| View Larger Image | Monsoon Wedding (The Criterion Collection) | DVDStarring: Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Shefali Shetty, Vijay Raaz, Tillotama Shome
Directed By: Mira Nair
Also With: Mira Nair (Producer), Caroline Baron (Producer), Caroline Kaplan (Producer), Freny Khodaiji (Producer), Jonathan Sehring (Producer), Robyn Aronstam (Producer), Sabrina Dhawan (Writer)
| List Price: | $39.95 | | Price: | $35.99 | | You Save: | $3.96 (10%) | | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours |
| | Binding: | DVD | | Rating: |  | | Run Time: | 114 minutes | | Format: | Color, Dubbed, DVD, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC | | Studio: | Criterion | | Number of Discs: | 2 | | Aspect Ratio: | 1.85:1 | | Release Date: | October 20, 2009 | | Sales Rank: | 29,426th |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Description
Cultures and families clash in Mira Nair’s exuberant Monsoon Wedding, a mix of comedy and chaotic melodrama concerning the preparations for the arranged marriage of a modern upper-middle-class Indian family’s only daughter, Aditi. Of course there are hitches—Aditi has been having an affair with a married TV host; she’s never met her husband to be, who lives in Houston; the wedding has worsened her father’s hidden financial troubles; even the wedding planner has become a nervous wreck—as well as buried family secrets. But Nair’s celebration is ultimately joyful and cathartic: a love song to her home city of Delhi and her own Punjabi family. DIRECTOR-APPROVED SPECIAL EDITION FEATURES • New, restored high-definition digital transfer, supervised by director Mira Nair and director of photography Declan Quinn • Audio commentary featuring Nair • Nair’s short documentaries So Far from India (1983), India Cabaret (1985), and The Laughing Club of India (2001), featuring video introductions by the director • Nair’s short fiction films The Day the Mercedes Became a Hat (1993), 11'09'01—September 11 (Segment: India) (2002), Migration (2007), and How Can It Be? (2008), featuring video introductions by the director • New video interview with actor Naseeruddin Shah, conducted by Nair • New video interviews with Quinn and production designer Stephanie Carroll • Theatrical trailer • New and improved English subtitle translation • PLUS: An essay by critic and travel writer Pico Iyer |
Amazon.com
Monsoon Wedding is a return to form for Mira Nair, director of 1988's Salaam Bombay! Nair's gift for observation of the everyday and her love for her characters make for a delightful film, which spins a web of family relationships that knit and break during a wedding at a perfect pace. The excellent performances exceed the often stereotypical roles on offer (including the incomparable Nasiruddin Shah as the harassed father, Kulbhushan Kharbanda as the comic uncle, and Shefali Chaya as the orphaned cousin). Nair's sympathetic eye for the unnoticed and the harassed is at its best with the tender romance between the servant and Dube (Vijay Raaz), the marigold-munching, upwardly mobile wedding coordinator, who brings pathos and humor to the often unseen servant classes. The handheld camera gives a docudrama feel to this celebratory look at the upper-middle-class Hindu Punjabi joint family, while paying tribute to modern Indian public culture of music, television, and, of course, "Bollywood." --Rachel Dwyer |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.5 based on 217 reviews)
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Well done Criterion! by Rangaprabhu Parthasarathy (Collegeville, PA)  5 Stars
November 09, 2009
I will refrain from reviewing the actual movie. The DVD page for it and also other reviews for this release do an excellent job of reviewing the colorful expositio of emotions and life in India through the eyes of Mira Nair.
The guys at Criterion did a great job with this Blu-ray release. The transfer is excellent. Given the moods of the movie that varies from a misty morning in Delhi to the hullabaloo that is the city to the gorgeous colors of the wedding, everything looks as it is supposed to. The tones are natural- neither overblown or too subtle. The audio quality is excellent. I have a minimal home setup with a Sony AV receiver and a 2.1 Sony sound system which doesn't do justice to the audio from the movie.
I have not had a chance to see all the documentaries as part of the packed extra features in the selection. Of what I saw, I enjoyed the September 11 one and Migration. While I appreciated the one about the laughing club, it didnt do as much for me.
Overall, a worthy movie for the Criterion treatment and the effort is top notch. If you liked the movie, the blu-ray is a must buy. If you havent seen the movie yet and enjoy the work of the fine folks at Criterion, even more reason to pick this up.
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Wow by E. May (Jewett, OH) 5 Stars
October 08, 2009
When I first bought this DVD I was expecting another happy/sad overemotional Bollywood, which I have no problem with. I had no idea this was an art film and was accordingly surprised. While not what I expected, this was a great movie. It had a lot to say about what can go on behind the scenes in an Indian wedding. There are actually two romantic stories in the movie, one an upper class and a lower class romance. Both are exceedingly sweet. The wedding planner is the comic relief and is hilarious. There are two adult topics in the movie extramarital affairs and child molestation. This movie was made to make a point and does so in a great fashion
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Nice feel good movie by J. Perkins (MD usa)  4 Stars
September 30, 2009
If you like romance, this is a feel good movie that you'll enjoy. It's not a blockbuster or an award winning performance, but it's a chick flick that even guys will find interesting.
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Wonderful Speedy Service!!! by Sreelaxmi L. Louisor 5 Stars
May 19, 2009
Recieved this DVD within 5 business days of purchasing the product with Amazon in perfect condition!!! Very-very happy and satisfied!!!
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Movie Review by Patricia A. Johnson (Downey, CA) 5 Stars
March 30, 2009
This movie is SO GOOD! I saw it on cable and had to buy it. The characters are people you can connect with. I highly recommend watching this movie.
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