BY NAMITA DOGRA SUDAN*
The Questions the Documentary Quietly Raises
Before diving into the warmth and nostalgia of Dining with the Kapoors, the documentary immediately sparks two unavoidable questions.
The first: When did the Kapoor family suddenly become this united?
For decades, the Kapoors were known as Bollywood’s royal but fractured dynasty. Headlines were dominated by stories of internal rifts, cousins who didn’t speak, family members skipping milestone events, and a long history of tension between various branches of the clan. The idea of the entire Kapoor family sitting together at a table, laughing and reminiscing, would have seemed unlikely not long ago. Yet, over the past few years, public appearances, Christmas brunches, crossover weddings, talk-show confessions, and now a documentary have steadily rewritten their narrative into one of affection and solidarity.
The second question is even more revealing: Why are so many of Bollywood’s legacy families suddenly producing documentaries about themselves?
This Kapoor special follows a growing trend. Yash Chopra’s The Romantics rekindled nostalgia for the YRF empire. Soon after came Angry Young Men, spotlighting the intertwined worlds of Javed Akhtar’s family Farhan and Zoya Akhtar and Salim Khan’s family, featuring Salman Khan. The Roshan family followed with a Netflix special on their multigenerational creative legacy. And now, the Kapoors. These dynasty-driven narratives feel like more than nostalgia; they resemble strategic statements. In an age where stardom is quickly reshaped by OTT platforms, influencer culture, and outsider breakthroughs, Bollywood’s foundational families seem keen to reclaim relevance and cultural dominance.
A Lunch Built on Legacy
Against this backdrop, Dining with the Kapoors unfolds as a tribute to Raj Kapoor on what would have been his 100th birthday. The lunch is hosted by Armaan Jain actor-turned-chef and grandson of Raj Kapoor through his daughter Rima Jain. Raj Kapoor’s warmth, grandeur, and legendary love for food form the emotional spine of the special. Each member present recalls personal anecdotes, painting him as the towering patriarch who brought joy, drama, and unforgettable celebrations into their lives.
Food becomes the structuring device of the episode, an anchor that allows the family to slip naturally into nostalgia, humor, and sentiment.
Star-Power Stole the Room
While many members of the Kapoor clan are present, the documentary inevitably orients itself around the dynasty’s biggest stars. Ranbir Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karisma Kapoor, and Neetu Kapoor form the narrative’s gravitational core. Their anecdotes, chemistry, and emotional ease shape the rhythm of the episode, making them the natural face of the special.
Riddhima Kapoor Sahni’s presence also stands out, especially after her increased visibility through Bollywood Wives. She contributes a quieter but significant layer to the family portrait, representing the next tier of the Kapoor legacy.
Other members of the Kapoor family in attendance included Randhir Kapoor, Rima Jain, Kunal Kapoor, Aadar Jain, Armaan Jain with his wife Anissa Malhotra Jain, and members of the late Rajiv Kapoor’s extended family.
Bachchan-Kapoor connection
The documentary features a wide tapestry of Kapoor lineage.
Rima Jain appears alongside her sons Armaan Jain and Aadar Jain, adding the warmth and humor often associated with their branch of the family. From another lineage altogether come Agastya Nanda and Navya Naveli Nanda, whose presence underscores one of Bollywood’s most powerful family connections. Through their grandmother Ritu Nanda, they are Raj Kapoor’s great-grandchildren. Through their mother, Shweta Bachchan, they are part of the Bachchan family.
This rare dual lineage of both Bachchan and Kapoor brings a symbolic weight to the gathering and subtly merges two of Bollywood’s most influential dynasties in the same frame. Completing the circle is Saif Ali Khan, representing the extended in-law presence through Kareena.
Who Was Missing?
A moment this significant naturally draws attention to those who weren’t present. The most noticeable absences were Alia Bhatt, who, despite being an essential part of the new-generation Kapoor narrative as Ranbir’s wife, was missing from the gathering, and Babita Kapoor, mother of Kareena and Karisma, whose long standing preference for privacy once again kept her away. Together, their absence created a subtle but unmistakable gap in what otherwise felt like a nearly complete Kapoor family portrait.
So, What Does the Documentary Really Tell Us?
By presenting the Kapoors as harmonious, affectionate, and united, the documentary leaves us with two possible conclusions.
First: All the feud headlines over the decades were exaggerated, and the family was never truly fractured.
Or
Second: The family has grown, healed, or consciously chosen unity especially as public narratives matter more than ever in today’s media climate.
Whichever of these is true, one thing is certain: for fans, seeing the Kapoors together in one room is nothing short of cultural nostalgia.
The Final Impression
In the end, Dining with the Kapoors succeeds as more than a tribute; it becomes a cultural statement. It reaffirms the family’s place in Bollywood’s legacy landscape, reminding audiences that even in a rapidly changing industry, lineage still holds a certain magic. Warm, polished, and decidedly watchable, the documentary reconnects viewers with the charm of Raj Kapoor whose presence continues to bind generations over food, stories, and shared history.
Raj Kapoor may no longer be at the table, but the table, unmistakably, still belongs to him.
Cover image credit: Netflix
*Namita Dogra Sudan is the entertainment news editor and video news producer of NRIPulse.
