This week's movie (so far) Bride & Prejudice

I have this theory that every film director of Indian descent secretly wants to make a Bollywood musical. A couple of years ago I was charmed by the spectacular Monsoon Wedding, which while not strictly speaking in the style of a Bollywood film - ie, it's not strictly speaking a musical - does feature a lot of music and dancing in the Bollywood style. And it is gorgeous to look at, both in terms of the cast, and the colourful costumes.

This week, Chez Llew hosted a screening of the Jane Austen inspired Bride & Prejudice, directed by Bend it Like Beckham's Gurinda Chadha, and featuring both former Miss World Aishwarya Rai, and Stuey from Shortland Street. And we enjoyed it immensely. And I had to laugh, as halfway through, Mrs Llew declared it ws "OK, but it seems to be riffing Pride & Prejudice a bit." And when I mentioned that was the point, she brightened up with "Oh, that explains the title, and why Stuey is called Mr Darcy!" So that's OK then.

Although I should mention here, that neither of us has ever been familiar with Shortland Street & so we really should refer to the ex-pat Kiwi who plays wealthy American William Darcy, by his real name, Martin Henderson.

Stuey does OK actually, he's a bit stiff at first, but loosens up along the way, and maybe that's the point. Meanwhile, the rather plain Miss Rai (just joking! She could stop traffic) positively glows. And sings and dances.

I mean, I won't go into the plot in any depth, you're all familiar with the source material right? And Stuey does not emerge from the water in skintight pants. Sadly, neither does Rai. And in fact, that reminds me, there is one scene where all the young attractive cast travel to an Indian resort that Stuey is thinking of buying, and the mother says "It's a good opportunity for him to see her in a swimsuit!" And maybe he did. But we didn't. What a swizz.

Ok, that might be a bit confusing, as the mum wasn't talking about Aishwarya & Stuey anyway, so maybe I'd better explain the plot.

Balraj Bingley (the English patient's Naveen Andrews) travels to Amritsah in India, to be best man at a wedding, he takes along his mate William Darcy. There, they meet the Bakshi family, and in particular the stunning Bakshi daughters, whose mother, the awesome Nadira Babbar, would like nothing more than to have each of her brood marry a wealthy, loving, Indian man. In particular, she is very keen that Balraj hook up with her eldest Jaya (Namrata Shirodkar, running Aishwarya a close second in the looks department)

Meanwhile, Darcy & second eldest daughter Lalita (Rai) meet & hate each other. She's proud, and he's prejudiced, geddit?

Oh, and there is an oily villain. And an even oilier, yet funny, comic relief looking for a hottie Indian bride (whose resemblance to so called comedian Mike King provides almost as much amusement as his nerdy, needy Indian Schtick).

That's all you need to know, unless you know the rest anyway, the course of true love never goes smoothly & requires quite a few energetic & colourful singing & dancing moments. Mercifully, Stuey isn't required to partake. However, in the opening number Naveen Andrews is impressive. In all subsequent numbers, the Bakshi girls are even more impressive. I defy you not to tap your feet along with most of the music.

The locations (god, even London!) give the cast a run for their money too, the film was shot in and around the Golden Temple of Amritsar, Goa beaches, the London Eye , the Colorado Canyon and Santa Monica Beach in California.

Well worth a look, light, energetic, foot tappingly exuberant, and spectacular. Way to go Stuey!

Bride and Prejudice - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia