Truthfully, I probably would never have chosen to watch this
movie if it were not assigned by my English professor. When I am asked to watch
a movie or read a book for a class, I always feel like I can’t truly enjoy the
movie or the book. I feel obligated to be really alert as I try to read into
every detail to find a deeper meaning. Is it a motif or maybe a metaphor? Why
did the marigolds keep appearing throughout the movie? Is there significance in
having the wedding planner, Dubey, in Monsoon
Wedding? As I pondered these questions, I realized that though I did not
enjoy the movie too much while watching it, the aftertaste was better.
It took a while for me to become accustomed to the Indian
accent. Having the subtitles definitely helped me understand what was going on,
especially when they flawlessly transitioned between their language and
English. It made it difficult for me to multitask while watching this movie, as
I had to keep reading the subtitles. Initially, I felt that it was a challenge
for me to follow along because it was difficult to remember names such as Tej,
Aliya, Aditi, and Hemant, to name a few. As I became familiarized with the
characters, I found the movie much more enjoyable. In fact, I even shed a few
tears.
I knew something was fishy when I noticed Ria’s
uncomfortable and hostile attitude towards Uncle Tej. I considered the possibility
of some sort of sexual assault but doubtfully dismissed it, as he didn’t appear
to be a molester. My feelings became stronger as I witnessed Ria’s strong
reactions whenever Tej was within close proximity of her little cousin Aliya.
Though I had inklings of him sexually abusing Ria since his character was
introduced, I was still really surprised when she confronted him about it,
especially in front of her family during an important wedding. I was angry and upset for her, causing me to tear up. Another moment that almost made me cry was when her uncle asked Tej to leave the wedding. This was a surprising move for their family as Tej was a major supporter for them. Something else that really surprised me about
the movie was that even though this movie was set in a relatively modern time,
they still had arranged marriages. I assumed with the advancement of India,
they would have stepped out of the traditional ways. Luckily I have the chance
to explore my many questions about this movie in an essay.