From Kauravas-Pandavas to William-Harry: What happens when rich brothers fight

Sociology will tell you that the joint family is a structure, which looks like Hum Saath Saath Hain set on auto-replay.

What it won’t tell you is that it’s an emotion.

May God help you if you think this is an Indian middle-class emotion.

The sound of lightning and thunder and that of utensils falling (high-priced, of course) accompanies the scene when rich — even filthy rich — families decide to break up, we mean, split — the empire. Or just, fall out.

Kurukshetra War

As far as we know, Pandu, father of the Pandavas, relinquished royal life. After his death, Kunti brought the Pandavas back to Hastinapur. And it was a 'joint family''. You will remember if you have watched BR Chopra’s Mahabharata on Sundays.

There were skirmishes, jealousy, partialities et al. But they were all still together.

Duryodhana laid a plot to set the Pandavas on fire. The Pandavas escaped. Years later, when Dhritarashtra came to know that the Pandavas were alive, he welcomed them back to the kingdom.

It was then that the family decided to split officially —“to do justice to both crown princes”.  

They say distance keeps relationships healthy. So, even if families part ways and separate kitchens, it doesn’t mean they won’t meet up on some occasions to click selfies.

Same here. The Kauravas invited the Pandavas to a dice game, which the Kauravas won by deceit and the Pandavas were exiled for 12 years (as agreed on before the game). Finally, it led to the Kurukshetra War.

So, now we know what happens when rich brothers fight.

Economic Impact: Jio aur Jeene Do?

Dhirubhai Ambani died in 2002. The rich brothers here — Mukesh and Anil — soon started fighting. Their mother Kokilaben intervened and Reliance Industries was split in 2005. Mukesh Ambani got Reliance Industries and IPCL. Reliance Infocomm, Reliance Energy and Reliance Capital rested with Anil (Reliance ADA Group).

But it was just the beginning. There were brickbats from both sides, often in public. In 2009, the then-finance minister, Pranab Mukherjee, commented on the internal feud of the brothers as it became a matter of “national interest”. “I saw the boys growing up. Because they are sons of Dhirubhai it is very difficult for me to make a distinction between the two. They should try to sort out their issues,” he said.

Over a period of time, the feud took a backseat because gradually, it became a sharply tilted fight — Mukesh Ambani’s net worth US$ 48.6 billion (October, 2018) and Anil’s US$ 1.7 billion.

Now as we write this, the Supreme Court has found Anil Ambani guilty of failing to pay dues on time to Ericsson. It remains to be seen whether one brother will come to the other's aid!

Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki!

Prying neighbours, however, will always see the role of the bhabis in such bhai-bhai feuds.

And the neighbours of Antilia and Kensington Palace, too, are no better than us. 

Like, when Mukesh and Anil fought, it was said that they were actually fighting over who’s next in line to join Reliance — Nita or Tina.

And now that Prince William and Prince Harry are reportedly set to separate their royal households, the grapevine is abuzz that Prince William and Duchess Kate don’t like to be associated with chhoti bahu Meghan Markle’s ‘troubling’ family and all that.

So, we know what happens when rich brothers fight. Here, there and everywhere.

Also Read: How father-and-son became the holy grail of Indian politics