Lights, Camera & Ageing: 5 Interesting Perspectives From The Movies

How does it feel to closely see time slipping by like a handful of sand? Instead of focusing on how hard ageing can be, I’ll try to look at ageing through the lens of a movie. All of us have watched tonnes of movies where we see old people. But have we ever wondered about the emotions that these movies bring out when it comes to the various facets of ageing?

Capturing the parent-child dynamics

Piku- The heartwarming story of a father and daughter.

It struck a chord with each generation. It showed how stressful it can be when dealing with an ageing parent, especially when you are a single parent. Knowing that you care deeply, yet feeling like what you are doing isn’t enough when it comes to their ailing health Piku shows the bond between a daughter and her overly demanding father.

It delves into the topic of how, after a certain age, parents can’t live all by themselves; they need to be given a purpose to live. They should look forward to living, and this responsibility falls upon their children.

Also, it teaches us that we can’t judge our parents, no matter how they are. They have had their own struggles. How they sacrifice for us just to bring that smile to our faces. Piku also stands out as it broke the age-old stereotype of a son supporting an old, ageing father and smashed it right in society’s face. Piku is a wise, fiercely vocal, independent, and unapologetic woman who is strong enough to show all her emotions.

Baghban – A beautiful movie that shows the pain of parents being disowned by their children!

There comes a time in our lives when all that our parents want is our time and attention, just like we did when we were little kids. But with the excuse of being caught up with work or our lives, we don’t give our parents the love and affection they need. Old age can be very lonely and depressing. An individual is at that stage of their life where they feel that their existence becomes too overbearing on their peers. It feels as if everyone around you suddenly starts seeing you as incapable of doing things on their own.

A Kid – always a kid!

Father of the Bride and its sequels – deal with the theme of how a father finds it difficult to let go of his daughter when she’s ready to get married.

Even though it’s a light-hearted comedy film, it touches on the topic of letting the child out of their nests and setting out into the real world. How parents find it tough to see their kids as adults!

When Memory Fails, You don’t fail them!

The Notebook – shows how a husband still manages to keep the spark in their relationship, despite his wife suffering from Alzheimer’s.

Allie’s entire memory is erased, and she’s living the life of a stranger among her loved ones. She can’t recognise her husband, Noah, or her children and grandchildren. There’s still no cure for Alzheimer’s, but there are strategies to delay progression, maximise function, and maintain independence. It becomes difficult to form complete thoughts and understand the people around us. ‘The Notebook’ shows how a supportive and caring partner can make things better. It talks about companionship and being in love despite all odds.

Noah continues to be optimistic that he can bring Allie’s memory back, even if it’s just for a moment. This movie portrays the struggles of caregivers. How a family needs to make difficult decisions about the patient, plan their care, and become sensitive so as not to upset them in their confused state. This movie provides a platform to facilitate a discussion on mental health. It’s an enthralling story of a resilient couple whose love withstands illness and hardships.

Live to Love or Love to Live

‘Letters from Juliet’ – A romantic delight. It offers love, hope, and human connection.

It’s about being young at heart to fall in love. It’s one of those movies that touches on the topic of “star-crossed lovers.” Just because someone is old doesn’t mean that they deprive themselves of love. The movie explores how a couple got separated at a young age, then moved on with their lives, but still found their way back into each other’s lives in their old age. Time may have separated them, but love didn’t. It beautifully captures the emotion that ‘The Heart Has No Wrinkles’. 

Second Innings

The Intern – captures the theme of not giving up.

Ben, played by Robert de Niro, decides to give life a second shot in his 70s as he starts working again. Everyone around him is surprised to see him working even after his retirement. They are unsure of how much he’ll be able to put into his work, given his age. But he’s pretty sure that he isn’t ready for retirement. A perfect example of a person who is always ready to learn, he never abandons himself from the outer world.

He makes numerous efforts, all to gain new experiences and a purpose. Not concerned about what other people around him think, he is delighted to work, he is honest with people, not afraid to learn, and always ready to support others. It is vitally important to stay close to other people, to help them, and to not be afraid of asking for help. Our deeds define the people we are.

We all know that a human being grows in years when s/he stops moving forward in all aspects: physical, emotional, and intellectual. One may feel that a majority of people, even when they’re younger, ‘deteriorate’ and refuse to live life to the full once they give up on learning something new.

Old is Gold

Age is just a number.

Zeenat Aman, in her recent CRED advertisement, shows her impeccable style and grace. Then, we have Ratan Tata, who is a true embodiment of leadership, humanity, and ethics.

Ageing can be a beautiful journey where all the experience and learning can make you get going no matter what age you are in. 

SONALI SWAIN