One of the joys of global streaming apps is the sheer exposure to worldwide content. With a click of a button, I can be deep in the world of emotional Korean dramas, on the battlefields of historical Turkish soap operas or spend the afternoon with familiar Bollywood fare. I love that I get to watch some new and some my decade old favorites from back when I was in India.So, if you are looking to expand your tastes in Indian cinema, here are two very different movies to catch up on weekend (or whenever you prefer to watch content).

Kapoor & Sons (2016)

The trailer isn’t promising — the movie appears to be another glossy love story with pointless dance and song. Not true. Thematically similar to Dil Dhadakne Do, a movie about a wealthy dysfunctional family, Kapoor & Sons focuses on the interplay of relationships in a small middle-class family settled on the hills of Coonoor. With regards to depth, relatability, and subtlety it does a far better job than the shiny travel brochure that Dil Dhadakne Do was.

So, what’s it about?

The story begins when the head of the Kapoor family, Daadu (Rishi Kapoor in geriatric makeup) has a heart attack and is admitted to the hospital. This brings his diasporic grandsons back home completing the small family unit. The heart of the story is the dysfunction masked by the love between the four main characters of the Kapoor family — the mom, dad, and the bickering brothers. All of them hide their own terrible secrets.

Rahul (Fawad Khan) is the perfect, older son. A successful writer, he enjoys moderate fame and wealth. He comes first in everything, including his parent’s affection. Arjun (Sidharth Malhotra) is obviously the disgruntled neglected child constantly looking for approval and trying to escape the shadow of his big bro. Unable to stick to a job, he invites constant contempt from his family. The mom, portrayed by Ratna Pathak in a scene-stealing performance, is the typical Indian housewife. She is the glue that holds the family together even though she suffers the most thru others’ faults. Rajat Kapoor (in another brilliant performance) as Harsh is the cheating husband and insensitive father. Each character brings a lot of emotional baggage, and no conversation is innocent of accusations and past hurt.

Why it works

Movies about dysfunctional families aren’t new, not even for Bollywood. What makes this worthwhile is the edge-of-the-seat drama, brilliant performances, and the beautifully layered story. No character is devoid of secrets or sin. Each scene exposes a speck of the mess the Kapoor family is, building the tension until the climax when all hell breaks loose.

For a story set in Tamil Nadu, there are a disproportionately high number of Hindi-speaking people. Daadu’s antics as a party-loving old man are mainly annoying.These quibbles aside, Kapoor & Sons is smartly made and can be watched more than once.

Wake up Sid (2009)

Wake Up Sid isn’t the most original but, it’s for sure one of the more endearing coming-of-age movies to come out of Bollywood. It also pushed Ranbir Kapoor into the A-list of Indian actors.

So, what’s it about?

Sid (Ranbir Kapoor) is an average spoiled brat whose only aim in life is to blow up his dad’s money. Repeated attempts from his parents to get him serious about his life falter. Things come to pass when he fails his graduation exam. Annoyed with his failure and refusal to take ownership of his shortcomings,

Sid walks out of his home in a fit of anger.He finds refuge at the apartment of his new friend, Sapna (Konkana Sen Sharma in yet another flawless performance). Sapna has recently moved to Mumbai from her hometown of Kolkata to chase her dreams of being a journalist.Predictably, they fall in love but, Sid’s failure at adulting drives a wedge in their relationship. Sid gets his ‘wake-up call’ when even Sapna refuses to put up with him.

Why it works

Convincing, engaging performance by Ranbir & Konkana elevates the simple plotline. For me, what really makes the movie memorable is the portrayal of the young, fearless optimism of chasing your dreams. For all the growing up the characters have to do, there is a hopeful thread that runs through the film. The future is always bright.