Let’s Get Married, starring Ivana, Harish Kalyan and Nadiya talks about how the relationship between a girl and her mother-in-law needs to be redefined with the times. Meera, played by Ivana approaches this subject head-on, justifying why she needs to know the person she might eventually lead her entire life with, meaning her mother-in-law played by Nadiya. The movie starts on a fun note, the concept is interesting and new but the execution is what takes the movie down. Tamil cinema explores the new age couple’s struggles. Here, you see Meera, played by Ivana question her mother when she suggests that she get to know her better before getting married:
Mom: Before the wedding, getting to know your mother-in-law and then saying yes, is unacceptable. We have never heard of such a thing.
Ivana: So, after the wedding if I fight with Gowtham’s mom and come back home, will you be okay with it? We are going to live together so, what’s wrong with knowing her better? Wouldn’t she wish the same?
The intent is endearing and practical. As two individuals get to know each other before tying the knot, they should also try and understand how the parents and families are. Marriages aren’t just between a boy and girl, families are equal partners in this.
On the other hand, Rocky Aur Rani also treads on similar lines where the boy and girl come from different families with polar opposite ideologies. But here, they try to make it fair, the boy lives with the girl’s family and vice versa. This goes to show that families drive the relationship, there is no straightforward way to get by it. This may not be an ideal situation of any sort, but it’s an attempt, an attempt at understanding the other person better. We grow up with our prejudices, likes, dislikes, traditions, values and thought processes. How we are brought up and what we come from really forms the foundation of who we are. Movies are a way to show how we can enrich our lives, stories like these have the power of influencing the masses. When movies are made with progressive ideas and plots, society adapts to them and automatically becomes a better place to live and thrive.
The truth of the matter lies in the fact that families are the backbone of who we are as a person. Whether a boy or girl, our families are important. Nuclear families or joint, the choice should be given to the couple. The decision has to be in the hands of the couple, they weigh the pros and cons and arrive at what’s best for them. Nowadays, you see couples living life on their terms, which could mean that they live with the boy’s family, the girl’s family or in a nuclear set-up. What’s best for you and your partner takes priority over any tradition or fear of judgement.
The problem arises when it is assumed that women would move into the husband’s house no questions asked. It is important to ask the right questions, get to know each other’s families and steer the relationship in a direction that balances all 4 wheels, you, your partner, your family and his!
