#Princecharming, #eternallovestories and #Marriage are just MYTHS! Perhaps it always was, but everything was kept under wraps until Made in Heaven happened!
‘Made in Heaven’, an Amazon Prime Original, that released on March 8, 2019, across 200 counties, explores the malicious intent of families and the couples behind every matrimonial union in India. Zoya Akhtar, Nitya Mehra, Alankrita Shrivastava and Prashant Nair have directed the series. The drama is unveiled through an interesting narrative put forth by wedding planners, Karan (Arjun Mathur) and Tara Khanna (Shobita Dhulipala). The plot is insightfully viewed through the eyes of the ‘owners’ of Made in Heaven (the wedding planning company) and their very talented cameraman, Kabir (Shashank Arora).
Behind the scenes
There is much fanfare around the big fat Indian wedding. Ginormous sums of money are doled out in preparations for the big day. But what really goes on behind the scenes sometimes doesn’t quite comport to the couple’s love and compatibility in modern times.
Indian weddings are all about dynastically fitting couples, matching horoscopes, bringing in the ideal sanskari bahu with an entrenched value system from the 1800s (typically that is what is expected), and last but not the least someone who doesn’t open her mouth even when something is going wrong.
The plot
‘Made in Heaven’ explores the perils of a relationship between couples and their families on the brink of their D-day, or even after that. The wedding planning company Made in Heaven interestingly stumbles upon and susses out societal evils such as dowry, incest, the ritual of tree marrying, the dire need for invading one’s private space in lieu of exploiting one’s sexual preferences, and a lot more. Some of these old evils pervade Indian society to this day. Over the years, the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has addressed some of these evils, but the fact remains that even, ‘lawmakers make efficacious law-breakers.’
The underlying complexities
While this is just one aspect of the sitcom, the other aspects revolve around the labyrinth of emotions that fill the lives of lead protagonist Tara Khanna and Karan. Supposedly, Tara’s best friend Faiza (Kalki Koechlin) is involved in a romantic affair with Tara’s Husband, Adil (Jim Sarbh).
Tara is Karan’s business partner and best friend. She is like a rock, seeing Karan through his bad times, bailing him out of difficult situations including the debts as well as ‘breaking the ice’ on Karan’s sexuality. Her support towards Karan is evident in her moves and every decision she makes. She is indeed a very strong woman and is portrayed as someone who is level-headed and strikes a perfect balance between heart and head. Shobhita Dhulipala literally talks with her eyes. Her part is eloquently emoted. Her straight face and mime are very telling of her ongoing mood.
Jim Sarbh who plays Aadil is shown as a young budding industrialist, who is swayed by the whims of beauty and charm. He is in love with the idea of being in love always, which is precisely why he falls in love with Faiza, (Kalki Koechlin). Faiza has recently been through a divorce and seeks emotional and physical support from Aadil. In spite of learning of the affair, Tara wonderfully steers her emotions to strike a balance between things at home and at work. She also plays the perfect counsellor to her clients, to keep the business coming for Made in Heaven. However, both Karan and Tara, are never oblivious of foul play, and will avert appropriate measure to nip evil in the bud!
EndNote
Overall Ritesh Sidwani and Farhan Akhtar once again win over Amazon Prime, making a mark with yet another thrilling original. As a viewer, one can certainly look forward to the next season.
