At the outset let me clarify that neither I am in anyway related to Gurinder Chadha or to the publicity department of Bride and Prejudice. Just that I disagree with the reviews of this movie written by some honorable members of mouthshut.com and I wish to put forward my humble opinion.
Most of the members have written in their review that the movie is an adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel. Well if they had watched the titles at the end of the movie carefully, the titles proclaim that the film merely draws inspiration from Austen’s work, meaning thereby that Ms Chadha is under no obligation to remain faithful to Ms Austen’s story and that the film maker is free to use her artistic licences.
The story of the film simply put is that Chaman Bakshi ( Anupam Kher ) and his wife Manorama ( Nadira Babbar ) are concerned parents of four young daughters namely Jaya (Namrata), Lalita (Aishwarya), Maya ( Meghana) and Lakhi ( Peeya Rai Chaudhry ).At a wedding party Balraj ( Naveen Andrews ) is attracted to Jaya.Balraj is a barrister in England and is accompanied to India by his sister Kiran ( Indira Varma ) and friend William Darcy ( Martin Henderson ).
Balraj seeks permission from Jaya’s family to take Jaya to Goa where Darcy wants to start a hotel.Lalita accompanies Jaya to Goa.There is a sort of love hate relationship between Lalita and Darcy. Lalita dislikes Darcy for the way he looks down upon Indian mannerisms. In Goa Lalita meets another foreigner, Wickham ( Daniel Gillies ), who tells her more about how Darcy had been cruel to him.
Balraj returns to UK and promises Jaya that he would talk to his parents about their marriage. However, Jaya hears nothing from Balraj once he leaves India. The Bakshi sisters and their mother are invited to Los Angeles to attend a friend’s wedding. There Lalita learns that Darcy had advised Balraj against marrying Jaya. Is William Darcy really the villian he is made out to be by Lalita or is there some other twist in the tale ? To find out the answer to this you shall have to see the movie for yourself.
Some reviewers have criticized this movie for showing Indians in poor light. However, according to me its an honest movie which reflects the Indian society as it is. Dont we have people who are gullible enough and ready to do anything to settle abroad ? Dont we find cases in Punjab where families marry off their daughters to unscruplous and unknown Indian men settled abroad who never return to their wives after marriage ?
Those who think that the film has shown Indians in poor light ought to see this movie again. There are many scenes which though not out and out patriotic reasonably make out a case in favour of Indians and their mannerisms. Here I mention three of them.
There is a scene between Darcy and Lalita where Darcy ridicules the concept of arranged marriage. Lalita promptly rebuffs Darcy by saying that in America where arranged marriage does not exist, the rate of divorce is also the highest.
In another scene the NRI Kohli ( Nitin Ganatra ), who comes to India to search for a wife has dinner with Bakshi family . Lalita asks Kohli why has he come to India to search for a bride. Kohli replies that he wants a homely girl from India because the girls who have settled in USA have either become too free or have turned lesbian.
Another scene worth note is one between Darcy’s mother and Lalita.Darcy’s mother ( Marsha Mason ) claims that she wanted to visit India but now that Indian spices, yoga and Deepak Chopra are available in U.S. she has no reason to visit India. Lalita replies that Pizza Hut outlets are spread across the world but that does not mean that people do not visit Italy.
The film has its drawbacks. There is a sequence of garba dance in Punjab which appears to have been put in the film to attract the NRI Gujrati community. Nadira Babbar is exaggerated sometimes especially when she says Balraj will have no problems with Jaya on his suhaag raat. There are some events which could have been better put in scenes but to which there are only passing references.
The performances by the cast are overall good.Nitin Ganatra deserves a special mention for essaying the comic role of Mr Kohli. Martin Henderson looks sincere.Aishwarya Rai may not have given the same performance as in HUM DIL DE CHUKE SANAM but she is convincing. Namrata Shirodkar, Naveen Andrews, Anupam Kher, Peeya Rai Chaudhry, Indira Varma and Daniel Gillies all have done a good job. Meghana Kothari is good in her cobra dance sequence.
The film is watchable for its humour and the way Ms Chadha has handled the subject. In a way the film is similar to DIl Chahta Hai where you watch the film more for its treatment rather than its story.
Highly recommended.