MONSOON WEDDING
India, 2001, 119 minutes, Colour.
Nasureeddin Shah, Lilette Dubay.
Directed by Mira Nair.
One of the families in this very Indian film makes reference to Partition and how his family had to migrate to Delhi in 1947. Listening to the very British vowels displayed by several of the characters, one is made very aware of both the long Indian traditions in the sub-continent as well as the influence of the Raj. But, even more so, one is made aware of just how much India is changing in the 21st century blending the past with a more cosmopolitan outlook.
Film director, Mira Nair, is in a privileged position to show audiences around the world, her perceptions of India. In 1988, she made the celebrated Salaam Bombay, a moving story of street children in that crowded Indian city. An international success, the film opened the eyes of many filmgoers to the reality of poverty and hardship. In her 1992 film, Mississippi Marsala, she took up the themes of migrant Indian families in Africa and how many of them had relocated to the United States. The title indicates the odd conjunction of Indians from Africa trying to settle in the southern US states. Denzel Washington was the star of the film, bringing an extra dimension of African Americans marrying Indians from Africa.
Here we are plunged into the preparations for a wedding. The respective Delhi families seem to be well-off so the wedding is quite lavish. The groom is another Indian from America, this time from Houston, Texas. The difficulty is that the marriage has been agreed to by the families while the bride to be is quietly reluctant and is, in fact, in love with a married TV interviewer.
The first part of the film is full of colour as the house and grounds are being prepared for the engagement. The father is desperate, the mother is calmer, their overweight young son prefers to watch cooking programs. And then the relatives start to arrive. The workers, especially their boss, an event-planner, take their time and seem more interested in the family maid.
About half way through, the bride and the TV personality are caught in a compromising situation in their car by the police. From this moment, the more serious issues underlying the film begin to emerge and while, there is still a great deal of music, exuberant song and dance, colour and rituals, Mira Nair brings a great deal of sensitivity to questions of arranged marriages and family antagonisms. She does not shirk the moments of the bride to be telling the truth to the groom. What is more striking is an emerging sub-plot about a friend of the family and sexual molestation. This brings the wedding day to a powerful dramatic conclusion.
While the Delhi settings are vivid, non Indians will be fascinated with how much mobile phones, computers and technological culture are becoming part of life everywhere. The social and moral issues of Monsoon Wedding are universal, and will be of particular interest to multi-cultural Britain.
1. The popularity of the film, critical acclaim?
2. The director's feel for India, class, customs and the modernisation and its tensions? Indian culture in a globalised world? Migrations from India to the United States and Australia?
3. The director and her feel for people, people issues, relationships, love, betrayal? The comic leading to the serious?
4. The Delhi setting, the home and the grounds, the vistas of the crowded and busy city, the rooftops, the feel of the city?
5. The musical score, the range of songs and dances, traditional, Bollywood, sensuous dances? Part of the marriage ceremony? Men and women dancing, costumes, movement, joy?
6. Lalit and his worries about the wedding, his phone calls, the issue of the marigolds, his love for his wife, love for his daughter, the sense of loss at her marriage, the preparations for the lavish tent, the waterproof tent? His phone calls to Dupuy and his exasperation with him? The waterproof issue? The cousin from Melbourne, his calling people he disagreed with idiots? His exasperation with his son, fat son wanting to be a chef, watching television all day, wanting to dance? His range of moods yet his love for his daughter, and his wife? His love for Rhia?
7. Aditi and the preparations for the wedding, the opening and her going to the television station? The ironic comments on sex in India, pornographic films and dubbing, the audience at the popular talkback show on television? Her affair, his being married? Separation or not? Her phone call and the wife answering? The rendezvous in the rain, the kissing, the police and the car? Her running away upset? Discussions with Rhia? The celebrations and her seeming distant? Her attitude towards her fiance, seeing him nice? Going to the city, having the tea, telling him the truth? Her shame, his response? His acceptance of the truth, their discussing the issue, coming closer together, a basis for the marriage? The issue of arranged marriages?
8. The portrait of Lalit's family, his wife smoking, his son, the expectations of a boy and his education, the threat of boarding school? The grandmother? The young man from Melbourne and the girlfriend, in bed?
9. The build-up to the actual ceremonies, the range of guests, their arrival, the groom and his family, the people from Muscat? Tej and his family? Their all meeting, the various activities and ceremonials?
10. The visuals of the ceremonies, the music and the dancing, the spirit of joy? The contrast between Tej and his suave behaviour, Lalit's dependence on him financially? Tej and his ambiguous attitude towards Rhia? Her wanting to write, his offering to pay? Aditi's young sister, Rhia watching, her reactions? Tej and his behaviour? His self-defence? Rhia and her exposing the truth about his molestations? The shame for himself, his family, his wife?
11. Lalit's dilemma, whether to oust Tej? The financial dependence? His love for Rhia? His conscience and the issues? His asking him to leave the house? The departure and its effect on everyone, on Rhia?
12. The possibility of the wedding going ahead with all the family issues resolved? The film entering into exuberant song and dance and ceremony for the happy and hopeful ending?
