As the title suggests, "Bride and Prejudice" is a delightful update of Jane Austen's 19th century comedy of manners about marriage between the classes. Director Gurinder Chadha ("Bend It Like Beckham") and co-writer Paul Mayeda Berges more than successfully modernized the tale.
In this reinterpretation, the Indian countryside fills in for that of Regency England, and Austen's five daughters have been reduced to four, but the essence of the novel -- marriages that satisfy both financial and romantic desires -- remains intact.
Aishwarya Rai, who Time Magazine dubbed the most beautiful woman in the world, plays Lalita Bakshi, the character that replaces the novel's intellectually spirited protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet. Despite her exquisite good looks, polished English, and fine mind, Lalita, the "jewel of Amritsar" (the modern Indian town where she lives), is content to remain with her family until the right man comes along.
That man might be Will Darcy (Martin Henderson), the scion of American hoteliers, who arrives in Amritsar with his friend Balraj Bingley (Naveen Andrews), ostensibly to attend a local wedding. The real purpose of the trip, however, is for Darcy to take stock of a nearby seaside resort that his family is considering adding to their holdings, and for Bingley to find a wife.
At the wedding celebration, the English-bred Bingley falls for Lalita's older sister, Jaya (Namrata Shirodkar), and the Waspy Darcy is smitten by Lalita. But Darcy's nervousness and bumbling conversation cause Lalita to snub him. Nevertheless, Lalita agrees to accompany Jaya on a trip to the shore with Darcy and Bingley in order to cement her sister's hopeful position as Bingley's bride-to-be.
The love/hate connection between Lalita and Darcy intensifies when Darcy, prodded by Bingley's snobbish sister, Kiran, (Indira Varma), expresses his very western philosophy. In her disgust, Lalita sums up Darcy's arrogant too-American attitude. "You want people to come to India without having to deal with Indians."
Shortly thereafter, Lalita meets Johnny Wickham (Daniel Gillies), a mate from Darcy's past whose interest in Lalita stirs not only the plot, but also Darcy's passions. The story is further complicated by the arrival of the nerdy Mr. Kohli (an amusing Nitin Chandra Ganatra), whose traditional values and "no life without a wife" mindset have driven him back to India from Los Angeles to make a match. The rest of the events unfold in a predictable but entertaining manner.
The latest Bollywood-style film to hit American theaters, "Bride" overflows with beautiful people, colorful costumes, lively music and spirited dancing. (Did I mention the beautiful people?) As with other films of this genre, much of the action unfolds as characters break into song and dance. But what sets "Bride" apart from many of its predecessors is that, in addition to their high caliber entertainment factor, these musical interludes advance the plot without overwhelming it. Original music by Anu Malik and Craig Pruess successfully blend contemporary rhythms with conventional instrumentation, and one particularly sexy, though chaste, concert is performed by pop artist Ashanti.
For Chadha, who was born in Kenya and raised in England, the material might seem an unlikely choice. But the director has a strong connection to her cultural roots, and, like Austen, is aware of the tug-of-war between modern and traditional values. As she did with "Beckham," Chadha explores those contradictions to good effect here.
"Bride" is beautifully cast (literally), with winning performances across the board. Tech credits are equally assured. Although "Bride's" release coincides with what is typically a dull season, it would be a welcome addition at any time of year. As one of its songs says, "life is great, let's celebrate," and "Bride" gives us cause to do just that.
In this reinterpretation, the Indian countryside fills in for that of Regency England, and Austen's five daughters have been reduced to four, but the essence of the novel -- marriages that satisfy both financial and romantic desires -- remains intact.
Aishwarya Rai, who Time Magazine dubbed the most beautiful woman in the world, plays Lalita Bakshi, the character that replaces the novel's intellectually spirited protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet. Despite her exquisite good looks, polished English, and fine mind, Lalita, the "jewel of Amritsar" (the modern Indian town where she lives), is content to remain with her family until the right man comes along.
That man might be Will Darcy (Martin Henderson), the scion of American hoteliers, who arrives in Amritsar with his friend Balraj Bingley (Naveen Andrews), ostensibly to attend a local wedding. The real purpose of the trip, however, is for Darcy to take stock of a nearby seaside resort that his family is considering adding to their holdings, and for Bingley to find a wife.
At the wedding celebration, the English-bred Bingley falls for Lalita's older sister, Jaya (Namrata Shirodkar), and the Waspy Darcy is smitten by Lalita. But Darcy's nervousness and bumbling conversation cause Lalita to snub him. Nevertheless, Lalita agrees to accompany Jaya on a trip to the shore with Darcy and Bingley in order to cement her sister's hopeful position as Bingley's bride-to-be.
The love/hate connection between Lalita and Darcy intensifies when Darcy, prodded by Bingley's snobbish sister, Kiran, (Indira Varma), expresses his very western philosophy. In her disgust, Lalita sums up Darcy's arrogant too-American attitude. "You want people to come to India without having to deal with Indians."
Shortly thereafter, Lalita meets Johnny Wickham (Daniel Gillies), a mate from Darcy's past whose interest in Lalita stirs not only the plot, but also Darcy's passions. The story is further complicated by the arrival of the nerdy Mr. Kohli (an amusing Nitin Chandra Ganatra), whose traditional values and "no life without a wife" mindset have driven him back to India from Los Angeles to make a match. The rest of the events unfold in a predictable but entertaining manner.
The latest Bollywood-style film to hit American theaters, "Bride" overflows with beautiful people, colorful costumes, lively music and spirited dancing. (Did I mention the beautiful people?) As with other films of this genre, much of the action unfolds as characters break into song and dance. But what sets "Bride" apart from many of its predecessors is that, in addition to their high caliber entertainment factor, these musical interludes advance the plot without overwhelming it. Original music by Anu Malik and Craig Pruess successfully blend contemporary rhythms with conventional instrumentation, and one particularly sexy, though chaste, concert is performed by pop artist Ashanti.
For Chadha, who was born in Kenya and raised in England, the material might seem an unlikely choice. But the director has a strong connection to her cultural roots, and, like Austen, is aware of the tug-of-war between modern and traditional values. As she did with "Beckham," Chadha explores those contradictions to good effect here.
"Bride" is beautifully cast (literally), with winning performances across the board. Tech credits are equally assured. Although "Bride's" release coincides with what is typically a dull season, it would be a welcome addition at any time of year. As one of its songs says, "life is great, let's celebrate," and "Bride" gives us cause to do just that.