The story of Minnale is an exercise in simplicity when compared to most mainstream indian movies. Madahavan likes riya(or is it raima) sen. Finds out abbas is coming down from america (funny how it’s never the states of the u.s.a but always provincial America) to have a dekko at her. Lands up at her before Abbas pretending to be Abbas. Spends five days with her( this is very important as we will see later). Abbas shows up and all hell breaks loose.
First of all madhavan doesn’t realise that riya/raima sen is a christian and like all religious sorts comes with a whole bunch of cultural baggage that neither he nor her parents are equipped to deal with. The impersonation routine doesnt win him points either. The movie thankfully doesnt make a big deal of the religious differences except to suggest that Abbas is right for riya (ok it’s riya from now on) because he’s christian too also he’s a family friend’s son and they have both seen each other in various states of undress as kids.(well you get the drift)
The parents on both sides understandably don’t want anything to mar this match ostensibly made in heaven. I suppose for reviewing purposes, it would have been much juicier if the movie had thrown in some religious masala but I appreciate the fact that it sensibly steers clear of it. It is a sad world though when all your friend are good for conveniently marrying off your daughters.
Throughout the latter half of the movie Madhavan’s claim to riya sen’s hand is that he never behaved improperly with her read no kissing, necking or any sort of physical contact with erogenous zones.
Abbas understandably doesnt care two hoots about this. if anything he’s only spent two days with the girl he’s supposed to marry and hasn’t gotten to any sort of base either. Abbas and I am very sympathetic towards him fails to understand what sort of moral high ground madhavan could conceivably lay claim to. I mean I understand love is an exercise in purity of though and desire that it comes with suspension of disbelief and life without the loved one seems as desirable as a truck stop restroom.
What gets me or rather amuses me is that gentlemanly behavior is such a ticket to marital bliss. I mean honestly, how does it matter whether you cash in your physical chemistry stock options before or after marriage. It seems to me it’s better if you find out if the ’way you make me feel’ is the way you want to feel.
I am not arguing against 5 days love being greater than 2 days of bingeing at restaurants. But I shrink from espousing the movie’s reasons for it being superior.
Perhaps it serves society’s standards to hold us all up to a unrealistic moral code. Also the exclusion of sex (nay any physical contact) as a motivation for marriage is a cornerstone of the marriage market atleast in movies.
If you were to extend my line of thinking further why even bother getting married when you feel well and truly committed. Putting it down on a piece of paper won’t change anything.