Ishaan Nair, Kamini Khanna, Kemaya Kidwai

The romantic monsoon rains loom over New Delhi, giving occasional relief from the relentless summer heat, as the Verma family prepares for their daughter's arranged marriage. The father of the bride, ...( read more  read more... )Lalit Verma, and his wife Pimmi have endured the ups and downs of a traditional marriage. With their daughter Aditi preparing to marry and leave home, the Vermas seek comfort in their shared history. Aditi is to marry Houston engineer Hermant Rai, though she's not yet over her love affair with her older (and married) ex-boss. The day before the wedding, Aditi gets cold feet. Observing the bride's apprehension, unmarried cousin Ria Verma begins to assert herself to her family, defying convention and revealing a disturbing secret she has suppressed for years. Another cousin, the teenaged Ayesha Verma, begins a steamy flirtation with Rahul Chadha, a Sydney college student who has returned to India after years away. Meanwhile, the mobile contractor for the wedding is smitten by Verma's young maid, Alice.

Flixster Users

86% liked it

23,194 ratings

Critics

94% liked it

106 critics

R, 1 hr. 54 min.

Directed by: Mira Nair

Release Date: February 22, 2002

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DVD Release Date: September 24, 2002

Stats: 1,249 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (1,249)


  • November 3, 2009
    Although her latest effort, "Amelia", was a flop both critically and commercially, the Criterion Collection's recent release of Mira Nair's "Monsoon Wedding" reminds us of Nair's enormous talents. The film is wonderfully unique, a cultural smorgasbord with an endless supply of go...( read more)rgeous visuals. The clothing, the music, and the dancing might seem foreign to an American audience, but the joyous heart of "Monsoon Wedding" is universal.

    The film begins informally by simply thrusting us into it's world. There are well over a dozen characters we meet early on, and it's up to us to sort out who is who. Slowly, we begin to pick up on the key players: Aditi (Vasundhara Das) and Hemant (Parvin Dabas) are the couple participating in an arranged marriage, Aditi's parents are Lalit (Naseerudin Shah) and Pimmi (Lillete Dubey), and the event coordinator, P.K. Dube (Vijay Raaz) is smitten with the family's beautiful maid, Alice (Tilotama Shome).

    The way Nair weaves together all of these narrative threads is a massive juggling feat. Although the film can be confusing in it's developing moments, we begin to not only learn each character's relationship with the family, but what distinguishes them from everybody else. The screen may be crowded, but somehow Nair still finds time to explain each character with such a thorough tenderness that each personality can be easily reflected to someone in our own family.

    Jonathan Demme's "Rachel Getting Married" owes quite a bit to "Monsoon Wedding". Although the former film is much darker, the family dynamics of the two films are very much the same. Each film also smartly balances melodrama with a vérité-style documentation of it's wedding rituals.

    "Monsoon Wedding" perhaps begins to lose itself in it's final act, but it's a film of such vivid life that each narrative hiccup is easy to forgive. The film is simply a pure joy - a lavish feast for the eyes and the soul.
  • February 2, 2009
    Given how long I've heard folks talk about this one, I can't quite understand why I've never seen it, but I'm very thankful I finally did. Beautiful! Multiple love stories that all work well together. A great look at one culture's approach to the whole wedding ceremony. I'm n...( read more)ow definitely in love with Tillotama Shome : ) Alice, you knock me out.

    The only thing that's a half-star jarring for me, is the child predator angle. I mean, I think the film works without that. This is a must-see.

  • December 26, 2008
    it starts off slow and builds and builds towards the end. it's nice to see an indian film that isn't all just singing and dancing, but if you can stomach a little bit of it then it's definitely worth the watch
  • March 3, 2008
    Beautifully filmed story of wedding preperations amongst an Indian family. Definately watch it..have some marigolds with it and enjoy.
  • January 7, 2008
    The beautiful and colorful story about the preparations for an arranged marriage in India.
  • November 10, 2009
    A wonderful story! I love the colour, the passion, and the monsoon rains of this film.
  • November 9, 2009
    Nothing like a movie about a huge family getting together for a celebration. I am a sucker for anything with a romantic slant.
  • October 28, 2009
    One of the best movies I've ever seen...
  • September 3, 2009
    great characters, two love stories and some heavy drama . so worth your time to see, Please do.
  • August 30, 2009
    This movie was awesome!!!!!! Funny, quirky, sweet, a little drama, just a great balance.

Critic Reviews


March 22, 2002
David Edelstein, Slate

A teeming ensemble comedy shot fast and cheap but with such gorgeous colors and music and swirling silks that you leave with a feeling of riches, of superabundance. full review

March 8, 2002
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

An intricate, heartfelt tribute to the enduring power of love. full review

March 8, 2002
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

One of those joyous films that leaps over national boundaries and celebrates universal human nature. full review

January 18, 2002
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Director Mira Nair, best known for Mississippi Masala, a cross-cultural love story with Denzel Washington, as well as the Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay!, aims for pure joy and achieves it. full review

View more Monsoon Wedding reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • birijadas
    April 8, 2008
    Monsoon Wedding tackles the chaos that results when a large Indian family, whose members are scattered around the globe, assembles in contemporary New Delhi for an old-fashioned marriage ceremony. Director Mira Nair, best known for Mississippi Masala, a cross-cultural love story with Denzel Washington, as well as the Oscar-nominated Salaam Bombay!, aims for pure joy and achieves it.
    I have visited the review of the movie. For better review go to
    http://www.comingsoon.net/news/dvdreviewsnews.php?id=3448

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