This was the very first Indian themed movie I watched. Yes, it’s in English, so it’s not really an Indian language film, but it is the film that inspired me to go looking for Indian language films to watch. This is also one of those movies I watch about once a year. It’s one of those films you have to share with someone, so I normally watch this with my sister-in-law. It’s now a tradition to make our daughters sit down and enjoy this movie with us.

Synopsis: Based on Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, this film follows the lives of the four Bakshi sisters as they navigate life, love, and family.

Plot:

Mrs. Bakshi’s main goal in life is to see her daughters married off to good men with fortunes. When eldest daughter Jaya falls for a rich Indian man, Balraj, Mrs. Bakshi turns her focus onto her middle daughter Lalita. Distant relative Mr. Kohli shows up, and she throws Lalita at him, but Lalita is not interested. She’s unwillingly fallen for the American businessman that came to visit with Balraj. William Darcy and Lalita clash as he doesn’t understand her culture and seems to look down on her. As he spends more time around Lalita though, he starts to learn to appreciate her way of life.

Cinematography:

This movie takes the viewer all over the world from India, to England, and then to the United States. The songs are full of colorful dances and my personal favorite is No Life Without Wife. Set at night, it’s not as colorful as we expect of an Indian dance scene, but with all the girls in white pajamas and the moonlit room as a background, it’s very visually appealing.

Characters:

The Women

The Bakshi sisters couldn’t be more different. Jaya is demure and classically beautiful. Lalita is outspoken, fiercely loyal, and full of pride. Lahki is impulsive and rebellious. Maya is the plain sister who always seems in the way. Neighbor Chandra is loved by everyone and has the patience of a saint. Kiran is Balraj’s prejudiced and spiteful sister.

The Men

Jaya has fallen for British-Indian lawyer, Balraj, who is every Indian Mother’s dream. His friend Will Darcy falls for Lalita, but has to fight his prejudices about Indian culture. Johnny Wickham is a playboy who plays Lalita for a fool and runs off with her sister Lahki. Distant relative Kohli has his sites set on Lalita, but ends up marrying her friend Chandra.

Why You Should Watch

If you are looking into dipping your toes into the Indian movie waters this is the movie for you. One of the reasons why I love this movie is that this movie doesn’t shy away from the hard topic of prejudice. It addresses not only the prejudice Will has about India, but Kiran is an example of how sharing a culture doesn’t mean you aren’t prejudiced against that culture.

Final Thoughts

I adore Jane Austen and I love that her stories can transcend the day and time they were written. It’s fascinating to me to watch a movie such as Bride and Prejudice, and see how the bare bones of the story translate into another language and culture. We live in a time where remakes are common, so we don’t always think about the original story. Pride and Prejudice was written over 200 years before Bride and Prejudice but the story holds true.

Until the next remake,

Clkytta

Dramas With a Side of Kimchi