Gurinder Chadha’s bold 2004 film Bride and Prejudice is an adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel, Pride and Prejudice (1813). The film serves as a clever, contemporary take on the classic novel. Chadha introduces the themes of cultural diversity in the romantic comedy. Kenyan-born and raised in England, Chadha aims to make non-westerners visible in the film as well as discuss arranged and interracial marriages. However, Austen aims to provide a critique of marriage, money, and the superficiality of the white English gentry in Georgian society. Both women are successful in presenting the themes of marriage, money, and the role of women in society from different perspectives in space and time, but the film’s amusing and clichéd romance tends to detract from the novel’s presentation of issues.
The film, set in Amristar India, chronicles Mrs. Bakshi’s plans to marry off her four daughters, Jaya, Lalita, Lakhi, and Maya to wealthy suitors - a direct translation of Mrs. Bennet’s attempts to have her five daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, Lydia, Mary, and Kitty married off to affluent suitors in efforts to save her family from destitution and ruin. In the film, Mrs. Bakshi’s attempts are met with defiance by her second daughter, Lalita, who eventually falls in love with Darcy, a wealthy American.
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The plots of the film and novel are similar yet very different. Chadha and Austen both discuss marriage and societal expectations of women in patriarchal societies where money is essential to marriage and women’s roles as wives are predetermined. Lalita and Elizabeth, the two protagonists, are strong and outspoken, and face challenges as they rebel against their societies’ expectations of women. While money and morals are discussed in the film, new themes are introduced, including postcolonialism and multiculturalism; the inclusion of Bollywood film elements, and a different setting from that of the novel. However, there is the omission of certain characters and important events that are essential to the novel’s plot, and the lack of these characters as well as the quick, almost rushed development of the relationship between Darcy and Lalita, further separates the film from the novel. Chadha aims to present Indians and their lives while also discussing cross-cultural relationships and arranged marriages in 21st-century India. Austen, on the other hand, aims to provide a satirical, view of society and the loveless marriages common among the gentry in Georgian England. Hence, the social commentary in Bride and Prejudice differs from that of the film as it focuses on issues that have rendered themselves prevalent in the 21st century.
“The subtleties and social commentary of the novel are diluted to the point of being unrecognizable,” writes film critic, James Berardinelli. (Berardinelli) Essentially, many characters and key events in the novel are changed to suit the film’s contemporary audience. For example, in Chapter 46 of the novel, Lydia and Wickham’s elopement is resolved with a wedding but is different in the film. Lahki (Lydia) almost shames the family, however, she is freed from Wickham’s clutches but Darcy and Lalita’s timely rescue saves her and her family from further embarrassment. Additionally, several characters such as Kitty, the Gardiners, Colonel Fitzwilliam, and the militia are excluded from the film. The social commentary of the novel seems altered, partially due to the omission of many characters who reinforce the theme of marriage, for example, Mrs. Gardiner. She tells Elizabeth that Darcy is responsible for paying off Wickham so that he and Lydia can marry, thus contributing to Elizabeth’s growing respect and admiration for Darcy. However, reference to marriage is again evident in Lalita Bakshi’s opening lines, “All mothers think that every single guy with big bucks must be shopping for a wife” a take on Austen’s famous tongue-in-cheek statement in the novel’s opening chapter. However, the serious discussion of marriage, money, gender roles, and morals is overtaken by comedic aspects in the film and Bollywood-style music, song, and dance.
Without a doubt, marriage and money, morals and the role of women are evident in the film, but, other issues are introduced, such as multiculturalism in the inclusion of reggae music, a Mexican mariachi band, and an African-American choir. Postcolonialism is also introduced in the film but is absent from the novel. For instance, Lalita discusses colonial India at dinner with their Indo-American relative, Kholi, who openly states that India is “too corrupt” and its people are uneducated while praising the United States, his new home. She speaks disdainfully about the American Civil War, arguing that America is not worthy of his praise and that India should never emulate it. She also criticizes Darcy's intention to purchase property in India, commenting on “turning it into a theme park.” These postcolonial themes shift the focus from the novel’s primary concerns about money, morals, and marriage to include broader contemporary issues.
Moreover, Chadha put exaggerated and wildly comedic twists in the film through her use of witty dialogue, light-hearted insults, and hilarious gestures. Austen does the same, but differently by presenting caricatures such as silly Collins and arrogant Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Kholi, also a caricature, provides much of the comedy through his exaggerated mannerisms and statements. Similarly, Kiran, Balraj’s sister, imparts lots of laughter in her sarcastic quips, “Watch yourself, Darcy, [Balraj]'s about to transform into the Indian MC Hammer!” and “Every mother in this room is wetting their knickers for him for their daughters.” Austen weaves comedy in Pride and Prejudice within her commentary on societal values using caricatures, and comedy in Bride and Prejudice does the same in Kholi’s obsession with America, “the land of milk and honey”. However, the humor in the film appears to be more overt than that of the novel.
A Washington Post critic, in the article, “An Attractive Wedding Party” (2005), writes that the changes from and similarities to the novel are intriguing, however the plot becomes more of a click track and less of an ‘Austen-like’ story. This alludes to the lack of development of Lalita and Darcy’s romance, and the shifted focus from the serious commentary on the phenomena of arranged marriages, money, class, and morals to interculturalism and interracial relationships, as well as postcolonialism. Bride and Prejudice, set in India, makes use of many features traditionally associated with Bollywood films, such as dream scenes, songs, and dance, which alter the nature of the English novel and make the themes of morals and marriage more of a minor discussion rather than the main focus of the plot. Additionally, Lalita and Darcy are granted a montage of romantic scenes, typical of most Bollywood movies. The depth and slow development of their relationship falter as their cheesy love scenes play into the stereotype of many Bollywood-style films. “This film lacks the delicious build-up of romantic tension between [Lalita and Darcy] that lovers of the book have come to treasure,” states film critic, James Berardinelli. (Berardinelli) Lalita and Darcy’s relationship in the film is less complex than that of Elizabeth and Darcy’s in the novel. There is a lack of depth in their relationship as they progress from challenging each other to falling in love rather quickly. Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship is more tumultuous as she spends much time contemplating whether or not she truly has feelings for Darcy. This slow-brewing attraction is absent in Bride and Prejudice.
All in all, Chadha’s vibrant Bollywood-style film adaptation lacks many of the integral elements of Austen’s novel which has made it one of the most popular novels ever written. Austen’s novel remains a classic across centuries thanks to its satirical commentary on society and its protagonist. The 2004 film adaptation only offers humourous commentary, entertainingly so, but many key events from the novel’s plot are eliminated and the new themes introduced divert from the focus on marriage. Director Gurinder Chadha introduced the film at the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, England by reminding the audience that it was “inspired by” the novel rather than an adaptation (Aftab), which adds weight to the theory that Bride and Prejudice was not a straightforward adaptation but loosely drew inspiration from the characters and plot of Pride and Prejudice. The film evokes much laughter and is culturally diverse, however, its additional cultural, comedic elements and clichéd romance detract and divert viewers’ attention from the plot and critical issues in the novel.
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