It’s been a while since I’ve seen a traditional Bollywood film, and Vivah was a breath of fresh air.
“Vivah: A Journey from Engagement to Marriage tells the story the perfect arranged marriage.”
The Rundown
Behind the name: Direct translation- Marriage
Country: India, 2006
Genre: Drama, Romance
Film Industry: Bollywood, 2006
Director: Sooraj R. Barjatya
Cast: Shahid Kapoor (as Prem ), Amrita Rao (as Poonam), Alok Nath ( as Krishna) Seema Biswas (as Rama), Amrita Prakash (as Rajni "Choti").
Contrast with: What Happens in Vegas
Hate it or Love it? Enjoy it.
Synopsis in a Sentence: A man and a woman get paired up in an arranged marriage, they fall in love,oti")..
Vivah is based on a newspaper article published in 1988. And with a plot recreated for the 21st century, the film includes modern-traditional Hindi music and good actors. Put together, this may account for the 22.2 million rupees the movie grossed in just seven weeks!
On Writing: The Plot
This is essentially a story of the perfect arranged marriage; on the events that lead to the tradition of arranged marriages in India, and on, well love… at first sight. It’s a good one to see, especially by those who haven’t been exposed to the custom of arranged marriages.
The story may seem to drag on at first, with little conflict or drama, and then BAM! The tragedy strikes and the film leaves you with one of the following reactions:
1) Wow, how sweet. Bravoooo!
2) How sad. Nice. But that will never happen in real life!
Decide which reaction you think you will get, then watch Vivah and see which one of them you actually get.
(3/5)
On Acting: The Cast
It’s a good cast. It’s good chemistry between the lead actors,
Shahid Kapoor (Prem), and
Amrita Rao (Poonam).
You feel the kindness of a fatherly figure, Krishnakant "Chacha" (Alok Nath), and the playful youthfulness of a younger sister in wedding season.
The music’s of worthy note also, highlighting important events in the plot, and embedding it with effects and action.
(3.5/5)
On Wardrobe: The Fashion
There are many memorable pieces in this one. It’s about a wedding so expect extravagant garb and expensive jewellery. You might want to get a sari after seeing all the nice ones modelled by Amrita Rao or steal some of the clothes worn by Shahid Kapoor (designed by Shabina Khan).
There was also a good blend of Western and Asian apparel based on the event. Overall, the wardrobe looked good.
(4/5)
On Resolution: The Conclusion
Some may call Vivah a slow film, others may describe its plot as uninteresting, some may think it is unrealistic or overly sentimental, and some may even find it excellent, but it cannot be argued that it is entertaining.
Vivah seemed to save the best parts of its plot for last, and all the real drama comes near the end of the movie. Just as the couple is about to live “happily ever after,” the theme of “conflict in romance,” native to most Hindi films, is present again. Bollywood films are particularly criticised for their longevity, and the slow progression of its plots, and Vivah is no exception, but when all is said and done, it’s a good film.
(4/5)
The Verdict: Recommended especially to those who would like to explore the world of arranged marriages in South-East Asia.
Overall Score = 14.5/20
Watch Vivah [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9upjxi7_lk]
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awesome movie.
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