Monsoon Wedding

Theatrical Release Date: 2002 02 22 (USA - Limited)

UPC: 715515049214

Studio: Criterion

MPAA Rating: R   Contains:[Adult Language]

Summary: Following up on her controversial erotic drama Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love, Mira Nair directs this charming family drama about a very chaotic Indian wedding. Lalit Verma (Naseeruddin Shah) is a wealthy father who is trying to see that his daughter Aditi's wedding goes off without a hitch. Though familiar with Western ways, he has little patience with them and is dead set on seeing the nuptials done properly and traditionally. Disillusioned with her long time relationship with Vikram -- a man who is almost twice her age -- Aditi (Vasundhara Das) suddenly agrees to submit to an arranged marriage with Hemant, an engineer from Houston. Yet as the ceremony nears, she gets cold feet and returns to see her former lover -- even though it could spell disaster for everyone involved. Meanwhile, Aditi's comely 17-year-old cousin Ayesha is coming to terms with her blossoming sexuality and has her sights set on Rahul, another relative who is a college student in Australia. Then there is Rai -- also Aditi's cousin -- who has a shocking revelation to make. This film was screened at the 2001 Toronto and Venice Film Festivals. At Venice, Monsoon Wedding won the prestigious Golden Lion award. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi

Category: Comedy Drama

Awards: Screen International Award – European Film Academy Best Foreign Language Film – null Best Foreign Language Film – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Foreign Language Film – British Academy of Film and Television Arts Best Foreign Film – Broadcast Film Critics Association Golden Lion – Venice International Film Festival Lanterna Magica Award (C.G.S.) – Venice International Film Festival Best Foreign Language Film – Broadcast Film Critics Association Producers Award – Independent Spirit Awards Best Foreign Language Film – Hollywood Foreign Press Association

Features: Audio commentary featuring Nair
New video interview with actor Naseeruddin Shah, Conducted by Nair
New Video interviews with Quinn and production designer Stephanie Carroll
Theatrical trailer
Seven short films, all with video introductions by the director
A booklet featuring essayist Pico Iyer

Monsoon Wedding

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 10/20/2009

Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Theatre Wide-Screen

Audio: DHMA null

Runtime: 114 Minutes

Sides: 1

Number of Discs: 1

Language(s) English

Subtitles: English

Region: Blu-ray region A (North America, Central America, South America, Japan, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia)

Josh Ralske

Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding is a warm embrace of a movie, a bright splash of romance and familial feeling. From the explosion of color and music that marks the opening credits, Nair builds a sense of anticipation for the whirlwind of romantic comedy and drama that marks her film. Winner of the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, Monsoon Wedding shares its cultural richness and sweep with her previous films. As in Salaam Bombay and Mississippi Masala, life seems to seep in from the edges of the frame. Sabrina Dhawan's script carries the Nair trademarks -- strong supporting characters, and a good ear for how people speak and interact. The script was further developed through intensive rehearsals with the cast and crew. The story is deceptively simple, but touches on issues of class, child abuse, and cultural difference, all in seamless deference to the drama. Assisted by a large and talented group of actors, including personal friends and family (for example, the filmmaker's own nephew, Ishaan Nair, plays the bride's younger brother, Varun), Nair has created a film of intimate detail and universal appeal. One standout in the cast is Vijay Raaz, who plays the buffoonish, but, as it turns out, shyly romantic, marigold-munching Dubei. Raaz manages to make this dual personality completely credible. There's a regrettable patness to the film's coda. But for the most part, Monsoon Wedding honestly captures the spirit of modern Delhi -- the mix of languages (English, Hindi, and Punjabi), the blend of traditional culture and modern technology, the proximity of upper and lower classes, and the influence of Bollywood movies on everyday life. It's not just a touching, funny, multi-layered drama, it's an exuberant love poem to a city and a culture in transition. ~ Josh Ralske, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Kulbhushan Kharbanda  Actor 
Caroline Baron  Producer 
Mychael Danna  Composer (Music Score) 
Mira Nair  Director 
Mira Nair  Producer 
Caroline Kaplan  Executive Producer 
Jonathan Sehring  Executive Producer 
Sabrina Dhawan  Screenwriter 
Naseeruddin Shah  Actor 
Lillete Dubey  Actor 
Shefali Shetty  Actor 
Vasundhara Das  Actor 
Parvin Dabas  Actor 
Vijay Raaz  Actor 
Tilotama Shome  Actor 
Rajat Kapoor  Actor 
Neha Dubey  Actor 

Country: India,USA