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186 of 190 found the following review helpful:
No Life Without Wife Feb 14, 2005
By Andy Orrock
It appears Gurinder Chadha is going to suffer for a while from the "Bend It" problem: every movie she makes, people are going to tsk-tsk and say "it's not as good as 'Bend It Like Beckham.'" Well, honestly,how are you going to top that? It's too bad that many people aren't going to allow 'Bride and Prejudice' to stand on its own merits. That includes most mainstream reviewers who have generally been lukewarm about it. For many people though, 'Bride' will be an introduction to the Bollywood Musical genre and - for that reason alone - it's a can't miss. Far from being lukewarm, I was in stiches throughout most of the movie.
It's a brilliant set-up by Chadha and husband/writing partner Paul Mayeda Berges, finding and drawing the parallels between Jane Austen's 1813 novel and the small-town India of today. In both cases, a woman is considered meaningless until she marries.
There are brilliant Bollywood productions in blazes of color, most notably "Balle Balle (Punjabi Wedding Song)," which hits you like a thunderstorm within the first 10 minutes of the movie, and the hilarious "No Life Without Wife" (and for those of you who have seen the movie, I did Mr. Kholi's little gesture with my hand when I wrote that).
In 'Bride,' you grasp right away why Aishwarya Rai has transfixed a nation. With wide-set eyes that seem six inches in diameter, you look at the set pieces that have 50 - 100+ on screen at once and immediately spot her as the standout. Even for the uninitiated, it's going to take five seconds or less to pick her out as the star.
I also have to note Nitin Chandra Ganatra as Kholi. This guy is a real comedic talent. Here he portrays the Indian off to America ("A-Merka" as he calls it) and made good. Now, he's back to his home town to claim a bride. This guy not only gets all the great lines, he delivers them *perfectly*. "This is my crib. It's all good" he says, showing guests around his house. Trust me, it's all in the delivery. What I like about the movie is Kholi turns out to be a really good guy. Maybe a bit too rabid in his pursuit, but a wonderful soul at heart.
Fans of 'Bend It' will note that Anupam Kher, as Rai's dad 'Mr. Bakshi,' was Jess' dad 'Mr. Bharma' in 'Beckham.' This is one classy actor and a regal presence on the screen.
81 of 84 found the following review helpful:
When Bollywood meets Hollywood Apr 17, 2006
By Amanda Richards
When Bollywood meets Hollywood
There’s bound to be some sparks
And for this take on Jane Austen
I give almost full marks
The story line is much the same
Except a little shorter
The noisy Bakshi family
Is short a Bennet daughter
Henderson’s no Colin Firth
He’s just a little bland
They could have found a better bloke
To take Lalita’s hand
The Bingley siblings caught my eye
I’ve seen them both before
He was her Kama Sutra guy
And now he’s “Lost” no more
The ending’s changed up quite a bit
This version’s changed the terms
Singing, dancing, Indian style
And riding pachyderms
A lively, funny musical
Though not for everyone
It’s almost Pride and Prejudice
But a hundred times more fun
Amanda Richards, April 16, 2006
30 of 31 found the following review helpful:
 Absolutely Loved it! Nov 01, 2005
By Colleen McMahon
""Omnivorous Reader""
Rented this the other night and was completely blown away. I knew the general idea of the movie-Pride & Prejudice + 21st Century India + Bollywood--but had not seen either any other Bollywood style movie or Gurinder Chadha's big hit, Bend it Like Beckham.
I absolutely loved this movie, nearly everything about it from the music and dancing in the musical numbers (which break out at random intervals) to the acting to the intertwining stories of romance and heartbreak. Standout actors were the incredible Aishwarya Rai (Lalita) and the comic relief of Nitin Ganatra as Mr. Kholi, the gauche returnee from America shopping for a bride.
It was also lovely to see Naveen Andrews outside of "Lost" and just wish there could have been a bit more of him and his storyline with Lalita's sister.
The movie is in English but sometimes when the speech gets rolling quickly, the accents can make a scene a bit hard to follow, but since I want to watch this movie again and again I will get it all eventually. Or you can do what I do sometimes when I have trouble following thick Aussie or British accents on a DVD--turn on the subtitles.
For someone like me unfamiliar with Bollywood and the amazingly beautiful AND talented Aishwarya Rai, this is a great introduction to both, and like me, I'll bet that you will want to see more of both. The exuberant music and dancing are what stayed with me the most from this movie, and I think that queuing up the opening wedding dance scene or the "No Life Without Wife" number will cheer me up on any grumpy day.
This movie is a keeper for me--I'm buying both the DVD and the soundtrack.
