Ever since I watched Bend It Like Beckham, I was waiting for Gurinder Chadha, the sweet chubby lady director, to throw her next creation… and finally it’s on the screen! Rightly, she did satisfy our expectations in transposing a classic British romance to modern day India.
Bride and Prejudice is a cross-cultural romantic comedy that proves that love triumphs over all. Add to it the fact that it’s a retelling of a classic romance, and you have a winning formula, Bollywood-istyle.
It all begins in a modest Indian city, Chandigarh, when the determined Mrs Bakshi sets out in search of matches for her four beautiful daughters at a lavish wedding gathering. Promptly, the smart and self-willed Lalita (Aishwaria) declares that she will marry only when she finds her perfect love. This is where, when Mr Balraj (Naveen Andrews) comes along in town to woo her sister, things begin to look up as he brings one wealthy American Mr Darcy (Martin Henderson) with him. Sparks fly, but of a different kind as Darcy turns out to be a very arrogant and annoying to Lalita, While Darcy looks to Lalita like a small-town Indian beauty who knows nothing of the world.
Balraj starts liking Lalita’s elder sister.. and they all plan for a trip to Goa. Here Lalita meets Wickham (Daniel Gillies), who she begins to fall for. But it becomes apparent that Wickham is Darcy’s nemesis.
Enchanted by yet suspicious of one another, how Lalita and Darcy humbles pride and overcome prejudice so that love can triumph, what you gotta see throughout the film.
Comic relief is provided by Mr. Kholi (Nitin Genatra), who arrives from America to claim a bride but soon outstays his welcome. His acting is noteworthy. Namrata shirodkar as Jaya and Piya as lukhi looks so sweet all though the movie!
The dialogues are excellent and so are the performances. I did find the film as expected of Mrs. Chadha.