Are Bollywood weddings setting unrealistic goals and putting us under pressure?

Jahnavi Patel

September 6, 2018
6:11 pm
Comments off

Are Bollywood weddings setting unrealistic goals and putting us under pressure?

Image Source - Instagram

I’m at a point in life where discussion about weddings is a dominating topic, be it in my personal or professional life. Growing up, my impression of marriage has undergone drastic alterations.

Marriages were simple and would wind up within a day or two, but now, it’s a week long process with a number of functions. From sangeet to cocktail party to wedding and reception, everything is so tiring that you are drained out by the end of it. Having experienced this personally, I know that it is absolutely true. And it’s not just the four days of marriage functions, it all begins months in advance.

[Advertisement]

Getting the decoration in place, making sure the arrangements are fine, practicing for hours at a stretch so that we aren’t making a fool of ourselves at the sangeet, everything requires a lot of effort. Individually, all these functions are a lot of fun but when they are back to back, they suck all the energy out of you.

Now, let’s directly get to the point from where all this has actually begun – it’s from Bollywood! No matter how rich or poor you are in the movies, your wedding has to be a grand affair with a wide spread of food, well dressed guests and incredible décor. Take Sooraj Barjatya’s ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun…!’ or ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ for instance. Everyone looks so happy and excited all the time. We wonder how do they manage to keep that smile and excitement intact all the damn time? Also, do you remember the introduction scene from ‘HSSH’? Of course you do! That was one separate function altogether where all the family members were introduced to the new bahu. Today, ask the kids about their second cousins or their chacha chachis or mama mamis and they won’t be able to tell you. And who goes on a samuh honeymoon? Ask any couple who is soon going to tie the knot, would they like to go on their honeymoon with the family in tow? You know the answer too.

Let’s move on to Karan Johar’s ‘Kal Ho Naa Ho’ and the ‘G..U..J..J..U’ song! You also want your own version of a special song during your wedding, right? Or at least you’d want your family to do something special for you! This has set some major #FamilySurpiseGoals during weddings!

Next is ‘Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani’ and Kalki Koechlin’s destination wedding in Udaipur. From the outfits to the destination to the grandeur and beauty of all the functions, we were left awestruck! After that, at least once, we all must have had that thought of getting married a la Kalki’s wedding in ‘YJHD’ style.

There have been movies where marriages were basic but still had all the people dancing with perfectly coordinated steps. Such precision, much wow!

Now all these things, intentionally or unintentionally, consciously or unconsciously, has set a picture in our heads which someday, we want to turn into reality.

First, it was only about the outfits, then it was about the outfit and the scale and now it’s about the outfit, scale and destination. There’s so much pressure that even the thought of planning the wedding seems like a nightmare.

With Virat Kohli and Anushka’s wedding in Italy, Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja’s classy and glamour affair and with the rumours of Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone tying the knot in Italy, these weddings are setting some unrealistic goals, at least for the common man.

No matter how much a girl refutes, she wants to make sure she’s dressed to perfection on her big special day. And why not? All the judging eyes are going to be on her. Of course I want to get dressed and look my best too, but I don’t want a Manish Malhotra couture or a Sabhyasachi outfit just for the sake of wearing a brand. I might as well spend that money exploring some serene picturesque place!

From dreaming about the perfect wedding to not giving a damn now, that’s what Bollywood weddings have done to me. So thank, but no thanks, Bollywood!

Also Read: Will Badki and Chhutki (India and Pakistan) ever call a truce?