:Monsoon Wedding
{{short description|2001 film by Mira Nair}}
{{more citations needed|date=February 2015}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Monsoon Wedding
| image = Monsoon_Wedding_poster.jpg
| caption = U.S. poster
| director = Mira Nair
| writer = Sabrina Dhawan
| producer = {{plainlist|
- Caroline Baron
- Mira Nair
}}
| starring = {{plainlist|
- Naseeruddin Shah
- Lillete Dubey
- Shefali Shah
- Vasundhara Das
- Vijay Raaz
- Tillotama Shome
- Randeep Hooda
- Rajat Kapoor
- Jas Arora
}}
| cinematography = Declan Quinn
| editing = Allyson C. Johnson
| music = Mychael Danna
| studio = IFC Productions
Mirabai Films
Delhi Dot Com{{cite book|last1=Kasbekar|first1=Asha|title=Pop Culture India!: Media, Arts, and Lifestyle|date=2006|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781851096367|page=182|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Sv7Uk0UcdM8C&pg=PA182}}
| distributor = {{plainlist|
- USA Films {{small|(United States)}}
- Océan Films {{small|(France)}}
- Prokino Filmverleih {{small|(Germany)}}{{cite web|title=Film #17652: Monsoon Wedding|website=Lumiere|access-date=13 June 2022|url=https://lumiere.obs.coe.int/movie/17652#}}
- Key Films {{small|(Italy)}}
- iDream Productions {{small|(India; through SPE Films India)}}{{cite web|title=Col TriStar eases into local pix|website=Variety|first=Ashoke|last=Nag|date=5 March 2002|access-date=28 May 2022|url=https://variety.com/2002/film/news/coltristar-eases-into-local-pix-1117861798/}}{{cite web|title=Distrib cashes in with direct releases|website=Variety|date=8 June 2003|access-date=28 May 2022|url=https://variety.com/2003/film/features/distrib-cashes-in-with-direct-releases-1117887526/}}
}}
| released = {{Film date|df=y|2001|8|30|Venice|2001|11|30|India|ref1={{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/moviemicro/cast/id/508082|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120223114023/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/moviemicro/cast/id/508082|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 February 2012|title=Monsoon Wedding: Cast and Crew|website=Bollywood Hungama|access-date=8 May 2014}}}}
| runtime = 113 minutes
| country = {{ubl|India{{cite web|title=Monsoon Wedding (2001)|url=https://www.goldenglobes.com/film/monsoon-wedding|website=Golden Globe Awards|access-date=30 January 2018}}|France|Germany|Italy|United States{{Cite web |url=http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b86e6f142 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811182429/http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b86e6f142 |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 August 2016 |title=Monsoon Wedding (2001) - BFI |date=7 May 2017 |publisher=British Film Institute}}}}
| language = {{ubl|Hindi|English{{cite web | url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/monsoon-wedding-2001 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180208004440/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/monsoon-wedding-2001 | url-status=dead | archive-date=8 February 2018 | title=MONSOON WEDDING - BBFC | publisher=BBFC | access-date=26 March 2016}}}}
| gross = US$30.8 million{{cite web|title=Monsoon Wedding|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=monsoonwedding.htm|publisher=Box Office Mojo|access-date=9 April 2019}}
}}
Monsoon Wedding is a 2001 comedy-drama film directed by Mira Nair, written by Sabrina Dhawan, and starring Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Shefali Shah and Vasundhara Das. The story is set during a traditional Punjabi Hindu wedding in Delhi and revolves around the complex romantic entanglements of the characters.
Dhawan wrote the first draft of the screenplay in just one week while in the MFA film program at Columbia University.{{cite book |last=Muir |first=John Kenneth |author-link=John Kenneth Muir |title=Mercy in her eyes: the films of Mira Nair |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |year=2006 |isbn=1-55783-649-3 |pages=166–7}} Although the film is set entirely in New Delhi, it was internationally between companies from India, the United States, Italy, France, and Germany.
