Bride & Prejudice 2005

When Balraj, a barrister from London with Indian roots, travels to Amritsar for a friend’s wedding, he is accompanied by his sister Kiran and his American companion, William Darcy. During their visit, they encounter Mr. and Mrs. Bakshi, who have four daughters: Jaya, Lalita (Aishwarya Rai), Maya, and Lakhi (“Lucky”). An immediate attraction sparks between Balraj and Jaya, but tensions arise when Lalita is offended by William’s dismissive perspective towards India and its culture. His clumsy attempts at apology only serve to deepen the rift between them.

Following the wedding festivities, William expresses a desire to explore Goa for a potential hotel project. Balraj and Kiran decide to join him, and Balraj extends an invitation to Jaya. While Mr. Bakshi expresses concern about this arrangement, Mrs. Bakshi, eager to see her daughters happily married, suggests that Lalita accompany Jaya as her chaperone. During their time in Goa, Lalita confronts William, accusing him of viewing the trip merely as a way to enjoy India while avoiding true cultural engagement. Her sentiments darken when she encounters Johnny Wickham, a charming rogue linked to William’s past, who informs her about William’s past decision to exclude him from the Darcy household after the death of William’s father.

Back in Amritsar, the Bakshi family receives a visit from Mr. Kohli, a distant cousin who boasts of his success in America and often belittles India. Despite his pretentious nature, Mr. Kohli is on the lookout for a traditional, obedient wife, asserting that “No life — without wife.” Johnny reappears and takes Lalita to a dance, but William attempts to warn her about Johnny’s true character. Unfortunately, Lalita is too incensed to heed his advice, while Lakhi harbors her own infatuation with the appealing Johnny.

As a family dinner unfolds, Mr. Kohli continues to belittle India, only to be unexpectedly challenged by William, who shares the admiration he has gleaned from his experiences in India, particularly appreciating the warmth of the Bakshi family. Meanwhile, Mrs. Bakshi bluntly discusses her hopes for her daughters’ prosperous marriages, leaving her daughters feeling embarrassed. Mr. Kohli proposes to Lalita, and she vehemently rejects him, much to her mother’s dismay, while Mr. Bakshi takes pride in his daughter’s strong-willed stance. However, Balraj’s abrupt announcement of an early return to London leaves the Bakshi family reeling, especially after they learn that Mr. Kohli is now engaged to Lalita’s best friend, Chandra Lamba (Sonali Kulkarni).

After this whirlwind of events, both Jaya and Lalita feel let down as neither Balraj nor Johnny commits to maintaining contact through emails. Mr. Kohli, despite his obnoxiousness, offers flights to Los Angeles for Mrs. Bakshi and her daughters to attend his wedding, prompting them to visit Kiran in London. Unexpectedly, they run into William at the airport, where he kindly offers to swap his first-class seat with Mrs. Bakshi, allowing him to sit next to Lalita. This gesture piques her interest, leading to a cordial conversation where William shares his thoughts on Johnny, depicting him as ‘a nasty piece of work,’ and reveals the struggles he and Balraj face regarding parental expectations.

Soon, the day of Mr. Kohli’s wedding approaches, hosted at one of the Darcy family hotels, where an unpleasant encounter occurs with William’s mother, who expresses her financial woes attributed to William’s disregard for a lucrative business opportunity involving Lalita’s words. Meanwhile, William’s sister, Georgina, mentions that her brother has been speaking highly of Lalita, igniting a romantic connection between the two. However, at the wedding, Mrs. Darcy introduces a well-connected woman named Anne, suggesting that she is to be William’s bride.

Following the ceremony, Georgina reveals to Lalita that William advised Balraj against marrying an Indian woman characterized by a mother with fortune-seeking intentions, prompting Lalita to realize that the subject is, in fact, Jaya. This culminates in a fiery confrontation where she accuses William of loving her while simultaneously insulting her. “Only you could say you love me and insult me at the same time!” she exclaims. As the emotional escalation continues, William acknowledges his regret in contributing to the rift between Jaya and Balraj but is met with disappointment when Lalita storms away.

The next day finds William at the Bakshi residence, desperately apologizing for his earlier missteps. He informs Lalita of Johnny’s checkered past and insists on their mission to locate him and ensure Lakhi’s safety, tracing their steps from Johnny’s home to the London Eye and culminating at a Bollywood cinema. There, a chaotic showdown occurs between William and Johnny in tandem with a fight portrayed on screen, eventually revealing Johnny’s true nature to Lakhi.

The return to the family household brings relief as the news breaks that Balraj has formally proposed to Jaya, who joyously accepted. The narrative builds towards a vibrant celebration back in Amritsar, where the city unites to commemorate the double wedding, wrapping up a tale filled with love, cultural reflection, and the unyielding quest for true connection against familial and societal expectations.