What a disturbing movie!
Chand (Preity Zinta) came to Canada to marry Rocky (Vansh Bhardwaj), a Punjab guy who has migrated there with his parents and family. She approaches her new life and the arranged marriage with a hopeful dream. But soon enough on her honeymoon she learns that her husband is nothing but an abusive person, who’s overly burdened with his dysfunctional family. Unable to contact her parents, the only person Chand could befriend was Rosa, the Jamaican colleague, who gave her a potion that would do magic tricks.
For someone who’s lonely and in constant abuse of husband and domineering mother in law, Chand is desperate. Whatever good she does would not change her husband and his family’s behaviour towards her. The other family members didn’t oppress, at least not directly, but they didn’t do anything to protect or help her either. In desperation, Chand seeks consolation from a fantasy life that was based on her mother’s old folktale.
It’s disturbing to watch a mistreated wife, a mistreated daughter in law, a stupid husband and an evil mother in law. Zinta did a good job portraying a helpless but stubborn woman. I love her innocent smile but yet I can see that she’s up to something. And I suppose, that’s the only thing I like from the movie. What’s more disturbing is when the fantasy started to take form of an ideal husband.
Domestic violence is something that everyone hates, but like it or not, it’s part of reality. The movie progresses painfully before the main role starting to mend her destiny. To be brutally honest, I don’t get the story, I am not sure if I get the main point of it. True, the meaning of heaven depends on who’s seeing it. Since this is also addressing domestic violence that happened on an immigrant family, then what? If this is about the folktale itself, shouldn’t the movie explore more of it and make this a real fantasy film instead? The combination of half reality half fantasy makes this film frustratingly unrealistic. Not everyone can turn to fantasy while on problem then walk away free, especially because Chand was introduced as an educated woman.
The movie is in Punjab languange and has received praises from many international film festivals. I am giving two stars, one goes to Zinta, one goes to the potential story that could be something else on a different day. Directed by Deepa Mehta an Indian-born Canadian, the movie is also known as “Videsh” in Hindi.
My rating: 2/6
