Monsoon Wedding (BD)
Mira Nair made a stunning directorial debut with the Oscar nominated drama, “Salaam Bombay!” in 1988, a gritty film about day-to-day life growing up in the streets of Bombay. Even before “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008) became a household name, it was “Salaam Bombay!” that introduced Mumbai (formerly known as Bombay) to Western audiences along with its new, talented director. Mira Nair started her film career directing documentaries on a wide variety of subjects with a focus on capturing life as it happens. Her earlier works, “Salaam Bombay!” and “Mississippi Masala” (1991) generated critical acclaim and box-office successes respectively. However, “Monsoon Wedding” (2001) remains her most well-known film to date.
The story revolves around Lalit Verma (Naseeruddin Shah) trying to organize a big and expensive wedding for his daughter Aditi (Vasundhara Das). Aditi is having an affair with a married man, Vikram (Sameer Arya). Nevertheless, there are also a couple of subplots intertwined within the main plot. First, Lalit’s niece, Ria (Shefali Shetty) was sexually abused by her uncle, Tej Puri (Rajat Kapoor). The wedding contractor, PK Dubey (Vijay Raaz), falls in love with the family maid, Alice (Tillotama Shome). The bride’s brother Varun (Ishaan Nair) wants to be a chef, of which his father disapproves. Lastly, Ayesha (Neha Dubey) flirts with Aditi’s cousin, Rahul (Randeep Hooda), who has just returned from Australia.
The opening shot shows the father of the bride standing in a garden wondering where everyone is. Moments later we see people gradually showing up for the occasion, followed by more people as the scene progresses. During these moments, Mira Nair deftly unfolds a number of subplots. We see the father of the bride trying to follow the Indian traditions and values by bearing the brunt of his daughter’s marriage expenses. He is going above and beyond to ensure that there is nothing missing for this auspicious occasion, even though Verma is buried under financial debt.
On the surface, “Monsoon Wedding” might have a straightforward storyline. However, a deeper inspection reveals various complex issues and social nuances: Issues like gender stereotyping, premarital affairs, and Diaspora are all delicately interlaced into the celebration of the marriage ceremony. Nevertheless, the most important issue tackled in the movie is the taboo subject of relatives abusing children sexually. This is rampant in big, extended families, but it is rarely if ever talked about or discussed.
In the acting department, the talented cast of Naseeruddin Shah, Shefali Shetty, and Rajat Kapoor are perfect for their characters. A key challenge for the director was to ensure that the presence of the perpetrator is not overbearing in the film. Rajat Kapoor plays this role to perfection, and while he keeps a low profile, he still manages to get adequate screen time and attention from the audience. Shefali Shetty gives a brilliant and convincing performance as the survivor of sexual abuse. Ria was sexually abused as a child, but all these years she kept silent for the sake of keeping the family together. Never is she the self-pitying victim; there is quiet dignity and courage in her portrayal of Ria. Mira Nair mentions in the audio commentary that “Her (Shetty’s) every look and glance is loaded with power and history.”
Shetty conveys much with her facial expressions and body language. In a wonderfully underplayed scene early on in the film, Ria lets the viewer know that something is very wrong between her and her uncle, Tej. Her accusing silence while she plays the dutiful niece is palpably ominous. It is these kinds of subtle nuances that make Shetty the talent she is.
Lalit Verma is put on the spot to take a stand on this situation. Initially, he waivers by citing a traditional response that “For my family” I cannot make a choice. However, at this point, I thought Mira Nair excels as a director. Instead of holding to a conventional response, Mira Nair through the character of Lalit Verma the next morning evokes a firm and convincing response, one which is unusual in the realm of Indian society. In the process, the ending is not only satisfying but also stays true to the director’s intent in showing the celebrations up until the end.
As revealed in the director’s commentary, apart from Naseeruddin Shah, the other supporting actors were mostly amateurs and family friends. As a result, there are few surprises in the acting department. However, the character of PK Dubey played by Vijay Raaz has become an iconic character in Bollywood. The spontaneity of his dialogue, delivery, and perfect comic timing in various scenes is delightful. The hilarious cell phone scene in which PK Dubey climbs up the tent was improvised on the spot by Raaz and shot in one take.
