollywood flick Vicky Donor where she played the role of the unapologetic, whiskey-chugging grandma Biji. A true-blue modern grandmother, the old yet not-so-old Biji’s wishlist is bigger than most Gen Zs’ — LED TV, iPhone, designer outfits — you name it. To top it off, her sense of humour is a delight, sharing banters — and a few pegs — with her daughter-in-law at night.
Amitabh Bachchan in Bhoothnath
Amitabh Bachchan’s ‘Bhoothnath’ isn’t your typical grandpa. In the beloved 2008 film, Aditya (Shah Rukh Khan) and Anjali (Juhi Chawla) move into a new house, the Nath Villa, along with their son, Banku. One night, the little boy comes across a ghost of the previous occupant of the house, Bhoothnath, played by Bachchan, and tries to befriend him. Although he tries to scare the family away at first, Bhoothnath soon has a change of heart, forming an unlikely bond with Banku that becomes the beating heart of the story.
Pankaj Kapur in Binny and Family
Pankaj Kapur steps into the shoes of a conservative grandfather, SN Singh, from Bihar, who moves to London to spend time with his granddaughter Binny (Anjini Dhawan) in this 2024 film. Despite their initial generation clash, the duo learn to bridge the cultural gap, with Binny introducing her grandfather to her world and him imparting his age-old wisdom.
Paresh Rawal in Shastri vs Shastri
A remake of director-duo Shiboprosad Mukherjee and Nandita Roy’s 2017 Bengali film Posto, Shastri vs Shastri shows Paresh Rawal’s Manohar Shastry fighting a legal battle to retain guardianship of his young grandson, Yaman, when the boy’s father tries to move him to the US with him. As custody issues call for an emotionally-draining court procedure, Rawal’s character embodies the unconditional love grandparents shower, compensating for the shortcomings on part of parents to ensure what’s best for the child.
