Because I cannot allow my life to become too happy I create a problem out of nowhere: Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi (2008, Hindi)

Because I cannot allow my life to become too happy I create a problem out of nowhere: Ek Vivaah Aisa Bhi (2008, Hindi)

Have you ever lived in a world where everything is perfect except for some minor hurdles? No? Well then, I suppose you never have seen a Sooraj Barjatya movie. In his world the elder are always honoured, the children obeying, traditions and rules always followed. Everybody loves everyone and the sun is always shining. India and especially the concept of the Indian Joint Family is regarded as the embodiment of the ideal of human relationships and should be the one thing which can be always relied upon. Of course, there are a lot of other Indian movies where these ideals are mentioned, but they are never as celebrated as in the Holy Land Of Family Love. With songs. A lot of songs.

Meet Chandni (Eesha Koppikar), a woman so selfless that she gives up her true love for her siblings, because her very rich and very famous and totally understanding and supporting hubby wouldn´t be able to afford for them. Some people really like to make problems for themselves out of nowhere.

Hum di dum, I happily give up my love because there´s no way I could take my siblings just with me to my new home.

While Chandni is happily singing songs to children instead of just marrying her super hot fiancée Prem and take her brother and sister with her, Prem is busy becoming a famous singer and pining for Chandni, the woman with a heart of stone. Seriously, who can stay so cold while being in the same room with Sonu Sood!?

Seriously, woman, what is wrong with you?

After some minor difficulties, like an evil sister-in-law, a demanding mother-in-law to be and a lot of songs (or rather music, because these are not some awesome masala Ishtyle fully costumed and choreographed dance numbers - although I am pretty sure, that Sonu could pull them off ) we come to the glorious ending.

 

And I am asking myself: couldn´t we have had that, like, two hours earlier?

Nevertheless, Ek Vivaah... Aisa Bhi manages to do some things right. Although not really memorable the songs are enjoyable, especially the ones which feature Sonu and Eesha together. They don´t have many opportunities to express their love by words or by physical contact, but they cope with that by little glances at eachother or some little smiles that tell that these two have a thing. Obviously, Eesha´s and Sonu´s acting are by far the only postive things in the film.

Their re-enconter after some twelve years is really cute. The excitement and joy yet strange confidence in eachother is really palpable.

But still, after the film comes to its end, there is some bitter taste left in my mouth. I always have a problem believing in love stories who are laid off because of some stupid reasons and here it is really bad. The whole thing seems like pretty much a waste of time to me, especially since, like I said, Chandni doesn´t have to delay her marriage with Prem because he would be perfectly able to provide for her AND the children. Yes, of course, his mother tells her that she doesn´t want Chandni to share her love for Prem with anyone else but Prem seems so understanding and totally in love with Chandni, that if she would have just talked with him, the whole problem... just wouldn´t be a problem. I mean, for God´s sake, this isn´t Veer-Zaara, where Veer was sitting in jail for 22 years, it´s just a matter of moving one household into another.

You say it, sister.

So, after a lot of pining, the only person who seems to have a little common sense in the movie, is Chandnis sister-in-law. But, since she´s evil, because she wants to live with her husband in a seperate home, that doesn´t really count.

Beware! She wants to have a job and live in her own house and have her husband just for herself! OMG! How dare she!?

Compared with the other movies from the Barjatya Clan that I´ve seen, Vivaah and Hum Apke Hain Kaun, this is by far the worst. Which doesn´t mean that it´s awfully bad. It´s okay to plunge into this strange world of family functions, religious celebrations and pretty song montages from time to time but when you come back to The Real Life you always have the weird feeling of wondering why you did it in the first place. While sometimes, like in the case of Vivaah, it´s kind of ...reassuring (like, you know the feeling, that when you feel bad or sad, you know that you have still your parents or your home or whatever, that gives you comfort?), Ek Vivaah... Aisa Bhi is just ... not.