Monsoon Wedding (2001)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Mira Nair

Writer:

Sabrina Dhawan (writer)

Release Date:

12 December 2001 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

The Rain is coming... and so is the Family.

Plot:

A stressed father, a bride-to-be with a secret, a smitten event planner, and relatives from around the world create much ado about the preparations for an arranged marriage in India.

Plot Keywords:

Wedding | Bride | India | Marriage | Culture

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 6 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Naseeruddin Shah	...	Lalit Verma
Lillete Dubey	...	Pimmi Verma
Shefali Shetty	...	Ria Verma
Vijay Raaz	...	Parabatlal Kanhaiyalal 'P.K.' Dubey
Tillotama Shome	...	Alice
Vasundhara Das	...	Aditi Verma
Parvin Dabas	...	Hemant Rai
Kulbhushan Kharbanda	...	C.L. Chadha
Kamini Khanna	...	Shashi Chadha
Rajat Kapoor	...	Tej Puri
Neha Dubey	...	Ayesha Verma
Kemaya Kidwai	...	Aliya Verma
Ishaan Nair	...	Varun Verma
Randeep Hooda	...	Rahul Chadha
Roshan Seth	...	Mohan Rai

Also Known As:

Le mariage des moussons (France)
Monsoon wedding - Matrimonio indiano (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, including some sex related dialogue.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

India | USA | France | Italy | Germany

Language:

English | Hindi | Punjabi | Urdu

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Finland:K-7 | Iceland:L | Malaysia:18SX (uncut) | Malaysia:U (cut) | Hungary:14 | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PA (Manitoba) | Canada:PG (Ontario - 2007) | India:A | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:Livre | France:U | Germany:o.Al. | Italy:T | Peru:14 | Singapore:NC-16 | Spain:13 | Sweden:7 | Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud) | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

New Delhi, India

Company:

IFC Productions

Trivia:

Lillete Dubey (Pimmi Verma) and Neha Dubey (playing Ayesha Verma) are mother and daughter in real life.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the maid drops the glasses, they shatter, but when she picks them up again, they look whole.

Quotes:

P.K. Dubey: Your daughter is my daughter.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

Soundtrack:

Aaj Mausam Bada Beiman Hai

Singing in the Rain...

Mira Nair has outdone herself in this film by giving us such a glorious look at India's upper classes during a pre-arranged wedding. She has such a sense of color and spectacle, yet she doesn't beat around the bush in presenting us the reality of the situation and treating it with dignity and realism.

The hypocrisy of Bollywood is legendary by not attacking issues in their films, yet they are real and need to be addressed. The mere fact that this bride is not what she's supposed to be on the surface, is an eye-opener. Then there's a relative who is a pedophile and who has hidden behind a benevolent facade only to pry on the little ones of his own people. This is the first time I have seen such frank treatment of a troubled family, who is very happy, on the surface.

The acting is first rate with outstanding performances by Mr. Shah, as the father of the bride and his daughter, Ms. Das. Not only that, but Ms. Das has one of the most beautiful faces in the Indian cinema and certainly deserves to be seen anywhere with those gorgeous eyes of hers.

The weakest part, I thought, was that of the romance of the party planner and the maid. I mean, HELLO, Ms. Nair, do you think for one nanosecond this uppity family would have allowed the maid and her newly found love participate in the wedding party? I don't think so!

The color of Delhi's streets, the magnificent wedding costumes and the glorious background music are used with knowledge and a sure hand by Ms. Nair.

Having seen all her films, we await eagerly for more of her view of her home land. We can even go singing in the rain after seeing the film!