"Modern" Marriage and Love in India: Karan Johar's 2 States (2014)

      Karan Johar and Sajid Nadiadwala's adaptation of 2 States: The Story of My Marriage (2009) recently released in the theaters world-wide last week. After the end of the first year as an English PhD student, I was looking forward to this film. Although I have not read Chetan Bhaghat novels, his phenomena as an engineer-turned-writer enigma has made him a celebrity. Perhaps, because he is emblematic of the creative gap that exists among the youth in India. Science, mathematics, medical, and economics are among the valued subjects in India while subjects in humanities continue to remain undervalued as career prospects for future generations. That being said, I have noticed in the recent years that many Indians are pursuing successful careers in all types of fields including music, writing, and so on. Chetan Bhaghat's success and intervention into this particular issue is also symbolic of the growing acceptance of careers in Humanities. His novel, Five Point Someone (2004) was adapted into the famous Aamir Khan starrer, Rajkumar Hirani's 3 Idiots (2009). 

A selfie moment: Chetan Bhagat with his wife, Anusha (left) and Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor (right)

           A semi-autobiography, the film stars Arjun Kapoor (Krishh) and Alia Bhatt (Ananya). The film depicts the journey of a couple from their college days when they meet each other to the time when they are able to win the hearts of their parents. Although the film is a romantic comedy, it addresses many issues that still remain apparent in modern India: dowry, skin colour, domestic violence, premarital sexual relations in modern India. In addition, it also speaks of inter-regional marriages that do indeed take place within India. While I will try my best not to discuss the plot in detail, please excuse me this time if there are spoiler alerts. I do recommend this film for any Bollywood-film lover or any one interested to see how the romantic films are depicted the various contemporary relationships through their films. Since this past year, there are three romantic films that I highly recommend: 2 States, Hassee to Phasee (2013), and The Lunchbox (2013). I have been focusing mostly on films and documentaries that focus on the representations of violence against women, but I think its also important to see how the film industry is illustrating films which focus on the complexities of contemporary Indian relationships because it does give us further understanding of the status of women in India right now. It also reminds us that not all women in India are vulnerable to violence, instead are able to pursue their careers and become empowered individuals. That being said, this film also reminds us of the issues that I had mentioned earlier that we, as Indians, are still coping with. 

          Unlike other films that have recently been focused on the evolving "modern" relationships such as couple co-habitation in Shuddh Desi Romance (2013), the retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet in Ram-Leela (2013), or the melodic and haunting love story of Ashhiqui 2 (2013), Two States is more than just a love story. Perhaps, the most touching moment of the story is that it hearkens back to the 90s romantic films in which the opinion and approval of families was important to the couple. Although Krishh and Ananya love each other, there is a need for both of them to gain approval from their parents before they can get married. Both of them make an effort to win over their future in-laws. Perhaps the most touching moment is when Krishh proposes with rings not just to Ananya but places a ring for her father, mother, and brother. Although the film does indeed give off Hum Aapke Hai Kaun (1995) vibes, it shows that modern relationships are a complex amalgamation of traditionality, modernity, and uncertainty with a hint of adventure. 

           While the couple are in college, the film shows them engaging in pre-marital sex, in many ways, "normalizing" that these type of relationships do indeed take place in contemporary universities and removing the taboo that was illustrated perhaps in Anurag Kashyap's Dev D (2009). While the couple are able to enjoy a utopic relationship in the college, the film does not get interesting until after the couple decide to commit and get married. It is at this time their parents meet each other. Amrita Singh plays Arjun's mother (Kavita Malhotra). As a strong Punjabi woman, she is convincing and memorable. Her husband's role is depicted by Ronit Roy who is known to play the stern father in films such as Udaan (2010). Even though her personality is dominating, her role as a heartbroken mother with a sensitive side is hard to overlook. Unlike her counterpart, Revathi who plays Ananya's mother who is passive, Amrita Singh plays a stark contrast in many ways enforcing the stereotype of "scary" Punjabi mother-in-laws (although it may never be true in all cases). Furthermore, what I liked about this film was that although it did speak of the North and South Indian stereotypes, it also showed them as multi-layered and multi-faceted. For example, Revathi seeks to become a singer but no teacher wants to take her. Krish's mother and aunt are both shown as judgmental people. However, when Ananya wins their heart during a wedding addressing dowry, they become more "humanized" and less of a one-dimensional stereotype. 
    Although Krishh belongs to a dominant patriarchal family in which his father is an alcoholic and also physically abuses his father, the film does not paint the picture that dysfunctional families are one-dimensional. Instead, towards the end, we learn that despite his father's shortcomings, there is a desire for him to recover and crave love from his only son. The film does not presuppose the notion that children who belong to dysfunctional families will not turn out to be good citizens unlike children who are born and brought up in a tight-knit nuclear families. 
                The film also complicates and further pushes its viewers to think about love and arranged marriages. Love marriages, to this day, in many parts in India continue to be viewed as tabooed as the involvement and approval of parents is seen as vital part of a marriage's success in India. However, that being said. It shows a love marriage that has failed via Kavita and Vikram (Krish's father) and a successful inter-regional marriage via Ananya and Krish. Therefore, it argues that it is the relationship between two individuals that matters and how much both of them are willing to work towards making their union successful. Even though there is domestic abuse and alcoholism that has seeped into the veins of their happy family life, both parents strive to make efforts to stabilize their family when their son chooses to get married. 
                Although I am tempted to speak more about the moments I found touching in the film, it is a must watch for any one who is interested in fun, romantic comedies but also keen to learn about India's complicating marriage culture. Marriages in India are viewed as a union not only between the couple, but also between the families. This particular film highlights this point to the T in a humorous and endearing manner. Even though there is a happy ending at the end, it does not come without a realization that there are cultural changes that are indeed taking place in India, which was once rampant with caste-ism, classim, and so on. 

Image sources: situated.in, images.indianexpress.com, static.ibnlive.com