Barnes & Noble

This delightful Jane Austen adaptation, a product of “Bollywood” (Bombay’s filmmaking colony), bears the unmistakable earmarks of Indian-made movies despite its nod to literary conventions. Set in the present day, it’s an audaciously conceived takeoff on Pride and Prejudice, brimming with the eye-popping musical numbers that distinguish Bollywood films. Rich young American hotelier Will Darcy (Martin Henderson) visits India with his old friend Balraj (The English Patient’s Naveen Andrews) to attend a wedding. Also attending is the socially ambitious Mrs. Bakshi (Nadira Babbar), who hopes to find prospective suitors for her four daughters. The strategy works, at least in part: Balraj falls for eldest daughter Jaya ({|Namarata Shirodkar|}), and Darcy seems attracted to younger sister Lalita (Aishwarya Rai). But he antagonizes her with tactless remarks and his preoccupation with business, making it unlikely that a relationship will blossom. In the best Bollywood tradition, characters burst into song and dance at the slightest provocation; hordes of extras suddenly appear to form impromptu chorus lines, and colorful settings automatically become staging grounds for elaborately choreographed production numbers that would do Busby Berkeley proud. The irresistible Ms. Rai, a former Miss World and the reigning queen of Bollywood, really stands out from the large, talented cast with her dynamic performances in these sequences. She’s an effervescent screen presence, bubbling over with an infectious energy that perfectly complements the high-spirited tone director Gurinder Chadha (Bend It like Beckham) brings to this ingenious Austen update. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

The very British sensibilities of Jane Austen are introduced to the exotic flavors of the Bollywood musical in this romantic comedy with songs from the director of Bend It Like Beckham, Gurinder Chadha. Lalita Bakshi (Aishwarya Rai) is the lovely and eligible daughter of her socially ambitious mother and father (Nadira Babbar and Anupam Kher). Mother and father want to be sure that Lalita, the most beautiful of their four daughters, settles down with a man worthy of her, but she has proven resistant to matchmaking, announcing that she will choose her own husband, and will choose him for love. While mother is keen on the profoundly annoying Kholi (Nitin Chandra Ganatra), Lalita has had her head turned by a handsome vagabond from England, Johnny Wickham (Daniel Gilles). But while attending the wedding of a friend, Lalita meets Will Darcy (Martin Henderson), a college buddy of family friend Raj (Naveen Andrews) who is the son of a wealthy hotel magnate. Lalita finds that Will makes a strong impression on her -- she can't stand him, but she also can't get him out of her mind. Will feels the same way about her, and as they inadvertently chase one another over three continents, will morbid fascination grow into true love? Bride and Prejudice marked the first English-speaking role for Aishwarya Rai, who had firmly established herself as India's leading female star when this film was made. Mark Deming

Entertainment Weekly

Under the direction of Bend It Like Beckham's Gurinder Chadha, this festively busy and exuberantly multicultural charmer is its own intriguingly postmodern creation. Lisa Schwartzbaum

Chicago Tribune

It's "knowingly" off-the-rails--and if you're in a tolerant or adventurous mood, very entertaining. Michael Wilmington

Product Details

• UPC: 786936278330
• Source: MIRAMAX
• Region Code: 1
• Time: 1:52:00
• Sales Rank: 6,963

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