Monsoon Wedding premiered in the Marché du Film section of the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and went on to win the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival.{{cite web |title=Sony Classics, USA turn up Cannes buying heat |url=http://www.screendaily.com/sony-classics-usa-turn-up-cannes-buying-heat/405742.article |publisher=Screen International}}{{cite web |title=rediff.com US edition: Monsoon Wedding heads for the US |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2001/may/19us4.htm |work=Rediff.com}} The film also received a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film and grossed over $30 million internationally at the box office.
In 2014, a musical adaptation based on the film premiered on Broadway.{{cite web |author=Garima Sharma |date=12 December 2012 |title=Monsoon Wedding to make Broadway debut in April 2014 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hollywood/news-interviews/Monsoon-Wedding-to-make-Broadway-debut-in-April-2014/articleshow/17570435.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130426161551/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-12-12/news-interviews/35750455_1_broadway-debut-mira-nair-vijay-raaz |archive-date=26 April 2013 |access-date=24 February 2013 |work=The Times of India}} In 2017, IndieWire named Monsoon Wedding the 19th best romance of the 21st century.{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Michael Nordine, Anne |title=Best Romance Movies of the 21st Century, Ranked {{!}} IndieWire |url=http://www.indiewire.com/2017/07/best-romance-movies-ranked-1201849113/ |access-date=12 July 2017 |website=www.indiewire.com}}
Plot
The film's central story deals with the organization of an enormous, chaotic, and expensive wedding that is due to take place in a modern Indian family. Lalit Verma (Naseeruddin Shah) and his wife Pimmi (Lillete Dubey) have arranged a marriage for their daughter Aditi (Vasundhara Das) to Hemant Rai (Parvin Dabas). Hemant is the son of a family friend who lives in Texas, and Aditi has only known him for a few weeks. As so often happens in Indian culture, such a wedding means that, for one of the few times in each generation, the extended family comes together from all corners of the globe, bringing its emotional baggage along.
Lalit and Pimmi are helped with the main planning by Pimmi's sister Shashi and her husband C.L (Kulbhushan Kharbanda), who have arrived earlier from Oman. A few days before the engagement, Tej Puri (Rajat Kapoor), Lalit's extremely wealthy brother-in-law, arrives from the U.S.. Tej is married to Lalit's sister and has helped the Verma family regain their financial footing after the Partition of India left them penniless many years ago. Tej offers to pay for Aditi's cousin, Ria Verma (Shefali Shah) to attend university in the U.S., after the family consults him for advice. Ria and her mother live with the Verma family, who took them in after the death of Ria's father (Lalit's brother). Despite his generous offer, Ria stays away from Tej and is not comfortable in his presence.
Lalit begins experiencing difficulty in paying for the final, smaller aspects of the wedding and is embarrassed when he has to borrow money from friends and colleagues. Meanwhile, P.K. Dubey (Vijay Raaz), the eccentric wedding planner, falls in love with Alice (Tillotama Shome), the Vermas' maid. Ria grows concerned after she witnesses what appears to be Tej grooming a younger relative, ten-year-old Aliya. Aditi's younger brother Varun (Ishan Nair) plans an elaborate dance for the pre-wedding party with another cousin, Ayesha (Neha Dubey), but Lalit worries that his son is becoming too effeminate and plans to send him to boarding school. Meanwhile, Ayesha is mutually attracted to Pimmi's Australian nephew Rahul (Randeep Hooda), a fact they attempt to hide from the family. Dubey's workers see Alice trying on Aditi's wedding jewellery, and the men accuse her of stealing. The incident causes her to become withdrawn from Dubey and he grows depressed.
