Mothers' Day Special: When super-cool moms shocked these celebs

Most of us can fondly remember the times when our parents' unresonable strictness would make us run in the opposite direction and vent to our friends, ‘I wish my parents were cooler’. And most of us were also lucky enough to be pleasantly surprised, one fine day, to realize that, in fact, our parenst are way cooler than we ever gave them credit for! On Mothers' Day, the cast of Family Album, directed by Mainak Bhaumik, celebrate moments from reel and real family albums, when they finally realized that parents can be cool, in their own unique ways.

Paoli
Reel story — Paoli’s character Attrika has suicidal tendencies, and is supposed to take regular medication and visit her doctor often. But Attrika hates the medicines and tries her best to avoid them and the doctor’s appointments, thinking she can get away with it as her mom's old and she can fool her easily enough. But her mum, who has her own ways of keeping track of her daughter's activities, have Attrika's assistant, who she easily charms into parting with each of Attrika's secrets!
Real story — One night, I had come home from work and I was just sitting around and chatting with my friends on WhatsApp and my mom kept coming to my room and asking me to dinner as it was getting late. But I kept saying I was busy. She left and a few minutes later, I got a WhatsApp message from her saying, ‘Finish your dinner and then chat' ! I had no idea, she was on WhatsApp!

Swastika Mukherjee
Reel story: Swastika’s character Moitreyee is ‘single but not ready to mingle’, while her mother keeps pestering her to get married. And then one day, on the breakfast table, her mom suddenly suggests that instead of going about it the old fashioned way, she should look for potential partners on websites! Turns out the traditional old mother is aware of new-age internet dating contrary to what the daughter believes.
Real story — Well into my thirties, some cool kids from Mainak’s team of Aami aar amaar Girlfriends introduced me to hash (ganja). And like a true novice, I was trying out the rolling joint thing in my room at night, but I had forgotten to lock my door. And my mom walked in. Considering I was already the mother of a 13 year old myself, I need not have been scared. But instead, I felt like a 13 year old myself, caught red handed by my mom. However, instead of yelling, Ma coolly said, “You’ve had a long day at work, you go to sleep. I will cut up that stuff for you!”

Mainak Bhaumik
Real story – Growing up, looking the way I do, wasn’t easy. Wherever I’d go, people would keep whispering, “Meye na chele?” (Is that a boy or a girl). I got so pissed that I lashed out by growing my hair long and in a big family event, full of gossipy relatives and family friends, I wore extremely feminine clothes, just to get back at them, especially my mother. But my mom, not in the least bit shocked or perturbed, calmly introduced me to her conservative guests saying, “Have you met my daughter…” I was dumbfounded to realize that the joke was on me!

Ronodeep Bose
Reel story – Ronno’s character Amit goes to a college party where he gets totally drunk, and comes home stinking of alcohol. His mom confronts him asking, “You stink. Did you drink?”, and like a typical kid, Amit blames his friends saying he was forced into drinking. Happy to assume her son’s innocence, his mum blames his 'bad-influence' friend and then lovingly asks something which is possibly the last thing a sloshed teenager wants to hear: “Bournvita kore debo?”
Real story – When I was in class 10, I lied to Ma saying I was going for tuition, when I was actually going on a date. To keep the act going, I was putting on my regular shabby clothes when my mother suddenly held out a brand new t-shirt and said, “Change your t-shirt. At least, make an attempt to look nice on your first date.” I was shocked out of my wits.