Review of Bride & Prejudice (2004) by Kylee L — 27 Apr 2017

Bride and Prejudice is a Bollywood film with lots of American aspects. The film centers around the Bakshi family, mainly the mother and her four daughters. All four daughters are searching for marriage while in India, London, and Los Angeles. The mother is searching for money while her children are searching for love. In all, it was a very intriguing film and introduced interesting aspects of Bollywood while still understandable for a regular Hollywood-viewer.

I thoroughly enjoyed the Bollywood aspects of this movie. The breakout in song adds a fun, amusing aspect/break to the film, especially when songs are used to portray falling in love instead of an American make-out scene. Though there was a song 'No Life Without Wife' that felt out of place as if it came out of an American musical. Its simple American choreography and regular-pitched singing was nothing compared to the Indian group numbers of beautiful garbs and foreign dancing paired with high-pitched female vocals. Though I have never seen a true Bollywood movie, 'Bride and Prejudice' seems as dramatic as any Bollywood film, but not as simple as a usual Bollywood plot. There were lots of different characters getting married, falling in love, getting mad...it was quite complex! In addition to the Indian and American aspects, there were accents of Mexican and African culture with the Mariachi band and Gospel choir. Overall, the movie provides a great mix of both Hollywood and Bollywood.

I learned about how important it is to the Indian culture to get married--even if it means the couple isn't in love yet. They are very traditional. Also, the movie showed how Indian couples do not display affection in public at all. Even at one of the daughter's wedding, the groom kissed the hand of the bride instead of the lips. The movie didn't show any kissing either which is strange to a Hollywood fan who usually witnesses multiple kissing scenes in a single movie. When it comes to marriage, Indians are more practical; they want a man who can financially support their daughter. Women usually don't work so they are very concerned about finding a suitor to support them or else they will end up poor and living with their parents forever! That is why the mother in the film is so concerned for her daughters to get engaged. Love is not a huge aspect for this Indian mother who wishes to arrange her children's marriages; however, the daughters feel differently. They are more focused on a pleasant man who enjoys their company, not just their looks. Fortunately, they just so happened to be rich, too. The director focused on these customs mainly and failed to mention their religious practices. The director succeeded in displaying the customs at Indian weddings that provides a huge celebration for the whole town. Also, the Indian outfits were accurately presented at these occasions. Overall, the movie gives amateur viewers a taste of Bollywood, but in a shorter time span, leaving them wanting more.