I mean, yeah, sure. The structure was a bit all over the show, there was a lot of detail crammed in and I couldn't quite settle in and fully commit. Maybe I wasn't strapped into my "get ready for a jam packed chaotic monsoon wedding in India" seat, so I just did not quite have sufficient vinegar to keep my spirits up- as magnetic as the viewing experience may have been.

Colorful drama and comedy. Stand out performance by Vijay Raaj as decorator.

This film seemed a little dull at the start but I enjoyed the end and some of the dance scenes. Its more understated than most typical Bollywood films, with some nice characters. I can't say I fully followed all the plots but I enjoyed it enough to say its an ok film. I wouldn't expressly recommend it as such, no.

I was pretty underwhelmed by this one, solely because I took the title too literally. I kept hoping and expecting their house to be blown away by a gigantic storm at any moment and for them to have the wedding in like a storm shelter or on a boat or something. Instead nothing really went wrong the entire movie, they prepared for the weather (which ended up just being some rain, perhaps the most disappointing monsoon in the history of cinema) and the actions that could've derailed the plot laid out at the start of the movie ultimately didn't at all. They did a good job of capturing chaos in a way that didn't feel messy or breathless and the performances were good, but I thought the plot itself was a little mundane with the tired trope of cold feet before a wedding coupled with excisable family drama. Mira is clearly a competent director and I look forward to seeing a movie of hers where the plot is more compelling!

A mixed bag. Somewhat enjoyable but unoriginal in many ways and definitely not a comedy. It provides a good representation of the differences between India and the US through things like the costumes, singing/dancing, and colours. However, the plot was riddled with silly subplots for drama, from an affair to sexual abuse from a paedophile, the boy perhaps being gay, a romance between the maid and wedding decorator, and a romance between the Australian idiot and the woman with the tattoo. The affair was never properly explained, the wedding decorator didn't even come across as a good guy to the maid, so it makes little sense how they got together, the sexual abuse and concerns about it repeating were kept quiet as long as possible, and there was minimal focus on the actual wedding. Whilst there was a good mix of characters, some side characters got more attention than the 'main' character. This, the subplots, and all the singing/dancing meant the pacing was a bit rough. However, the acting was decent, the sets/props/costumes were well done and believable, the cinematography and visual effects were fine, and the soundtrack fit.

First 75% of Monsoon Wedding: Ha ha, the conservative father is quarreling with his son because he has a love for baking and dance! Last 25% of Monsoon Wedding: Okay, so the pedophile joke was not just a bit of dark humor... The best way to describe this film is that it somehow combines an Indian take on a family wedding melodrama (in all its silliness, exasperation, and fun) with Thomas Vinterberg's The Celebration. There are multiple serious subplots that are contrasted against the backdrop of a brightly colored celebration, but they come, they go, and the next scene is a father fretting over expenses; it's very Bollywood in that manner, the neatly tied up conclusions. The more somber moments are crafted with the intent to shine a light on the changing nature of Indian society, but they are essentially just that, moments; one second the bride is engaging in an affair with an ex that immediately disappears, then has an immediate crisis of consciousness before coming clean, sparking a row over honesty, fidelity, and tradition ... before it is resolved a few minutes later. The film's darkest territory, where (spoiler) it turns out that the family head is not only attempting to sexually assault his niece but has a historical pattern of sexual abuse that has been glossed over, is rectified by the father figure bravely ... asking him to leave. This all happens in about 15 minutes. It's a surprisingly sombre twist and has commentary about the dangerous level of control in India's historically patriarchal society, but the subplot comes and goes shockingly fast compared to the weight of the boom it lowers. Indian films are notorious for tone shifts and stories that feel like pastiches, and while many seem to navigate these balancing acts between exuberant comedy and poignant drama surprisingly well, this doesn't seem to be one of them. (2.5/5)

1001 movies to see before you die. This was much better than what I had expected from Bollywood. This was a complicated plot about an Indian wedding and the complications that come with expectations and family. It was well made and compelling. It was on youtube.

Color, music, even a dance in this serious comedy. Breathtaking street scenes of Delhi, great cast too. Mira Nair is one of the best at turning social values inside out. And, it hasn't aged a bit.

