Hum Saath-Saath Hai is a 1999 Bollywood movie that made a huge impact based on the star cast. The film is directed by Sooraj R. and features Mohnish, Tabu, Salman Khan, Sonali, Saif Ali Khan, Karisma, Neelam, and Mahesh. This movie revolves around three brothers and their families.
From stereotypical female characters to problematic dialogues, the movie is everything you would expect from a 90s Bollywood film.
What went wrong with Hum Saath-Saath Hai besides the typical drama? Here are 5 things that went wrong in the star-studded movie.
Blatant Sexism
Sexism plays a big role in this movie, which comes as no surprise. Although all the daughters-in-law have high educations, their main goal is to take care of their husbands, support other women, and follow patriarchal rules. Even though they were modern women, their only purpose in life was to be someone’s ‘wife’. That sounds toxic, doesn’t it?
Elders are Treated like Gods.
Respecting someone is not the same as treating them as gods. The notion of respect is not age-based, but in this movie, all elders are treated like gods, and all the cast worship them. Even when elders made mistakes, they were considered gods, which was annoying.
The Flawed Cultural Standards
The biggest example is how wives wait until their husbands finish eating before taking a bite. Throughout the movie, the women acted nervous and shy around their husbands and treated them as gods. It’s exactly what we need to get rid of in our lives. In this film, women have no opinions. A wife’s only duty is to look pretty, cook delicious meals, and obey all the decisions made by her husband.
The Lack of Privacy in a Huge Household
It was impossible for a couple to have a normal conversation in this film when their families were around. This was whether they were romancing in silence or just trying to have a polite conversation. Every time they sat down, someone disturbed them. If this isn’t toxic, then what is? In this film, no one is allowed a private moment because it is forbidden to keep secrets from their family, and no couples can spend time together alone. In that sense, the movie is completely toxic.
Sticking to Stereotypes
You aren’t cultured enough if you don’t begin your day with prayer with your parents, that’s one stereotype in the movie. The gossip ladies’ sole duty is to gossip around, and the heroine has to be shy and run away when their husband’s name is mentioned. In the adoption story, there is also nothing new, just the same old story, which is like sharing old wine in a new bottle, only the wine tastes bad.
The list of mistakes made in this movie goes on. Bollywood has long been a turf for these kinds of movies and scary family dramas. But at the same time, Bollywood movies were ahead of their time with some unique films.
What are your thoughts on the movie? Let us know in the comments section below!
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