Film: Monsoon Wedding
Director: Mira Nair
Country: India
Released: August 2001
Runtime: 113 minutes
Genre: Romantic Drama
Studio: IFC Films, Mirabai Films
Influenced: Gurinder Chadha, Zoya Akhtar, Gauri Shinde, Alankrita Shrivastava, Nandita Das
Mira Nair and screenwriter Sabrina Dhawan based Monsoon Wedding on their own experiences of attending Punjabi weddings, wanting to capture the energy and emotions that arise amid such a big, traditional event. Before directing Monsoon Wedding, Nair had already gained international recognition with her debut feature film, Salaam Bombay! (1988), which tells the story of street children in Mumbai and won the Cam̩ra d'Or at Cannes, as well as an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Nair's second feature, Mississippi Masala (1991), starred Denzel Washington and Sarita Choudhury and explored themes of identity and cultural displacement, while her third feature film, The Perez Family (1995), starred Marisa Tomei and Alfred Molina and followed the lives of Cuban refugees who were part of the Mariel boatlift. Neither of these films matched the critical acclaim of her first movie, so Monsoon Wedding Рwhich was shot in just 30 days on a modest budget Рvery much marked a return to form for the renowned Indian director.
The film revolves around the Verma family as they prepare for an extravagant, week-long wedding in Delhi. Aditi Verma (Vasundhara Das) has agreed to an arranged marriage with Hemant Rai (Parvin Dabas), a computer programmer living in Houston. Aditi, however, is harbouring a secret. She's in love with a married TV show host, Vikram (Sameer Arya), and had an affair with him. As the wedding approaches, Vikram arrives in Delhi for the festivities, and Aditi is forced to confront her past and the consequences of her actions. Early in the movie, Nair addresses one of Monsoon Wedding's key themes – the rapid modernisation of India – by showing us a talk show panel discussing various subjects, including the clash between a liberal approach to censorship and traditional Indian values. Nair cast mostly unknown actors, contributing to the film's authenticity, and the film was a breakthrough moment for various actors, notably Vijay Raaz, who plays Dubey and quickly became a fan favourite in India for his comedic and endearing performance.
Monsoon Wedding introduces various characters with their own subplots. Dubey, a wedding planner, finds himself infatuated with Alice (Tillotama Shome), a maid working for the Verma family. Ayesha (Neha Dubey), Aditi's younger cousin, is in a relationship with Rahul (Randeep Hooda), but their romance faces opposition from Ayesha's strict parents. Aditi's other cousin, Ria (Shefali Shah), is a victim of child abuse, and her story unfolds as she grapples with her traumatic past. Amid the wedding party shenanigans and various romantic subplots, the disturbing story of the abusive uncle packs real dramatic power. As the wedding festivities progress, the film explores the clash between tradition and modernity, the complexities of love and relationships and the resilience of family bonds. At times, Nair provides the audience relief from the dramatic tension of the plot with lovely documentary-style montages of ordinary Indians going about their business in the city, on one occasion during a monsoon. There are also beautiful moments of song that break up the intense narrative, notably the evocative wedding song from the perspective of the bride, with the lyrics: "My father, I leave the palace of your love, to become a stranger to you forever."
One of the many innovative aspects of Monsoon Wedding is its use of handheld cameras, giving the film a documentary-style feel. The use of vibrant colours and lively music adds to the celebratory atmosphere, especially in the joyous closing scene, and the film skilfully weaves in elements of both traditional and modern Indian culture. Monsoon Wedding received widespread acclaim and won the prestigious Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2001. It was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, and the film's success helped Nair gain more widespread international recognition. The performances of Naseeruddin Shah as Lalit Verma, the father of the bride-to-be, and Shefali Shetty as Ria Verma, were also praised widely. British-Indian actor Roshan Seth, who played a lead role in My Beautiful Laundrette (1985), also appears in Monsoon Wedding and this turn of the century period marked a real high point in British-Asian cinema, and Indian cinema globally, with successful films such as East Is East (1999), Lagaan (2001) and Bend It Like Beckham (2002).
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