MERE YAAR KI SHAADI HAI (My Friend's Wedding)- Review #8

The Film by Yash Chopra-Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai (My Friend's Wedding)-is pretty much My introduction to "Bollywood Film". As I sat down to watch it, I was sucked in by this entransing film even with the kitsch. Of course in this film, I am happy to say, there are ample Life lessons about the nature, shades, and complexities of friendship and love hidden under the kitsch.

The characters are ingratiating. A main character Sanjay(Uday Chopra) is a happy-go-lucky guy living in Mubai, but his one problem is that he CANNOT develop a relationship. He feels secure and is complacent, however, until he receives the phone call that shakes him to the core. His Dear Friend from childhood who he has shared most of his life with informs him that She is getting married. Her name is Anjali(played by Sanjana)-The reason no other relationship with any other girl will work . He gushes about her from the depths of his subconscious to a Friend, Ria(Bipasha Basu) just prior to recieving this call, and directly after the call confides to Ria that he will go directly to Dehradoon to her wedding party and break the wedding. The first great Lesson from this film that struck Me is this: "Some things can only be comprehended out of loss". (This is word-for-word or at least very close-a line from Ria as Sanjay laments Anjali's wedding.) How true this is! But Sanjay has hope! As he meets the wedding party, he is his usual fun-loving self, but his worries mount as he meets the prospective bridegroom. Rohit(Jimmy Shergill), Anjali's fiancee, is a debonair charmer-and very successful as a doctor in the U.S. Handsome and worldly, Rohit is adored at first sight by the whole family (although a hilarious scene with photos of an ape before he is met is too funny-a situaton orchestrated by Sanjay, this scene is a classic-but I will discuss the music interludes shortly). There must be soul-searching and revelation before the Triangle is resolved. (I can't say that it compares with the Japanese film/literature obsession with repressed feelings and duty and honor above all as in Remains of the Day, but the quote in Howard's End, the great Novel seems to apply-"Only Connect"! I guess all of us at one time or another keep feelings that we either were not fully conscious that we have (in which it is sometimes too late) or even more common are repressed to avoid hurt or rejecton. In this particular story, the prospect of loss is the catalyst for action, but the remedy is the same for all cases: BE HONEST AND UP FRONT WITH YOUR FEELINGS. CONNECT.

The spectacle was fun and a visual treat. The actors all did well in their parts. The music was fun, the dancing was spectacular (Man.........I wonder if ALL Indian actors have to dance that well as well as act. Is it a prerequisite? Uday was fabulous.) The parts that were musical were often funny. The Triangle of Anjali, Sanjay, and Rohit was dealt with in such a gentlemanly way by the characters. Sure, there is competition, but If only there could be more of that kind behavior in "reality". Just watch the film. Thanks for hooking Me to this exciting new genre, Kaz!!!!! :-D