Romantic comedies aren’t new to Netflix. However, though the streaming site has its fair share of highly rated TV series we all obsessively binge-watch, it’s been lacking a bit in the romance category since near-perfect Set It Up, starring Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell. This sentiment isn’t to say that the romantic comedies haven’t been good, but they have yet to be rewatch-multiple-times-a-year-great. But everything changed when Shiwani Srivastava’s Wedding Season hit Netflix, landing among some of the classic greats with an intriguing plot, highly relatable characters, and the best tropes.
The thing about popular romantic comedies is that while they’re all primarily enjoyable, allowing the necessary escape into a world of happy endings; if viewers are second-guessing too much, then the appeal is already lost. Plus, while the use of tropes depends entirely on what viewers prefer, if the execution doesn’t feel organic, then the story fumbles. While people tend to believe that romantic comedies are easy to write about because of their linear, understandably predictable plot, the challenges lie in the execution. That said, in every way where it matters, Wedding Season tells a riveting story full of joy while celebrating love through two incredibly relatable characters.
It Utilizes One of the Best Tropes
Netflix
The best part of the “fake-dating” trope is that it often relies on two characters to be in on something the others around them won’t ever fully grasp. Amid their schemes, they’re not only learning about each other, but also themselves in a way that allows genuine emotions to push through. The characters are acting alongside the actors, and if the showcase isn’t full of organic moments that prove why they should really be dating, then the plot loses momentum. Thankfully, that’s not the case with Netflix’s Wedding Season because Asha (Pallavi Sharda) and Ravi’s (Suraj Sharma) plan fits the narrative so seamlessly that it makes the trope feel incredibly believable.
To stop their parents, aunties, and nearly everyone they know from constantly trying to find them someone to marry during the grueling wedding season, the two team up to say that their parents’ initial set-up plan worked, and they’re now together. While they agree to attend weddings together, their natural comfort around each other proves to be a tethering bond as they realize they’re more alike than they initially thought. Further, we get clear exhibitions of the fact that they’re both career-driven, and this detail allows them to understand the other’s passions better than anyone else could.
It’s a Cultural Celebration
Wedding Season gorgeously focuses on bringing South Asian customs to our screens through authentic stories told by people who’ve lived through the experiences. Gone are the days when such stories were whitewashed for the sake of inclusivity to benefit off of someone else’s life. (Hopefully.) The majority of the cast is South Asian, and the film takes time to carefully showcase a variety of customs full of complexities and joys. While weddings and celebrations are at the film’s forefront, it’s also a narrative that moves around Diaspora struggles and the expectations parents have for their children.
The parents, siblings, and members of the Diaspora are just as significant in the film as the romance, allowing the audience to get to know more sides of both characters. Further, on the notion that people think romantic comedies are “easier” to establish than action films or anything of the sort, while there are certainly no visual effects in Wedding Season, no one should ever assume that dance sequences are easy to film. The amount of preparation to project what people know how to do off-camera to on is no small feat. The montage of Ravi and Asha alone is not only a significant part of their romance but a beautiful showcase of traditions, joy, and narrative movement.
It’s Well-Written
It’s sincerely shocking that Wedding Season is Shiwani Srivastava’s first screenplay because it takes some veteran writers multiple films to master the genre’s charm. Additionally, many now classic romantic comedies stand the test of time because of the cast instead of the writing. But that’s not the case here as Srivastava gorgeously takes us through Ravi and Asha’s timeline brilliantly by telling a story between two people trying to live up to familial and societal pressures.
A well-written romance is messy at times, transparent when necessary, and a healthy presentation of how two people who bring out the best in each other can benefit from being together. As the story moves forward through Ravi and Asha’s fake dating romantic endeavors, viewers get a clear picture of their struggles that directly align with familial pressures. While Ravi’s family doesn’t know about his DJ gig, Asha’s family confirms that she works too much without focusing on her personal life. In factoring in such organic struggles that more people off-screen will relate to than not, the screenplay brings forward a heartier romance that isn’t trying too hard to be epic or unique. In fact, Ravi and Asha’s realistic struggles, differences, and the detail that they could enjoy each other’s company guarantees they’d last long after the credits roll.