Apart from showing these issues, Mira Nair also touches on the class issue. The late 1990s and the early 2000s represented a major trend of lower-middle-class people gradually to move upward in the class hierarchy. One can surmise that PK Dubey probably has very limited formal education. However, he effectively uses his resourcefulness to run a small business successfully. The safari suit and cell phone completes his persona of a self-made businessman.
Right before the credits roll, we see the director thanking her family. Meera Nair says she wanted to direct a film that embodies her true roots in the Punjabi culture. As a Punjabi myself, I can easily relate to Mira Nair’s depiction of an affluent Punjabi family. Through various scenes, we get details on how Punjabis interact with each other during a big event like this. Eventually, their festivities are all about dance, songs, whiskey, and food. The language at times can be difficult to pick up as it is a mix of English, Hindi, and Punjabi, also popularly known as “Hinglish” in India.
In terms of technical aspects, Declan Quinn’s cinematography shines in every scene. It is notable particularly in the scenes where Declan captures the essence of the monsoon season in India by showing images of people crossing streets, maddening traffic, and street vendors, all captured as they happened.
I have seen this movie a number of times over the last couple of years. With each viewing, I have appreciated its dense texture more. It is amazing that this product was made in only thirty days with a minuscule budget of $1.2 million. Who says you need $100 million to produce a great movie?
Video:
“Monsoon Wedding” was shot on 16 mm film, and it is presented here in its original aspect ratio of 1:85.1 for this Blu-ray release (encoded in an AVC format @25Mpbs). Criterion created a new high-definition digital transfer just for the release, supervised and approved by Mira Nair and the director of photography, Declan Quinn. Because the film was shot in 16 mm, there is a fair bit of grain present in most scenes. However, the grain is not intrusive to the overall experience. As a matter of fact, it gives the overall presentation a film-like texture. I have owned the earlier release, and I am happy to report that this Criterion edition is the best representation of the film so far. This edition truly presents the film as I remember seeing it in the theater a few years ago.
Being an Indian film, the color palette is filled with bright yellows, reds, and blues that immediately pop out in this hi-def edition. The sarees have more defined texture and they look vibrant. The skin tones are improved and more lifelike. At times the image is deliberately soft, but that has nothing to do with the hi-def transfer. I did not notice any specks, noise, or halos. Overall, there is very little to complain about the video quality.
Audio:
Being a character-driven movie, the audio is mainly in the front-channels. It is only in the musical/dance sequences that we hear sound from the surround channels. Having compared it to the earlier release, the dialogue definitely gets a boost from the DTS-HD Master Audio. Apart from this, the audio track performs well in terms of expectations from a dialogue-driven movie such as this.
Extras:
Criterion has included a slew of extras for this release. However, missing from this release is the “The Making of Monsoon Wedding” featurette that was part of the old 2002 DVD.
First, we have an audio commentary with Mira Nair. This is the track recorded in 2002 and was part of the earlier DVD release. Normally, I am not a big fan of audio commentaries, but this is the best commentary I have listened to so far. Mira Nair gives detailed insight on her thought process for everything from actors, scenes, photography, and color schemes to set design. It’s an entertaining commentary and definitely worth listening to.
Next is new video interview with Naseeruddin Shah, conducted by Mira Nair. In this interview, Mira Nair bestows praise on the veteran actor. We get insight on how other actors centered around Shah for advice and tips on acting.
After that is a new video interview with Quinn and production designer Stephanie Carroll in which Stephanie and Quinn talk about the look of “Monsoon Wedding.”
Then there is a set of seven short films that is a truly amazing extra. Mira Nair began her career shooting documentaries. These documentaries have not been easily available for home video consumption. Criterion has made this possible. There are three documentary shorts and four fictional shorts. The documentary shorts are “So far from India” (50 minutes, 1080p), “Indian Cabaret” (60 minutes), and “Laughing club of India” (35 minutes). The fictional Shorts are “The Day the Mercedes Became a Hat” (11 minutes), “11-09-01 – September 11” (11 minutes), “Migration” (19 minutes), and “How Can It Be” (9 minutes).
Parting Thoughts:
I could have written a few more pages and still not be done with this review. Mira Nair’s “Monsoon Wedding” contains multiple story lines that not only give an inside view on Indian culture and values, but also handle taboo subjects deftly. With a tight storyline that moves at a brisk pace, wonderfully acted and written, and full of unforgettable and witty characters, “Monsoon Wedding” is an entertaining romp from beginning to end.