A few days before the wedding, Aditi sleeps with an old lover, her married boss Vikram; and confesses this to Hemant. The incident only serves as a reminder to Aditi as to why she stopped seeing Vikram. Though he is initially angry, Hemant is glad for her honesty and is confident that they can put it behind them and be happy together. The workers apologise to Alice and she reconciles with Dubey. The night before the ceremony, Varun refuses to dance due to the comments made by his father, and Ayesha performs with the help of Rahul. Aditi and Hemant grow closer and they share a few intimate moments, which re-affirms their faith in the marriage. After a night of jokes, drama and dances, Ria catches Tej trying to take Aliya for a drive alone. Ria stops them from driving off and takes Aliya away from him, revealing to Lalit and others that Tej had molested her as a child. Lalit's sister does not believe her, attributing her accusations to her character and unmarried status. Emotionally distraught, Ria leaves.
The next day, Lalit pleads with Ria to return to the wedding, admitting that he can't possibly imagine what she has gone through but also saying that he can't disown Tej, since they are family. Ria is not happy but agrees to return for the sake of Aditi. Hours before the wedding, however, Lalit changes his mind and tells his sister and Tej to leave the wedding and the family home. Tej's wife insists that Ria's accusation was a small matter but Lalit stands his ground.
The Monsoon rains begin as Aditi and Hemant are married in an elaborate wedding, while Dubey and Alice simultaneously wed in a simple ceremony, and later celebrate with the Vermas. Ria moves on from her past life, and is finally able to freely enjoy the festivities.
Cast
{{Cast listing|
- Naseeruddin Shah as Lalit Verma
- Lillete Dubey as Pimmi Verma
- Shefali Shah as Ria Verma
- Vasundhara Das as Aditi Verma
- Vijay Raaz as Parabatlal Kanhaiyalal 'P.K.' Dubey
- Tillotama Shome as Alice
- Parvin Dabas as Hemant Rai
- Kulbhushan Kharbanda as C.L. Chadha
- Kamini Khanna as Shashi Chadha
- Rajat Kapoor as Tej Puri
- Randeep Hooda as Rahul Chadha
- Neha Dubey as Ayesha Verma
- Ishaan Nair as Varun Verma
- Roshan Seth as Mohan Rai
- Soni Razdan as Saroj Rai
- Jas Arora as Umang Chadha
- Natasha Rastogi as Sona Verma
- Ram Kapoor as Shelly
- Dibyendu Bhattacharya as Lottery
- Rajiv Gupta as Delhi Cop in Rain Scene
}}
Reception
Monsoon Wedding received widespread critical acclaim upon release.
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 128 critics' reviews were positive, with an average rating of 8/10. The website’s consensus reads: "An insightful, energetic blend of Hollywood and Bollywood styles, Monsoon Wedding is a colorful, exuberant celebration of modern-day India, family, love, and life."{{Cite web |title=Monsoon Wedding {{!}} Rotten Tomatoes |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/monsoon_wedding |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=www.rottentomatoes.com |language=en}} Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 77 out of 100, based on 36 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.{{Cite web |title=Monsoon Wedding Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/monsoon-wedding/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=www.metacritic.com |language=en}}
Roger Ebert rated the film 3.5 stars out of 4, calling it "one of those joyous films that leaps over national boundaries and celebrates universal human nature."{{Cite web |last=Ebert |first=Roger |title=Monsoon Wedding movie review & film summary (2002) {{!}} Roger Ebert |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/monsoon-wedding-2002 |access-date=23 November 2020 |website=rogerebert.com/ |language=en}} Sandi Chaitram of the BBC gave a positive review, praising Mira Nair’s ability to create tense drama without stifling the film's overall feel-good nature. She also noted that the "somewhat cheesy" finale's confirmation of family love doesn't impede the film's charm.{{Cite web |title=BBC - Films - review - Monsoon Wedding |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/12/28/monsoon_wedding_2001_review.shtml |access-date=23 November 2020 |website=www.bbc.co.uk}} Brian Eggert of Deep Focus Review gave the film a perfect score of 4 out of 4, highlighting the film's rich storytelling and Nair’s ability to create complex characters. He states, "Nair has crafted a variegated ensemble of characters. We care about them, as they live full and complicated lives."{{Cite web |date=2019-08-04 |title=Monsoon Wedding |url=https://www.deepfocusreview.com/reviews/monsoon-wedding/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Deep Focus Review |language=en-US}}
