| Cast: |
Vasundhara
Das, Parvin Dabas, Sameer Arya, Vijay Raaz,
Naseeruddin Shah, Shefali Shetty, Lillete Dubey
|
| Director: |
- |
| Producer: |
- |
Mira
Nair's much-hyped MONSOON WEDDING is targeted at a
niche audience.
Set
in an upper class family of North India, it tells
the story of families arriving in Delhi to participate
in the marriage celebrations. But the story splinters
off to three sub-plots:-
Aditi
(Vasundhara Das) is marrying Hemant (Parvin Dabas),
an Indian living in the US. But she has a past a relationship
with Vikram (Sameer Arya).
Vasundhara's
cousin, Shefali Shetty, has a past as well. A past
that wrecks family ties a day before the wedding is
about to take place.
P.K.
Dube (Vijay Raaz), an eccentric 'mandap' decorator,
loses his he
art
to Alice, the maid The celebrations have their share
of heartbreaks and there are people falling in love.
Managing
the ensemble cast and hand-held camera with elan,
shifting the tone efficiently from light to serious
sequences, director Mira Nair presents a human drama
that unravels several truths.
What
sets MONSOON WEDDING apart from films of this i
lk
(HUM AAPKE HAIN KOUN et al) is that the screenplay
is straight out of life, tackling adult issues such
as sex and incest.
The
characters speak in a democratic mix of Hindi and
English and that makes the goings-on motivating. The
initial reels are just about okay, but the narrative
gathers momentum when Vasundhara and her lover spend
intimate moments before her marriage. The sequences
thereafter, right till the last reel, keep the viewer's
interest thriving thanks to a taut screenplay.
It
is apparent that director Mira Nair has kept the elite/international
market in mind while attempting the film. This is
not one of those 'masala' films that have generous
doses of commercial ingredients, aimed at the hoi
polloi. However, the pre-climax portions involving
Shefali Shetty, though brilliantly executed, are sure
to shock an average Indian cinegoer.
Sabrina
Dhawan's screenplay is vibrant and is laced 
with
witty dialogue. Cinematography is colourful. The background
music is appropriate.
The
performances from the entire cast are of a high order.
Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Vasundhara Das, Parvin
Dabas and Vijay Raaz enact their parts with effortless
ease. But it is Shefali Shetty who delivers a bravura
performance.
On
the whole, MONSOON WEDDING will win international
acclaim and accolades from critics, but its adult
theme will restrict its prospects to big cities in
India. Business in the metros (mainly Mumbai) should
prove to be the best.
