Must Watch Bollywood Films During Wedding Season

Bollywood is the powerhouse of every person’s dream wedding shenanigans. It is on those big screens that someone first dares to say “I think I want that for my wedding”. Here in this article, you’ll find dear reader a list of culturally significant Bollywood movies that have wedding themes in it. So, lights – camera and let’s go movie binging.

Must Watch Bollywood Films During Wedding Season

Bollywood has produced a lot of movies with wedding themes over the years because the concept of “big fat Indian wedding” is ingrained into our minds and people like to see the manifestation of those on big screens every now and then. Here’s the list of 11 of those Bollywood movies for wedding shenanigans.

1. Hum Aapke Hain Kaun (1994)

This classic movie starring Salman Khan and Madhuri Dixit, directed by Sooraj Barjatya, tells a narrative of Prem and Nisha’s love affair against the setting of a large joint family wedding shenanigans. The movie captures the essence of an Indian wedding, which is typically celebrated with much vigor and there is a lot of music, dancing, colorful and intricate rituals and various poignant moments.

Also, read:

Wedding Music Playlists With Bollywood Beats

2. Dil Wale Dhulania Le Jaayenge (1995)

Sharukh Khan and Kajol play parts in this legendary movie directed by Aditya Chopra that has become an icon by which Indian cinema is sometimes measured. Although, yes, the film’s primary plot is a love story between the two main characters, it also celebrates the notion of Indian wedding. Bollywood wedding lovers should not miss the film’s climactic scene which is basically a lavish Punjabi style wedding.

3. Monsoon Wedding (2001)

This Mira Nair directed movie presents a contemporary and accurate depiction of Indian wedding shenanigans. It is set in Delhi against a setting of – yes you guessed it right – monsoon season and delves into the secrets and intricacies of a Punjabi family as they get ready for a customary arranged marriage.

4. Bride and Prejudice (2004)

The setting of this Bollywood rendition of Jane Austen’s famous book “Pride and Prejudice” is propelled against the backdrop of a contemporary world, between two lovers Lalita Bakshi (played by Aishwarya Rai) and William Darcy (played by Martin Henderson). Their love story follows the context of a vibrant Indian wedding and cross-cultural clashes.

5. Vivah (2006)

Considered by many as one of the most romantic movies, Vivah has two young lovers, played by Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao and was directed by Sooraj Barjatya. It emphasizes the value of love, dedication and familial ties by following the aforementioned young lovers as they traverse the ups and downs of an arranged marriage.

6. Band Baaja Baaraat (2010)

If you want to have some light comedic movie night, this Manish Sharma directed movie starring Ranveer Singh and Anushka Sharma is the one for you. Here they play aspirational wedding planners in Delhi. The film is lively, entertaining and showcases the highs and lows of beginning a wedding planning company and delves into the relationship between the two main characters.

7. Mere Brother ki Dulhan (2011)

Ali Zafar, Katrina Kaif, and Imraan Khan play the main characters in this movie directed by Abbas Zafar. This is a humorous and endearing romantic comedy, with a backdrop of the illustrious Indian wedding, as a young man struggles to find his brother the perfect and ideal bride, only to find that he himself had fallen in love with the said ideal bride.

8. Tanu Weds Manu (2011)

Starring in the key parts are R. Madhavan and Kangana Ranaut, the film is directed by Anand L. Rai. The story goes like an NRI and an impulsive and adventurous girl falls in love with each other within a pre-arranged marriage setup. This triggers a flurry of emotions and a rollercoaster of miscommunication making this a fun and quirky romantic comedy.

9. Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013)

Ayan Mukherji is the director of this coming-of-age movie starring Deepika Padukone, Ranbir Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapur, and Kalki Kochelin. It features remarkable scenery when the group goes on a mountain trip in the first half and then a more endearing wedding setting in Jaipur that exquisitely features the four stages of Indian wedding from pre-wedding cocktail party to Haldi and Sangeet to the main wedding ceremony. It celebrates love, friendship, adventure and the fervor of being a youth.

10. 2 States (2014)

Starring in the key roles – Arjun Kapoor and Alia Bhatt in this sweet romantic comedy based on Chetan Bhagat’s novel of the same name. The movie chronicles a young couple from different cultures who fell in love and now have to deal with disparate cultural origins as they try to convince their parents of their love.

11. Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017)

Starring Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt, this movie is a sequel from the franchise of “Dulhania” movies, the first one being “Humpty Sharma ki Dulhania” released in 2014. The movie is a fun romantic comedy that highlights the key aspects of an Indian wedding, its loudness and brightness, while addressing social issues like dowries and gender roles.

The aforementioned movies are just a handful of what Indian cinema has to offer when it comes to the imagery of Indian wedding shenanigans. Some other notable mentions include Veere Di Wedding (2018), Shaadi ke Side Effects (2014), Shaandaar (2015), etc. The colorful backdrop of Indian weddings provide a framework for a blend of love, satire, tension and cultural comprehension in these Bollywood movies. It doesn’t matter if you prefer a modernized version of a wedding ceremony or a big fat traditional ceremony – if you love the allure of Indian wedding shenanigans you must watch these movies at least once in your life – maybe you’d get some ideas on how to plan your own nuptials!