Chuck Bowen of Slant Magazine praised Nair's direction, describing her as having "clear gifts as a director," with her most appealing traits being her "generosity and sense of texture."{{Cite web |last=Bowen |first=Chuck |date=2009-10-22 |title=Review: Monsoon Wedding |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/monsoon-wedding/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Slant Magazine |language=en-US}} Derek Malcolm of The Guardian appreciated the film’s exploration of tradition and modernity, saying, "There is a mixture of ancient and modern that holds the Verma family in its thrall. Nair looks at these contrasts with a skilled eye that's ironic but never mocking."{{Cite news |last=Malcolm |first=Derek |date=2001-11-12 |title=Monsoon Wedding |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2001/nov/12/londonfilmfestival2001.londonfilmfestival2 |access-date=2025-04-02 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} Soham Gadre of The Spool described the film as "a warm-hearted ode to family and Indian culture," highlighting its balance between Bollywood traditions and modern sensibilities.{{Cite web |title="Monsoon Wedding" is a warm-hearted ode to family and Indian culture |url=https://thespool.net/reviews/movies/monsoon-wedding-mira-nair-retrospective/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=The Spool |language=en}}
Soundtrack
The soundtrack of Monsoon Wedding includes a qawwali by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, a ghazal by Farida Khanum, a Punjabi song by Sukhwinder Singh, an old Indian song by Rafi, a folk dance song. The film includes an Urdu ghazal, Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo (Don't Be So Stubborn About Leaving Today) sung by Pakistani artist Farida Khanum.{{Cite web |title=Monsoon Wedding Soundtrack (2001) |url=https://www.soundtrack.net/album/monsoon-wedding/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=www.soundtrack.net}}
The song Aaj Mera Ji Karda is recreated by Indian musicians Tanishk Bagchi and Arjunna Harjaie for the film Lucknow Central (2017) starring Farhan Akhtar.{{Cite web |date=2017-07-27 |title='Monsoon Wedding' song recreated for Farhan Akhtar's 'Lucknow Central' |url=https://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/bollywood-news/article/Monsoon-Wedding-song-Kawa-Kawa-recreated-for-Farhan-Akhtar-Lucknow-Central-Bollywood-news-18456191 |access-date=2025-04-02 |website=Mid-day |language=en}}
{{track listing
| all_music = Mychael Danna (except where listed)
| title1 = Feels Like Rain
| length1 = 0:28
| title2 = Kaavaan Kaavaan
| note2 = Performed by Sukhwinder Singh
| music2 = Sukhwinder Singh
| length2 = 5:11
| title3 = Baraat
| length3 = 2:13
| title4 = Aaj Mausam Bada Beimann Hai (*) [Today The Weather Plays Tricks on Me]
| note4 = Performed by Mohammed Rafi
| music4 = Laxmikant–Pyarelal (*)
| length4 = 3:20
| title5 = Your Good Name
| length5 = 3:38
| title6 = Delhi.com
| length6 = 1:41
| title7 = Fuse Box
| length7 = 2:31
| title8 = Mehndi / Madhorama Pencha
| note8 = Performed by Madan Bala Sindhu
| length8 = 3:26
| title9 = Banished
| length9 = 0:52
| title10 = Good Indian Girls
| length10 = 3:41
| title11 = Fabric / Aaja Savariya
| note11 = Performed by MIDIval Punditz
| length11 = 3:01
| title12 = Allah Hoo
| note12 = Performed by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
| length12 = 4:39
| title13 = Hold Me, I'm Falling
| length13 = 2:57
| title14 = Love and Marigolds
| length14 = 2:45
| title15 = Chunari Chunari (**)
| note15 = Performed by Abhijeet and Anuradha Sriram
| music15 = Anu Malik (**)
| length15 = 4:08
| title16 = Aaja Nachle
| note16 = Performed by Bally Sagoo feat. Hans Raj Hans
| music16 = Bally Sagoo
| length16 = 3:40
| title17 = Aaj Mera Jee Kardaa - (Zimpala remix)
| length17 = 4:56
| title18 = Fuse Box - Alex Kid's Dub Remix
| length18 = 6:14
| title19 = Fuse Box - Julio Black Remix
| length19 = 3:03
}}
Accolades
Monsoon Wedding won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, making Mira Nair the second Indian (after Satyajit Ray for Aparajito) to receive this honour.
