If You Loved Shilpa Shetty’s ‘Sukhee’ A Slice-Of-Life Movie, Watch Similar Flicks That Capture The Beauty of Everyday Life

Are you wondering what a slice-of-life movie is? Well, it is a style of storytelling or genre that follows regular people and the drama and crisis that emerge from their ordinary everyday lives.

Sometimes films are not about extraordinary events—instead, they focus on the ordinary. Films and series that capture the mundanity of existence and everyday life are often placed under the slice-of-life genre. These films may not incorporate the ugliest, overly dramatic conflicts or grand schemes of resolutions, but they emphasize the characters, their everyday life, and the setting.

In the history of entertainment and cinema, many films and series have followed this simple theme. Often naturalist and subtle—slice-of-life movies peek into the ordinary life that is generally disregarded in cinematic creations—depicting the ups and downs experienced by ordinary people. If you watched Shilpa Shetty Kundra’s recent movie, ‘Sukhee,’ and are looking for similar works, below are some well-crafted films that follow the slice-of-life genre and prove that a storyline can be exciting, thrilling, and fun even if the plot does not incorporate too many over-the-top elements.

The Lunchbox (2013)

Undeniably ‘The Lunchbox,’ is a subtle yet excellent Hindi film that follows a middle-aged office-going man (played by Irrfan Khan) who starts receiving home-cooked food for lunch in place of his regular tiffin service. The young woman (played by Nimrat Kaur), whose lunchbox gets misplaced, was actually cooking and sending lunch for her husband. Eventually, the sender and receiver of the tiffin box start interacting with one another through letters that they leave inside the lunchbox. The movie depicts how two strangers establish a bond through food.

Stanley Ka Dabba (2011)

Directed, produced, and written by Amole Gupte—this slice-of-life tale is about Stanley—a school-going boy, and his lunch box (dabba). The anti-hero in ‘Stanley Ka Dabba,’ is his Hindi teacher—Verma—who steals lunch boxes from his students and guzzles down their meals. This film will teleport you back in time—to your good old school days—but will eventually ground you with its heartbreaking yet realistic end.

Do Dooni Chaar (2010)

After thirty years, Neetu Kapoor and Rishi Kapoor, the lovely duo—reunited on screen to feature in this comedy-drama that won a National Award. Do Dooni Chaar follows the Duggals—a middle-class Indian family—and their desire to buy a car and lead a prosperous life—which seems quite challenging since the father is a school teacher with a nominal salary. Soon the Duggals discover themselves in a pit of moral quandary, trying to make a choice between greed and ethics.

Dear Zindagi (2016)

Dear Zindagi revolves around a woman, Kaira—who has always found herself in problematic relationships. She decides to sort out her problems by seeking professional help from Dr. Jehangir—an unconventional psychologist. The very natural and effortless relationship between the duo is interesting to watch, and the film channels the raw and organic emotions of Alia Bhatt as Kaira. Dear Zindagi rekindles hope in young lost souls through Kiara's character—as her emotional health eventually progresses.

Mukti Bhawan (2016)

An unwilling son has to visit Varanasi—accompanying his aged father, who is certain that he will soon breathe his last and wishes to acquire salvation in the scared city. Rajiv (played by Adil Hussain) takes a break from all his duties to take his father on a morose journey. The father and son arrive at Mukti Bhawan—a hotel that accommodates people seeking salvation during their final days. Could there be a narrative more morbidly depressing than this? But a story about death and acceptance can never be delightful (especially if it captures parental demise). Mukti Bhawan is a humorously realistic and deliberately mundane take on death and the duties of children.

There are countless films out there that introduce the audience to an extraordinary world—full of imagination and wonder (like Bahubali). But slice-of-life films are deeply rooted in the ordinary, real-world— replete with vibrant and realistic characters. These titles entertain us but also offer insight into life, its peculiarities, little joys, and what we can learn from it.