I stumbled upon this Marathi short film yesterday and I am still trying to make sense of it. Don’t take it in the wrong way. But I am still wondering if we can call it an arranged marriage wali love story because there are many sides to it, many arguments that we can make.
Whatever side you pick, I still loved it. Both the story and the twist. It was unexpected and cute, if you look at it as a love story but creepy if you look at it as a marriage fixed against someone’s will.
What’s the story here?
It’s about Anuja and Chinmay. But let’s call it Anuja’s story. While the family is desperately trying to get her married, she is busy rejecting proposals. What could be the reason? Anuja is a career-oriented girl and doesn’t believe in how arranged marriages meet-ups are done. All planned and predictable!
Anuja is a strong-headed, egoistical girl who is used to winning. She cannot take ‘NO’ for an answer. It hurts her ego when her family tells her that this time the boy has rejected her. She tried to call him to understand why and how could he reject her. When the call goes unanswered, she decides to meet him when she gets to know that he lives in the same building.
When she visits Chinmay, they had a discussion about how he had not rejected him but knowing her since childhood, he knows that for him, family is important and for her, career is important. He explains to her how he thought that marriage could prove to be a hindrance in her career and hence decided to not take it forward. As the conversation then becomes a casual and friendly discussion, Anuja and Chinmay, though different, seem to be compatible. Their thoughts and core values about marriage and life are similar.
Here is the twist:
Anuja falls in love with Chinmay and requests him to say yes to the marriage because no guy has ever rejected her and it would haunt her if he does. Initially, it looks like Anuja would reject the proposal so that the tables are turned and her gigantic ego is satisfied. But! That doesn’t happen.
Now, this might look like a love story but ideally, it should not. The girl here is a creep. If a man had such a big ego, I don’t think it would have been a right choice for the girl. The same is applicable to the guy here. When after weighing the pros and cons, he decides to not take it forward, it is his choice. Just because the girl fell for him towards the end, she cannot trick him into saying yes. That is equally wrong.
Even if there would have been a slightest hint of the boy being in love with her since beginning but is saying no considering their different life choices and perspectives, then Anuja’s falling in love with Chinmay and making him say yes to her would have been a different story. This ending without that feeling of love involved is honestly creepy. You cannot call it a love story.
If that touch of love would have been there since the beginning and the ego part would have been toned down a bit, it would have been perfect.
Still, it’s a film that would stay with you forever because of its hatke storyline. It’s entertaining and enjoyable.
ALSO READ: Olakh Short Film Review: I Bet You Can’t Guess The End
Where to Watch? YouTube
The Digital Popcorn 