Monday, December 18, 2006

My Review on Vivaah

Vivah: My Rating 4 1/2
Its being a long time since a saw a decent movie. A movie which I can see with my family members. Vivah is, as title reads out "a journey from engagement to mairrage". Audiences will see a bit of themselves in 'Vivah'. May be not in the metros where weddings are now arranged on a contract basis and the bride is more concerned about getting her makeup and outfit rather than values. This time Sooraj Barjatya dint got a HUGE team as compared to his previous release like Hum Aapkke Hain Koun and Hum Saat Saath Hain. In fact thats the point I like in the move where whatever characters are there are given enough room to show the talent. Shaid or Amrita have never being in favorite list but they deliver good performance and do justice to the role. Alok Nath is very much around. And his contribution to the success of ‘Vivah’ can’t be ignored. Seema Viswas does justice to her role and adds a pinch of salt to the sugar and saves the movie from getting to sugary.

I don't know the fate of box office for this movie but people who cares for their values will surely love this movie despite of any box office record

In various forums people have raised various concern. Well if you guys dint like the movie that's absolutely fine as everyone has its own taste and so does you! Now coming to various points raised by you, I will try to address them.

- Prem falls in love with Poonam for no apparent reason.
If you watch movie carefully you will find that Prem knew everything about Poonam before he saw her, he was told everything about her by his father and his father was informed by Mr Bhagat (Now if you don't want to believe in your parents or your family then its your choice. At least I will believe in my parents and that's why it makes sense to me). And also she is educated, belongs to a decent family, being brought with values, AND she is beautiful. Now if you think these are not enough to justify for someone to fall in love, then I don't know what you are looking for.

- A city guy marrying a village girl.
Are you fixing up a rule that a village guys should marry village girl and city guy to city girl? Isn't it a completely ridiculous? I ask you whom you will marry? a person to whom you like or a person who is staying in city/village (wherever you are)? I don't agree with the fact that t people of city are not compatible with village and vice versa.


- All village girls are innocent and have values/Village peoples have more values than city.
Someone raised a point that comparing the Village girls as goddess is completely wrong. I 100% agree with that. Its not the Village or City girl who can be considered to be good. What matters is, the kind of teaching you got from your parents/elders, and how much you have adopted them. It can be any where, a village or a city. Its person dependent not place, and I don't think our Director ever tries to convey that village girls are like "Goddess" and city girls are "Bitches".

- How come a village girl will be compatible with a city guy?
I fully agree with the fact that success of a marriage totally depends upon compatibility. There are 2 kinds of compatibility in relationship like marriage which you see. Before marriage and after marriage compatibility. I have not been married for long to comment like an expert but compatibility factors are going to change after marriage. So there comes compromise by which you can increase your compatibility. And that's the fact behind marriages being more successful among Indians than Westerns (this applies only to those who agree with me that Indian marriages are more successful compared to marriages in western countries). So I don't advocate the idea of sleeping/staying with someone to check the compatibility before marriage (A Salaam Namste idea, just to let you know I enjoyed Salaam Namste for its humor).

- Various comments about Tradition and Culture
Someone stated that Bal Viavah (Child Mairrage) was or our tradition/culture. My suggestion, go little deeper in our history and you will find that there were co concept of Child Mairrage. A girl can choose anyone he wants to marry, it was her choice (something called as Swyamber). Just go and read some books, do some research and you will find the reason why Child Mairrage started. Also tradition changes from time to time, something which was good 1000 years ago may not be applicable now but basic things of love, affection will remain the same till there is mankind.