Bride and Prejudice Review

March 14, 2005 12:43 PM
by [email]

I like Gurinda Chada. She has a tremendous passion for what she does and her energy and enthusiasm of bringing a story to life, reverberates from the screen.

In her latest film ‘Bride and Prejudice’, she takes the classic Jane Austin novel (Pride and Prejudice), reworks it and sets it in modern India. This is not as bizarre a combination as you might think, with the ideas on marriage completing a woman in Austen’s book, very similar to how marriage in valued and prized by families and society in India today.

The films protagonist is Lalita, played by the beautiful Aishwarya Rai. Her overbearing mother is pressuring her, to get married. Luckily for Lalita, she is the second daughter which means she does not have to marry first, but since it seems her older sister is headed up the alter, it will soon be her turn and her mother is eagerly lining up potential suitors with the help of an internet dating site.

Most of the deep social issues in the film, are handled with a healthy dollop of humor, but Lalita’s love interest, American Will Darcy (Martin Henderson), does come under fire on several occasions for his seemingly arrogant assumptions about India.

Gurinda has grown as a filmmaker and spent time in LA and this seems to be reflected in the film, which showcases London and LA as well as India. However the LA side, feels like a bit of a stereotype, a scene by Santa Monica pier only saved by the addition of a gospel choir.

Also in perhaps a cinematographic nod towards Bollywood films, some editing to illustrate two people falling in love, was slightly on the cheesy side. The lingering glances and windswept hair, just seconds too long for comfort.

However the film certainly makes up for the schmaltz in other areas, for example some of the family interactions are very funny.

The musical numbers are also energetic and entertaining. However a few seem to have come from a bargain basement. The catchy, ‘No life without wife’, song annoyingly sticks in your head longer than the movies does.

There are a number of strong performances here and all in all; this is a fun adaptation worth seeing for a glimpse of modern day India and its issues.