Four friends dealing with life, love, marriage and heartbreak isn’t unheard of concept. But what makes ‘Veere Di Wedding’ a unique is the pack of performers, led by four ladies who make their choices, stand by them and have the guts to live their life they want. There’s nothing holding back these gutsy girls. They speak their mind with fearless abandon, while they’re talking about sex before marriage, the lack of it post marriage, about orgasms and sex toys. They giggle and laugh over it and analyze their own situations in life with a certain objectivity, which many may or may not agree with.

It’s refreshing to see a film present its women characters, it gives them the freedom to make mistakes and move on and that’s the beauty of it. These girls are shown using cuss words to express their angst or get high and happy to let their hair down. They don’t feel compelled to explain themselves or justify their actions.

The story introduces you to the four characters and sheds light on their complexities. Kalindi can’t come to terms with the idea of marriages and the other challenges that come with it. She’s just going with the flow because she’s in love. Avni can’t seem to find a soul mate through her nagging mom (Neena Gupta) is desperately trying to find her a suitable matrimonial match. Sakshi is a little too fiery to be tamed by relationships and Meera is married to a firang and they have a young child, but her marriage isn’t a cakewalk either.

The best part of ‘Veere Di Wedding’ is the vibe that these veeres share and their conversational chemistry. They are like any four millennial girls who live their life carefreely. But what the story could have done with is a little more depth in each character, which would make the audience feel for them. Here, you understand their complexities but don’t really become a part of their journey. There are some superb laugh-out-loud moments though, and some of the best dialogues are delivered effortlessly. A little more detail in writing could have added more heart to the story. While the conversations are engrossing, a lot of time is lost in the girls' chatter as the movie doesn't quite move forward.

Kalindi’s story is at the centre of it all and gradually other characters and their sagas unfold. Sonam, Swara and Shikha rally around with their own set of problems. Kareena excels in her role as a girl trying to find her own answers and coming to terms with the idea of marriage. Sonam Kapoor as the girl desperately searching for love also bares her flaws with nonchalance, giving some cute and funny moments in the film. Shikha as the loud and spirited woman pulls off her role with ease. Swara as a bold and brazen, rich brat adds the right amount of crazy to the ensemble. All the girls are fabulously dressed and styled in every frame, whether they’re partying, moping, introspecting or just having a good time. While the girls are cracking dialogues with cool confidence, what often disturbs the experience is the background score that constantly underlays the dialogues. The music is good with tracks like ‘Tareefan’ and ‘Bhangra Ta Sajda’ setting the mood for the moments. The four leading ladies break the proverbial glass ceiling with their sexy stilettos. We’ve rarely seen women on screen who are so uninhibited about their life, sexuality and desires. In that respect, ‘Veere Di Wedding’ is a brave effort indeed. This film will find an appeal with the younger generations who can relate to the discussions and dilemmas of these veeres.

We would give this movie 4 stars out 5 for the efforts on breaking the stereotype how Indian women should speak, behave, dress.

 

By Pinal Surana