There wasn't enough here to keep me engaged.

Lovely, colorful, melodious love stories, and for me they all have the same weight in the movie, and that is why is such a nice work: the balance of things. Far enough from a Bollywood movie, which I do not like, the style and this big family will easily win over your heart.

If you liked it, check out Festen from Thomas Vinterberg.

visually exuberant and vibrant

This movie never suffers from any dull moment. Two love stories emerge from different parts of the economic spectrum.

I could never see why it won an award in Venice. Probably because I could never be qualified as a judge at the Golden Lion Award.

My first indian movie

Bollywood bogans. I gave it 20 minutes. And that was too long.

Brilliant movie. I want to go to India..!

Mira Nair's best work till date-

When I first started watching Monsoon Wedding to be honest I wasn't enthused; nothing at the beginning really enticed me or caught my attention, however as the film progressed and I began to emphasize with the very relatable heartaches and joys that the families faced my mind was quickly changed. When the film ended I was satisfied with my decision to review Monsoon Wedding, it was not only culturally enlightening and but entertaining as well. Wedding planning is horribly stressful, at time it's so stressful it's almost comical like in this film, I could relate to the chaos that ensued during preparations for the wedding since I was married once. When I was reviewing the film I couldn't but draw comparisons between Hinduism and Islam. In Islam men and women are not allowed the same social freedoms; the sexes were not allowed to freely converse and smoking and drinking are strictly prohibited. Marriage is an extremely important ritual in Hinduism and recently more individuals have had the ability to marry for love as long as they stayed within their caste system. It is not as common for arranged marriages like Hemant's and Aditi's to take place now, it still occurs but originally traditions stated all marriages where to be formed by the bride and grooms family. In the movie there is a song that is about presenting bracelets as a gift into marriage, I remember reading this in our text and I find it interesting that giving one a bracelet is like giving someone a ring in our culture. One thing I did not see in the movie was that in arranged marriages they also traditionally consult an astrologer to determine how well the couple will work together. The movie begins with Aditi's father struggling to get the flowers to stay in place on the marigold gate that was used to be used during his daughter's wedding. The next part of my film is the favorite; comical hilarity ensues when Lalit and the wedding planner Dubey have a lively disagreement over the flowers and his delay via cellphone, while Lalit is on the phone Rahul backs into the driveway nearly knocking over the decorative plants and Lalit has to jump behind his car to keep him from backing up any further and inflicting more possible damage. The next scene is where you finally see Aditi and learn of her lover Vikram. Ria and Aditi have a conversation about her arranged marriage in the cab; her cousin Ria asks Aditi why she is marrying a man her parents choose for her that she barely knows and does not love. Aditi explains that she wants to be settled and will not wait for Vikram's wife to grant him a divorce. Before the engagement party is where the audience sees the servant Alice and event manager Dubey interacting, Ria finding Aliya in the closest after her shower, Rahul and Ayesha meeting; during the course of the movie you learn how intertwined Rahul, Ayesha, Ria, Aliya, Dubey and Alice are with the storyline. At the engagement party Aditi and Hemant exchange rings and both the families who have traveled from all over the world to attend the ceremony are delighted, however they look less than thrilled. Tej, Lalit's brother in law and head of the family shows up at the engagement party and Ria becomes upset when Tej touches her and kisses her forehead. The family informs Tej of Ria's plans to go to the states and Aditi sneaks away to call Vikram but his wife picks up the phone, so she hangs up. Tej informs the family that he will pay for Ria's trip and education, Ria begins to cry. It becomes clear that something has transpired between Ria and Tej given her strong emotional upset but his presence. The next morning over breakfast Aditi and x discuss how she feels about moving to America with him and being away from her family and later on that day Dubey expresses his desire to be wed to his friends. During a shopping trip Aditi tries to sneak away to call Vikram but is told by Ria that their aunts would like the Bride's approval. Alice is cleaning and while she is cleaning she begins to try on jewelry and Dubey is entranced by her and begins to watch, his friends take notice of him watching her and come to the window, upon seeing her they yell "I knew she was a thief", Alice hears them and runs away scared and upset. Dubey is enraged by his friend's actions and begins to yell at them, informing his friends that she is no thief. Ria overhears Taj talking to Aliya and is bothered by what she hears and believes she is about to come upon something given the nature of what she is hearing, this would lead one to believe that something transpired between her and Taj when she was a child. Aditi sneaks out into the night to meet up with Vikram, her ex-boyfriend and they are caught by the cops sharing a moment, after she is hassled by them she becomes ashamed and fleas in Vikram's car. Aditi tells Ria that she must tell Hemant what happened between her and Vikram, Ria tells her she must reconsider. Upon hearing her confession he becomes upset, Varun fights with Aditi's and his parents upon hearing that his father wants to send him to boarding school. The reason why Lalit wants to send him to boarding school is to toughen him up is because he doesn't approve of him wanting to cook and liking to dance, he wants him to become an educated man. Dubey's friends try to convenience Alice that they made a mistake with what they saw and how sorry they were. Aditi leaves Hemant's car crying and he feels bad and goes after her; he tells her that he appreciates her honesty and that if they were still to be married was her decision. Varun refuses to the do the dance with Ayesha because of his father's disapproval so Ayesha asks Rahul to dance and he will not despite their feelings for each other. Rahul's Mother sees this and tells him not to be a coward and to fight the battle; another man begins to dance with Ayesha so Rahul steps up, pushes him aside and dances with her. Aditi and Hemant sneak off and kiss, while Dubey is professing his love for Alice by presenting her with a heart made from marigolds. When Aditi comes back with Hemant the discussion of kissing comes up and Aliya said what's the big deal and alludes to Taj kissing her, Taj sees that her mother needs help and offers to take her for a "drive". Ria sees him taking her into the car for a drive and jumps in front it, causing him to stop. Ria yanks her out the car and begins to yell everything that happened to her as a child in order to save Aliya, Taj denies it saying that she is crazy and Ria leaves saying if telling Lalit that if he did not believe her that she did not any part of the wedding. Lalit's brother had passed when she was young so he raised her as his own daughter, Lalit goes after Ria to bring her home and come to the wedding. At the wedding she tries to deal with Taj's presence and must kneel before his feet in the family photograph, finally Lalit can no longer take it and tells him to leave. Much to my delight the movie had a happy ending filled with color, happiness and dancing. After seeing such an emotionally moving scene I was hoping the movie would end a lot happier. Much to my joy Dubey and Alice get married in a small, intimate ceremony with only Dubey's friends in attendance, Ria finds someone who cares for her and everyone including the Bride and the Groom are joyous at the wedding.

