BRIDE AND PREJUDICE BY GURINDER CHADHA

 Because it is the 200 anniversary of the publication of  Jane Austen’s novel  Pride & Prejudice and you will have read much about the novel on the internet. In April 2003 the BBC Big Read began to search for the “nation’s best-loved novel.” The reader could submit their nominations and famous personalities championed for the great novels by presenting them on BBC. The Lord of the Flies would obtain the most votes. Surprisingly, a classic came in position two, and it was Pride & Prejudice, which has often been adapted into film and television. One of the most popular was the mini TV series by the BBC with Colin Firth as the tenebrous Mr Darcy. This connection between the actor and the s character was exploited in another film which is a version of Austen’s classic, Bridget Jones’ Diary, in which Colin Firth starred again as another Mr Darcy, this time a contemporary one, but with multiple connections with the Austen’s arrogant character.

 

The novel has been turned into two interesting movies, one of the classic sort, directed by John Wright and realized in 2005, presenting the then rising star Keira Knightley. The other, the one we are going to show now, was released in 2004 and is a mesmerizing Bollywood adaptation, which promoted the taste for transculturation, starring Miss Universe, the Indian actress Aishwarya Rai as Lalita Bakshi (the Indian Elizabeth Bennet) and the equally handsome actor Martin Henderson  as the American Will Darcy. The film was directed by Gurinder Chadha, the director of the successful film, Bend it Like Bechkam.. Austen’s social prejudice is read in terms  against Western imperialist prejudice against developing nations like India.  The film also criticizes how Indian culture (its food, clothing, dances, music, traditions) is marketed for Western consumption,  although Western. But most of all, The film is very funny and is full of dance and music, and captures very sell  the essence of Austen’s movie, translating it to our contemporary world of travel, email communication and internet dating. So enjoy!!     See an appetizar! Dance Scene

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