Fully Filmy Family #TadkaTuesday

Which movie/s do you relate to most, and why, was the prompt by #TadkaTuesday and the fl0odgates of memory opened up!

Have you watched the film , Seven Brides for Seven Brothers? Or the Indian version of the same, Satte pe Satta? You have?

Well, I’ve lived it.

I grew up in a big family, with 5 Uncles and 3 Aunts. My Grandparents passed away very young and that meant my parents, Dad being the eldest brother, herded the family.

Satte pe Satta is a story of 6 bachelor brothers living with their eldest married brother and his wife. When the film released we got calls from friends and relatives all over the world telling us how the film reminded them of our family. And believe me, it was exactly like someone had spied on our daily life and written the script.

My 5 Uncle’s fitted the varied characters in the film the to the T, with one of them even screaming out when he was only just talking. No uncle stuttered though. Mum, even though younger than 3 of her brothers-in-law, was the only person they listened to, while Dad was the quintessential elder brother.

Going shopping was an adventure, as while regular people shopped for a pair or two of clothes each we shopped for bolts of fabric, which would later be tailored according to whatever the current reigning superstar had introduced as the latest fashion.

During mealtimes, kilos of vegetables were consumed even before hot roti’s made their way to the table. The worst was when we had Bhindi (Okra) on the menu, we added finger chips when cooking Bhindi at home, as the vegetable was literally eaten as finger food, and no amount of it was enough. I remember coming home from school one evening to see two of our maids sobbing uncontrollably. When we had calmed them down enough Mum asked them the reason for their tears and we were told my Uncles and their friends had eaten their way through 5 packets of Bread used to make toasted sandwiches and still wanted more, and the maids were exhausted from chopping onions and tomatoes for the filling and assembling the sandwiches. They rest in our storeroom now, but we still have the vessels we used in the kitchen in those days, every day, and they could bring joy to any catering company.

The Neanderthal look was a favorite on holidays and Sundays as no shower and no shave was the mood on those days

Indo-Pak matches bought a mini crowd at home, with my Uncles and their friends crowding around the television and each run by the Indian Team sending up a roar of delight, which could be heard down the lane. God forbid if India lost the match! The heated discussions and each player dissections that followed sometimes even led to blows!

Happy memories, of being woken up at unearthly hours to watch Sport, watching The Godfather on loop, being and cocooned in love and protection.

Times changed, and with it people, but memories, ah memories, they remain the same!

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