Educational Media Reviews Online

Arranged Marriages takes an intimate look at Indian customs of love, duty, and the marital union of two complete strangers. Director, Carol Equer-Hamy, a Westerner, examines the basis of arranged marriages in India, the relationships that are formed, and the success and/or failure of these “loveless” marriages. Equer-Hamy leads her audience into the streets of Calcutta, a marriage bureau where fathers leaf through profiles of acceptable suitors for their daughters, the vibrantly colorful wedding ceremonies where couples, in some cases, first meet, and the homes of married couples and their extended family. Through indigenous music and scenes of everyday life, the audience of Arranged Marriages adopts a true sense of what life is like for single adults ready to embark on the journey of marriage.

In certain sections of this video, lighting is of poor quality, and heads have been cut off of people being interviewed, which is reminiscent of an amateur’s home video. This is not necessarily negative, however. Due to the intimate and emotional nature of this film, the audience gains a sense that they are taking part in the shy and awkward first meeting between a potential husband and wife, in the tearful goodbye of a daughter who leaves her family for the first time ever, and in an animated conversation about arranged marriages around the kitchen table of a traditional Indian family. Most of the video is narrated in English, but when Hindi is spoken, English subtitles are clearly and prominently displayed. Arranged Marriages is for sale at $295 and can be rented for $75. This video is more appropriately targeted at college and adult audiences who are interested in the cultural practices of the East.