Love, Sitara is a poignant reminder that behind every picture-perfect family lies a story, often layered with complexities, secrets, and love. It’s a film that makes you reflect on your relationships, your fears, and your capacity to forgive.
Every movie holds the potential to teach us something, even Bollywood movies, which often get typecast as mere entertainers. Love, Sitara is one such film that quietly delivers profound lessons about love, trust, commitment, and the unspoken fears that simmer beneath the surface of familial relationships.
It isn’t just a story about a picturesque backwater town or an upcoming wedding—it is a mirror reflecting the complexities of family dynamics, the skeletons in our closets, and the lingering influence of our parents’ choices on our own lives. Before diving into my opinion on the film, let’s start with what the movie is all about.
The Story
At the heart of Love, Sitara is Tara (played by Sobhita Dhulipala), an accomplished interior designer, and Arjun (Rajeev Siddhartha), a talented chef. The couple travels to Tara’s hometown in Kerala for what’s supposed to be a happy pre-wedding ritual—a meet-the-parents moment. Tara dreams of having her wedding in her late grandmother’s beloved house, a space filled with cherished childhood memories.
Tara’s family seems like the ideal picture of harmony. Her parents, Latha (Virginia Rodrigues) and hotelier Govind (Sanjay Bhutiani), radiate a warmth that can make anyone believe in the idea of perfect love. Tara is surrounded by her loving Hema chechi (Sonali Kulkarni), wise grandmother Amumma (B Jayashree), and an ensemble of supportive friends like Anjali (Tamara D’Souza), a photographer, and childhood buddy Dr. Majeed (Rijul Ray), a doctor who runs a free clinic.
But like any family, Tara’s seemingly perfect home has its shadows. Tara herself harbors a secret—she’s pregnant and has yet to share this revelation with anyone. When this secret inevitably surfaces, it sets off a domino effect of revelations, unmasking deep-seated fractures within the family.
The Turning Point
The most jolting twist comes when Tara discovers that her father, Govind, had been unfaithful to her mother, Latha. To make matters worse, his affair was with her aunt.
It shatters Tara’s perception of her father and the image of the perfect family she grew up idealizing.
This discovery plants an insidious fear within Tara—what if she, too, is destined to repeat the same mistakes? The film captures the unsettling thought many children face when they see their parents’ flaws: What if I turn out just like them?
Themes That Resonate
One of the most compelling aspects of Love, Sitara is how it delves into universal themes with nuance and emotional depth. The fear of inheriting our parents’ flaws, particularly when their mistakes come to light, is a central thread, as Tara grapples with the unsettling question of whether she might repeat her father’s betrayal. The film also explores the complexity of forgiveness, showing that even the people we love can falter, but genuine redemption and understanding can mend broken bonds.
At its heart, it sheds light on the masks families wear to maintain the illusion of perfection, reminding us that no family is without its secrets. Yet, amidst the revelations and imperfections, Love, Sitara highlights the enduring strength of familial ties, the power of self-awareness, and the courage to confront one’s fears, making it a deeply relatable and thought-provoking watch.
Why It’s a Must-Watch
If there’s one takeaway from Love, Sitara, it’s this: love is complex, families are messy, and nobody’s perfect. But that’s okay. The film doesn’t aim to resolve all its conflicts or offer cookie-cutter solutions. Instead, it leaves you with a sense of hope and acceptance.
For Indian families, watching this film together could spark meaningful conversations—about trust, forgiveness, and the impact of our choices on our loved ones. It’s a movie that stays with you long after the credits roll.
