Movie Review - Veere di Wedding

Finally a gutsy movie where women can be the real heroes. This is a film which drew me to it and I didn't mind buying my ticket to watch it alone. When I got to the cinema hall I realised that I was in a room full of mostly women of all ages. 

Veere di Wedding is a flat out Punjabi movie with many references which took me a while to comprehend. Veere loosely translates to a brother and the film revolves around the lives of four girls who are high school friends, that make a pact to always be there for one another.

What is refreshing is how unapologetic these women are about who they are. I do love how they come in all shapes and sizes. Director Shashanka Ghosh weaves a narrative that is quite believable even if all Indian women don't drink and smoke or take 'foreign' trips booking business class seats at the drop of a hat. Like all Indian movies, you can make-believe that this too could be a version of reality.

The first half of the film didn't live up to all the hype for me personally. The second came close. Without giving too much away it must be said that the women in this Bollywood film are super rich, wear designer clothes and have one foot firmly in fantasy land as they ride a Bentley in the crowded streets of Delhi. I'm not sure if that's the norm in the capital city. 

Striking similarities to Sex And The City in large parts, perhaps justified the 15 + rating. It was a delight to see Kareena Kapoor in a more realistic role using the genre of comedy to her advantage. 

The real life recent bride Sonam Kapoor Ahuja, plays a smart and savvy lawyer who's over zealous mother Neena Gupta, reminds us of the well meaning moms many of us have who's only dream is to have us settle down. 

The other girls are played by Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania who perhaps required more meaty parts. There were many scenes in the film one could relate to. Buying heavy jewellery and outfits for your wedding which you will never wear. Those many times you want to swear out loud but didn't because you couldn't. You could only do it in front of your gal pals. 

While Indian movies are certainly coming of age, it is a delight  that this one hit the screens to show that Indian women aren't all damsels and deewanis. Yes there is a lot of song and dance but thankfully it isn't around trees. The men in the film are a pale shadow compared to the headstrong women in the film.

The amount of product placements and plugs did make some bits quite annoying. What's worse was that in the end the women do seem to make their love lives and winning approval the central plot of the film.

Oh well, the ladies seem to believe they can make mistakes and for that I would go and view it again. 

Grab your girlfriends and don't miss this film.

A laugh -out-loud time at the cinema - Pic by Abigail Mathias

Image and text by Abigail Mathias