Why does Bollywood keep setting all these wedding dates?
Big, bold, vibrant, dramatic, entertaining — those are words that apply both to Bollywood films and to Indian weddings. And they have a close relationship, too.
In the Nineties, we had Hum Aapke Hain Koun…!, cheekily described as the world’s longest wedding video. In recent years, we’ve had the new releases Veerey Ki Wedding, Veere Di Wedding, and Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety, and before that Running Shaadi (2017, about an agency that facilitates elopement); Dolly Ki Doli (2015, about a con artist bride); Shandaar (2015, about a destination wedding); and Band Baaja Baaraat (2010, about wedding planners).
Talking about ‘marriage movies’, Dolly Ki Doli director Abhishek Dogra feels that they’re very relatable for audiences. Dogra, who has another wedding-related film in the works, says, “Marriage is one theme from where you get several ideas.”
Actor Sumeet Vyas, who romanced Kareena Kapoor Khan in Veere Di Wedding, feels that a wedding-centric plot makes a movie exciting — the set resembles an actual wedding, he says. “Everybody’s getting dressed up. Just as there are wedding guests complaining about something or the other, that happens on the sets, too. Be it Hollywood or Bollywood, weddings are an evergreen part of films,” says the actor.
Mainstream Bollywood films, as an overall genre, are “incomplete” without weddings, believes trade analyst Amod Mehra. He says, “Weddings are an important part of cinema and romance. A bit of family drama and Punjabi flavour is what the audience loves.”
Commenting on the upcoming movie 5 Weddings, in which Nargis Fakhri plays an American journalist sent to India to cover Indian weddings, trade analyst Taran Adarsh says, “Marriages have had a vital role in Indian cinema; it’s also a great way to portray the Indian culture. It sets a joyous mood — there are light moments on-screen that everyone can relate to.”
SCREEN TO REAL LIFE
Shinjini Amitabh Chawla, a wedding blogger, says, “The Internet has made it so easy for couples to know about global trends, how brides and grooms are taking decisions for their nuptials, and the boom of talented wedding vendors! All this means a huge change in the way our weddings are celebrated, and it’s about time someone put it up on the big screen. We’re finally seeing Bollywood showing what the 21st century Indian wedding really looks like.”
Kaveri Vij, a wedding planner, says, “Relating our wedding concepts to Bollywood helps us break the mind barrier.” Her business partner Akshay Chopra says, “A lot of clients want to experiment if you have a Bollywood movie / Bollywood star reference.”
Planner Shweta Acharya adds, “Movies are a great inspiration — they set trends in the wedding industry.”