One line summary: Overrated, laborious. Not as good as Nair's 1997 film, Kama Sutra: a Tale of Love. ------------------------------------------------------ Families meet in Delhi for an arranged marriage between Aditi Verma (daughter of Lalit and Pimmi Verma) and Hemant Rai. PK Dubey is the lower class, foul-mouthed, wedding arranger who is interested in the maid, Alice. Lalit is having money trouble; this translates to slow payments to PK. Ria Verma is the unmarried cousin of Aditi, who was abused by Tej Puri when she was younger. Aditi decides to visit her old flame one last time. That does not work out well, and reminds one of the phrase, 'get a room.' The police were quite amused. Aditi tells Hemant about this. Oh, what a mistake. He tells her that they will just fit in Houston, Texas, where he currently works. He is not amused. He decides to go through with it, and I did not see any particular believable justification for that change of heart. At that point in the movie, I was ready to quit. Slow, boring, not engaging, no sympathetic characters, except perhaps Lalit and PK. Then it gets worse; the child molestation issue was not handled well. Happy ending, I guess. Things turned out well for PK. -------Scores-------- Cinematography: 7/10 Variable. Sound: 8/10 Good most of the time. Acting: 6/10 Cheers to Naseerruddin Shah (Lalit), Tillotama Shome (Alice), Vijay Raaz (PK). Thumbs down otherwise, particularly for the actors who played the bride and groom. Screenplay: 6/10 Neither engaging nor believable. The story is rather good, so I would blame the direction, plus poor choices for many of the acting roles.