| class="wikitable"
!Award !Date of the ceremony !Category !Recipients !Result !Ref. |
| rowspan="2" |Venice Film Festival
| rowspan="2" |29 August–8 September 2001 | rowspan="2" |Mira Nair |won |
| Laterna Magica Prize
|won |
| Awards Circuit Community Awards
|4 January 2002 |Best Foreign Language Film |Monsoon Wedding |nom | |
| rowspan="2" |Zee Cine Awards
| rowspan="2" |11 January 2002 |nom |
| Outstanding Contribution for International Cinema
|Mira Nair |won |
| Golden Globe Awards
|Monsoon Wedding |nom |
| British Academy Film Awards
|Best Film Not in the English Language |Monsoon Wedding |nom |
| IIFA Awards
|Best Performance In A Comic Role |Ishaan Nair |nom |
| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards
|Monsoon Wedding |won | |
| American Choreography Awards
|20 October 2002 |Outstanding Achievement in Feature Film |nom | |
| British Independent Film Awards
|Best International Independent Film |Monsoon Wedding |won |
| Canberra International Film Festival
|15–17 November 2002 |Audience Award |Mira Nair (tied with Jean-Pierre Jeunet for Amélie) |won | |
| European Film Awards
|Screen International Award |Mira Nair |nom |
| Online Film Critics Society
|Monsoon Wedding |nom | |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards
|Monsoon Wedding |nom |
| Satellite Awards
|Monsoon Wedding |nom |
| rowspan="2" |Chlotrudis Society for Independent Films
| rowspan="2" |15 March 2003 |Best Director |Mira Nair |nom |
| Best Cast
|Monsoon Wedding |nom |
| Independent Spirit Awards
|Producers Award |Monsoon Wedding |won |
Home media
This film was released on DVD in 2002. In 2009, it was released as part of the Criterion Collection.{{cite web| url= http://www.criterion.com/films/2364-monsoon-wedding|title=Monsoon Wedding (2001) - The Criterion Collection}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{mojo title|monsoonwedding}}
- {{IMDb title|0265343}}
- {{Rotten Tomatoes|monsoon_wedding}}
- [https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/1266-monsoon-wedding-a-marigold-tapestry Monsoon Wedding: A Marigold Tapestry] an essay by Pico Iyer at the Criterion Collection
{{Mira Nair}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Monsoon Wedding
|list =
{{AARP Movies for Grownups Award for Best Foreign Film}}
{{BIFA BestForeignFilm}}
{{Golden Lion}}
}}
Category:English-language Indian films
Category:2001 romantic comedy-drama films
Category:Indian independent films
Category:Italian romantic comedy-drama films
Category:Indian romantic comedy-drama films
Category:Films directed by Mira Nair
Category:Films with screenplays by Sabrina Dhawan
Category:Films about Indian weddings
Category:Films about adultery in India
Category:Fiction about child sexual abuse
Category:2000s Hindi-language films
Category:Films scored by Mychael Danna
Category:2001 multilingual films
Category:American multilingual films
Category:French multilingual films