19 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Jane Austen meets Bollywood and it's a gem of a film!! Apr 10, 2005
By Marcy Gomez
What drew me to "Bride and Prejudice", first and foremost, was that this promised to be a modern day, Bollywood version of Jane Austen's beloved novel "Pride and Prejudice." As a fervent Austen fan, I knew I just couldn't pass this movie up. Secondly, it is directed by Gurinder Chadha whose previous film "Bend It Like Beckham" is one of my favorite feel-good movies ever.
I had never been exposed to Bollywood filmmaking before this movie. The closest thing I ever got to Indian culture is the food (which I love), Chadha's "Bend It..." film and an earlier viewing of "Monsoon Wedding." I had no idea what to expect. The lively and vibrant songs and dances, beautiful and colorful costumes, memorable and endearing characters, and faithful re-telling of Austen's novel that makes up "Bride and Prejudice" just caught me by surprise.
And what a ride it has been! Gurinder Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges did an excellent job of following Jane Austen's storyline; that of a middle class family (the Bakshi = Bennets) in a relatively small town (Meryton, England = Amritsar, India) and the mother's struggle to marry off her daughters (the book had 5, the film has 4 as Mary and Kitty's characters are combined into the sitar-playing, cobra-dancing 3rd sister Maya). The film begins as the Bakshi (Bennet) family attends a wedding party and everyone is abuzz when the wealthy barrister Mr. Balraj ("Lost's" Naveen Andrews) shows up with his elegant and fashionable sister Kiran (Indira Varma) and American hotelier/best friend Will Darcy (the gorgeous Martin Henderson). Balraj falls instantly for beautiful eldest sister Jaya (Namrata Shirodkar). Will slights the outspoken and spirited 2nd sister Lalita (Aishwarya Rai) by his careless comments about her hometown ("Hicksville, India"?) and she immediately takes a dislike to his arrogant, close-minded ways. At the beach resort in Goa, Lalita meets the free-spirited Johnny Wickham (Daniel Gillies) and is immediately attracted to him. She slowly learns, however, that Wickham is not what he seems. It also becomes clear that youngest sister Lakhi (Peeya Rai Choudhary) also fancies the charming Wickham. In the meantime, a distant relative, Mr. Kohli (Nitin Ganatra) comes to visit the Bakshi family with the intent of finding a wife. Mrs. Bakshi immediately pairs him up to Lalita, much to her chagrin and displeasure. After all, Lalita means to marry for love and the cocky, goofy and self-absorbed Mr. Kohli (the scene- stealing role) is far from her idea of the 'ideal man'. Events take Lalita and her family to London and then Los Angeles where circumstances throw her and Will Darcy together. In LA, Lalita meets Will's mother, Catherine (Marsha Mason), and younger sister Georgina (Alexis Bledel). Lalita soon realizes that she may have misjudged Will and a romance blossoms between them. However, revelations come into the surface that threaten to tear the Will and Lalita apart. Those familiar with Jane Austen's book will know how it all ends, of course. Those who don't will have to see this film to find out!
After seeing B&P, I have come to develop a deeper interest and appreciation for Indian culture. The fantastic choreography in dance sequences like "Balle Balle" and "Dola Dola" are vibrant and mesmerizing. The costumes are nothing short of dazzling. I don't think I've ever seen as many beautiful women as I have in this film. Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson have a chemistry that makes their attraction entirely plausible. They are a pleasure to watch. I came out of the movie theater with a big smile on my face and found myself humming the songs for days. I admit that there are some scenes that border on silly or cheesy but this film never really does take itself seriously. At the end of the day, it is a film that is meant to be fun and entertaining. I have since seen "Bride and Prejudice" 3x and can't wait for the dvd!! "Bride and Prejudice" is a joyful and intoxicating movie experience and, as Mr. Kohli says, "I'd happily get drunk on it!!!!"
11 of 11 found the following review helpful:
2 different versions . . . . Mar 02, 2006
By Maria Delilah
"MD"
I absolutely loved this movie after I saw it. At first I thought I would not because of the music. I really do not like musicals too much, but this movie and its music is great. I love to listen to the songs on this movie. The plot is good also and was pretty close to the general ideas of the Jane Austen novel!
The only thing that disappointed me and that I am still trying to figure out is why there are 2 different versions of the movie. When I rented the movie and saw it the first time, it had all of the song full lenght and it had various extra scenes when they were in Goa, including one where Kiran slights the neighborhood where Jaya's and Lahlita's aunt and uncle live in London. Luckily I taped this version because when I went to buy the movie it turns out that the movie I bought had cut a lot of the songs and cut alot of the Goa scenes including the one I mentioned above. This is unfortunate because the movie that I bought is collecting dust while I keep watching what I call, the full version from what I taped!
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