I applaud Criterion’s effort in giving this movie the royal treatment that it deserves. More so, I hope that Criterion with this release can gain access to the vaults of Indian cinema. With an amazing video and audio presentation and a bevy of extras, this Criterion disc is on my list of top 10 movies on disc for 2009.
Rating
Video = 8/10
Audio = 6/10
Extras = 10/10
Movie = 9/10
The story revolves around Lalit Verma (Naseeruddin Shah) trying to organize a big and expensive wedding for his daughter Aditi (Vasundhara Das). Aditi is having an affair with a married man, Vikram (Sameer Arya). Nevertheless, there are also a couple of subplots intertwined within the main plot. First, Lalit’s niece, Ria (Shefali Shetty) was sexually abused by her uncle, Tej Puri (Rajat Kapoor). The wedding contractor, PK Dubey (Vijay Raaz), falls in love with the family maid, Alice (Tillotama Shome). The bride’s brother Varun (Ishaan Nair) wants to be a chef, of which his father disapproves. Lastly, Ayesha (Neha Dubey) flirts with Aditi’s cousin, Rahul (Randeep Hooda), who has just returned from Australia.
The opening shot shows the father of the bride standing in a garden wondering where everyone is. Moments later we see people gradually showing up for the occasion, followed by more people as the scene progresses. During these moments, Mira Nair deftly unfolds a number of subplots. We see the father of the bride trying to follow the Indian traditions and values by bearing the brunt of his daughter’s marriage expenses. He is going above and beyond to ensure that there is nothing missing for this auspicious occasion, even though Verma is buried under financial debt.
On the surface, “Monsoon Wedding” might have a straightforward storyline. However, a deeper inspection reveals various complex issues and social nuances: Issues like gender stereotyping, premarital affairs, and Diaspora are all delicately interlaced into the celebration of the marriage ceremony. Nevertheless, the most important issue tackled in the movie is the taboo subject of relatives abusing children sexually. This is rampant in big, extended families, but it is rarely if ever talked about or discussed.
In the acting department, the talented cast of Naseeruddin Shah, Shefali Shetty, and Rajat Kapoor are perfect for their characters. A key challenge for the director was to ensure that the presence of the perpetrator is not overbearing in the film. Rajat Kapoor plays this role to perfection, and while he keeps a low profile, he still manages to get adequate screen time and attention from the audience. Shefali Shetty gives a brilliant and convincing performance as the survivor of sexual abuse. Ria was sexually abused as a child, but all these years she kept silent for the sake of keeping the family together. Never is she the self-pitying victim; there is quiet dignity and courage in her portrayal of Ria. Mira Nair mentions in the audio commentary that “Her (Shetty’s) every look and glance is loaded with power and history.”
Shetty conveys much with her facial expressions and body language. In a wonderfully underplayed scene early on in the film, Ria lets the viewer know that something is very wrong between her and her uncle, Tej. Her accusing silence while she plays the dutiful niece is palpably ominous. It is these kinds of subtle nuances that make Shetty the talent she is.
Lalit Verma is put on the spot to take a stand on this situation. Initially, he waivers by citing a traditional response that “For my family” I cannot make a choice. However, at this point, I thought Mira Nair excels as a director. Instead of holding to a conventional response, Mira Nair through the character of Lalit Verma the next morning evokes a firm and convincing response, one which is unusual in the realm of Indian society. In the process, the ending is not only satisfying but also stays true to the director’s intent in showing the celebrations up until the end.
As revealed in the director’s commentary, apart from Naseeruddin Shah, the other supporting actors were mostly amateurs and family friends. As a result, there are few surprises in the acting department. However, the character of PK Dubey played by Vijay Raaz has become an iconic character in Bollywood. The spontaneity of his dialogue, delivery, and perfect comic timing in various scenes is delightful. The hilarious cell phone scene in which PK Dubey climbs up the tent was improvised on the spot by Raaz and shot in one take.
Apart from showing these issues, Mira Nair also touches on the class issue. The late 1990s and the early 2000s represented a major trend of lower-middle-class people gradually to move upward in the class hierarchy. One can surmise that PK Dubey probably has very limited formal education. However, he effectively uses his resourcefulness to run a small business successfully. The safari suit and cell phone completes his persona of a self-made businessman.
