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Monsoon
Wedding (2002)
Starring:
Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey,
Shefali Shetty, Parveen Dabaas, Vijay Raaz
Director: Mira Nair
Rating:
Not Rated
Studio:
USA Films
Review
Posted:
3.17.02
Spoilers:
?
Rating: 3.5/4 (B+)
By
Angelo.
From
the director of “Salaam Bombay!” and “Mississippi Masala”
comes a charming narrative about a New Delhi family preparing
for a daughter’s wedding. In what could be best described as
“Father of the Bride” meets “Secrets and Lies”,
“Monsoon Wedding” transcends a mere matrimonial tale to an
all and out celebration of family, no matter how extended it may
be.
Four days before the big day, the film opens with the engagement
party. Guest are coming in as far as Australia and the United
States, and the Verma family are furiously scrambling to get
things organized. The floral gate is falling apart, the wedding
planner is no where to be found, people being stranded and left
behind at the airport … and … oh … the bride and groom are
to meet for the very first time. It is at this point when the
individual stories unfold, and where the traditions of the old
world and the liberalistic ideals of our modern world collide.
With an almost Robert Altman expertise, Mira Nair and
screenwriter Sabrina Dhawan juggles almost a dozen characters
with ease. With several stories weaving in and out of the
screen, it was surprisingly easy to keep track of them all the
way to the end. Not only does the structure of the film make
this possible, but also because of the first-rate cast. They
bring out the best and worst of their characters, they laugh,
they cry, and they sing too.
With the film’s warm reds and yellows, it’ll take more than
those monsoon storms to drown out the vibrant India that Mira
Nair shows us.
It is quite a treat indeed to watch a film so immersed in its
cultural waters, yet universal enough for anyone to relate to.
Every culture has its own ceremonial customs when it comes to a
wedding, and upon reaching an age when friends and family of
mine are getting hitched, it is hard not to personalize these
events. It is even harder not to compare the Verma family to
yours. Family is indeed universal, and “Monsoon Wedding”
just proves that it doesn’t matter where on Earth you’re
from for the problems are the same.
Despite a bit of a shaky start, “Monsoon Wedding” takes hold
of its narrative and gives us a film brimming with energy and
entertainment. It is a truly enjoyable film. From its title, we
are promised a wedding, but it assuredly delivers more than
that. India might be known for its exoticness, but “Monsoon
Wedding” hits closer to home than you may think.
Film is Rated R for language and some sex related dialogue.
Running time is 114 minutes. Hindi, Punjabi and English with
English subtitles.
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