Monsoon Wedding

• What may intrigue those who don't know much about India is this odd mixture of ancient and modern that holds the Verma family in its thrall. Nair looks at these contrasts with a skilled eye that's ironic but never mocking.

• The density with which Monsoon Wedding confronts so many layers, conflicts, and tropes of Indian society and its inherent ties to the nation’s cinema is impressive and immersive. Small in volume but dense in thought and vision, Monsoon Wedding , which won the Golden Lion at the 2001 Venice Film Festival, shows a clear improvement from Nair’s celebrated debut Salaam Bombay in painting a compelling portrait of Indian society and the state of the nation.

• In doing so, she successfully creates the opportunity for tense drama, which does not stifle the overall feelgood nature of the film, or impede the finale's (somewhat cheesy) confirmation of family love.

• Set against the backdrop of a traditional Indian wedding, this modern drama brings the importance of family bonds to the forefront, making you laugh and moving you to tears. This style that blends the tastes of old and new India is something one might truly call "Masala Nouveau."

• Beyond these social and psychological components, Monsoon Wedding also pays a heartfelt tribute to Indian cinema, and very particularly to the popular genres produced in Bollywood. Comedy, melodrama, and most notably the indigenous musical intersect in this colorful ceremony of emotions that blends local traditions with an overtly universal appeal.

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