A great film not to be missed is Mira Nair’s “Bride and Prejudice” from 2004. It was directed by Gurinder Chadra. The film was nominated for the British Independent Film Awards the year it was released. Many of the scenes from the movie were shot in Amritsar, Punjab, India. Aishwayra Rai, who is a huge celebrity in India, played the main character, Lalita Bakshi.
Bollywood for the Masses
‘Bollywood’ makes up a huge section of the film industry. These are movies that are Indian musicals with lots of singing and dancing. They are extremely popular in India, and a lot of the contemporary music that people listen to in India comes from these films. This movie was made for release in the United States, so it was an Americanized version of how the movies are usually made (including that most are made in certain dialects of Indian and this was made in English.) It was the first time many of the actors had done English-only roles.
The Movie's Plot
The values displayed in “Bride and Prejudice” are similar to the Jane Austen novel, Pride and Prejudice, on which it was based. A family is trying to marry off all four of their daughters to prosperous and successful men. The importance of arranged marriages is very prominent in the film. One character, Mr. Kholi even says at one point, “You know what they say. No life without wife.” This was a saying that the director’s father often said. The parents of the four girls push a structured, collectivistic life upon their daughters, instead of an independent lifestyle. Even the most outgoing and ambitious of all four daughters, Lalita, in one scene remarks, “You should be stirring your husband’s dinner, not trouble.” It’s interesting that although her character is very strong-willed, she still sticks to her country’s masculine overtones while growing up and living her life.
Social status is also very dominant in the film (and in India itself.) The mother seems to be meddling in the movie, becoming overbearing in her daughter’s lives. But it’s simply that she knows her daughters will be much better off and happier if they marry rich men. Although there is not a strict caste system in place in India anymore, there are still many disadvantages that occur if a person is not wealthy enough.
Another value is that of propriety and behaving with a certain amount of decency and decorum. In Bollywood produced films, there are no sex scenes, and it is taboo to have characters even kiss on screen. Even though this film was meant more for American audiences, the actors working on the movie did not want to compromise the values instilled in them by their Indian culture. Indeed, the places in the story where sexual contact would occur is completely deleted or replaced with scenes of nature.
There is also a lot of importance placed on arts and music in the Indian culture. This can be seen just from the many musical numbers in the film and the bright colors that inhabit every scene. The women are always dressed very immaculately in colorful saris and most of the men wear very vivid suits. The film showcases creative choreography and cinematography—probably even more so than in most American films. In fact, it is the party scenes with the intricate dances and movements that make the film truly enjoyable to watch.
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