Shaandaar is not a good movie, but it was meant to be ridiculous. What seems like an overt attempt at trying to create a very Western romantic comedy is actually an intentional attempt at an extravagant farce. The word “shaandaar” itself means “grand” and “spectacular”. The makers of the film are painting Western culture as something that can be ridiculed along side Indian culture. The characters in the film are Indian immigrants that are attempting to reconcile their “Indianess” while being bombarded by Western ideals that they feel they should attempt to meet.

The story follows the marriage of two people from “wealthy” families. A strong elderly matriarch heads the bride’s family. She is using the marriage of her granddaughter to seal a business deal with another wealthy family. The bride in question, however, is not to the specification of the groom and his family. The groom is a “bro” and has an eight and half pack. His father carries a golden gun at all times. While the bride’s family is marked by the appearance of strong women, they are still expected to adhere to “traditional” Indian practices surrounding marriage. The groom’s family is the prototypical masculine family, but at times shows that they are too, very vulnerable. The marriage is an attempt to both follow traditional Indian practices but to also carry out a capitalist business transaction. The family of the bride has not only commoditized their older daughter, they have also commoditized their native culture. The musical numbers are an act of appropriating their “traditional” fashion to fit a setting and narrative that is Western.

Cruising along the side of the marriage story is the story between the “star-crossed” lovers. Alia, the youngest daughter of the bride’s family is thought to be an orphaned adoptee. JJ grew up a poor Sikh in India who became a wedding planner. These are two characters that have always been on the outside of “traditional” narrative of their more “Indian” counterparts. Another commonality between the two is that they do not sleep. While Alia wishes she could dream, and JJ wishes he wasn’t afraid of the dark, they are both cursed with not being able to rest unless they are with each other. It took me a while to figure out the significance of this, but it seems as if Alia, because of the status, could not even afford the privilege of dreaming. She can’t even indulge in her fantasies. JJ on the other hand reminisces about the light in his home that never went out, when he was a child. If that metaphorical light were to go out, then he knew he was leaving his past behind and forgetting where he came from. Alia however allows him to feel at home. As outsiders, they have a unique perspective on the events unfolding in front of them. Because they have never truly been able to participate in their “Indian” culture as insiders, they have always been passive participants. All they have left is their individuality.

The filmmaking itself is an attempt at reconciling Western standards and Bollywood standards. The film plays out like a classic romantic comedy but still contains Bollywood tropes. The film concludes with the death of the matriarch, thus freeing the bride from both marriage and to “traditional” values. The groom is also relieved to know he does not need to adhere to his masculine projections. The families then learn that neither of them were in good financial standings and that the marriage would have been a “failed” investment. Their attempts are being active participants in a financial and cultural transaction would have failed if it had gone through. The film concludes with an affirmation of their individuality. For their entire lives the main characters were told to be something that they were never meant to be. Social roles and expectations are fluid should not be held to any standard.