Right before the credits roll, we see the director thanking her family. Meera Nair says she wanted to direct a film that embodies her true roots in the Punjabi culture. As a Punjabi myself, I can easily relate to Mira Nair’s depiction of an affluent Punjabi family. Through various scenes, we get details on how Punjabis interact with each other during a big event like this. Eventually, their festivities are all about dance, songs, whiskey, and food. The language at times can be difficult to pick up as it is a mix of English, Hindi, and Punjabi, also popularly known as “Hinglish” in India.
In terms of technical aspects, Declan Quinn’s cinematography shines in every scene. It is notable particularly in the scenes where Declan captures the essence of the monsoon season in India by showing images of people crossing streets, maddening traffic, and street vendors, all captured as they happened.
I have seen this movie a number of times over the last couple of years. With each viewing, I have appreciated its dense texture more. It is amazing that this product was made in only thirty days with a minuscule budget of $1.2 million. Who says you need $100 million to produce a great movie?
Video:
“Monsoon Wedding” was shot on 16 mm film, and it is presented here in its original aspect ratio of 1:85.1 for this Blu-ray release (encoded in an AVC format @25Mpbs). Criterion created a new high-definition digital transfer just for the release, supervised and approved by Mira Nair and the director of photography, Declan Quinn. Because the film was shot in 16 mm, there is a fair bit of grain present in most scenes. However, the grain is not intrusive to the overall experience. As a matter of fact, it gives the overall presentation a film-like texture. I have owned the earlier release, and I am happy to report that this Criterion edition is the best representation of the film so far. This edition truly presents the film as I remember seeing it in the theater a few years ago.
Being an Indian film, the color palette is filled with bright yellows, reds, and blues that immediately pop out in this hi-def edition. The sarees have more defined texture and they look vibrant. The skin tones are improved and more lifelike. At times the image is deliberately soft, but that has nothing to do with the hi-def transfer. I did not notice any specks, noise, or halos. Overall, there is very little to complain about the video quality.
Audio:
Being a character-driven movie, the audio is mainly in the front-channels. It is only in the musical/dance sequences that we hear sound from the surround channels. Having compared it to the earlier release, the dialogue definitely gets a boost from the DTS-HD Master Audio. Apart from this, the audio track performs well in terms of expectations from a dialogue-driven movie such as this.
Extras:
Criterion has included a slew of extras for this release. However, missing from this release is the “The Making of Monsoon Wedding” featurette that was part of the old 2002 DVD.
First, we have an audio commentary with Mira Nair. This is the track recorded in 2002 and was part of the earlier DVD release. Normally, I am not a big fan of audio commentaries, but this is the best commentary I have listened to so far. Mira Nair gives detailed insight on her thought process for everything from actors, scenes, photography, and color schemes to set design. It’s an entertaining commentary and definitely worth listening to.
Next is new video interview with Naseeruddin Shah, conducted by Mira Nair. In this interview, Mira Nair bestows praise on the veteran actor. We get insight on how other actors centered around Shah for advice and tips on acting.
After that is a new video interview with Quinn and production designer Stephanie Carroll in which Stephanie and Quinn talk about the look of “Monsoon Wedding.”
Then there is a set of seven short films that is a truly amazing extra. Mira Nair began her career shooting documentaries. These documentaries have not been easily available for home video consumption. Criterion has made this possible. There are three documentary shorts and four fictional shorts. The documentary shorts are “So far from India” (50 minutes, 1080p), “Indian Cabaret” (60 minutes), and “Laughing club of India” (35 minutes). The fictional Shorts are “The Day the Mercedes Became a Hat” (11 minutes), “11-09-01 – September 11” (11 minutes), “Migration” (19 minutes), and “How Can It Be” (9 minutes).
Parting Thoughts:
I could have written a few more pages and still not be done with this review. Mira Nair’s “Monsoon Wedding” contains multiple story lines that not only give an inside view on Indian culture and values, but also handle taboo subjects deftly. With a tight storyline that moves at a brisk pace, wonderfully acted and written, and full of unforgettable and witty characters, “Monsoon Wedding” is an entertaining romp from beginning to end.
I applaud Criterion’s effort in giving this movie the royal treatment that it deserves. More so, I hope that Criterion with this release can gain access to the vaults of Indian cinema. With an amazing video and audio presentation and a bevy of extras, this Criterion disc is on my list of top 10 movies on disc for 2009.
Rating
Video = 8/10
Audio = 6/10
Extras = 10/10
Movie = 9/10
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