Monsoon Wedding

Dir. Mira Nair. India, U.S., Germany, France, UK, 2001, 114 mins. With Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Shefali Shah. A far-flung family reunites in Delhi on the occasion of a big Punjabi Hindu wedding in Mira Nair’s beloved film, which turns 20 this year. Reluctant bride Aditi (Vasundhara Das) sits at the center of a series of swirling dramas that gather to a head in the days leading up to the marigold-strewn main event; it’s what you might expect from a wedding film, but transformed by Nair’s cosmopolitan touch, naturally integrated song-and-dance numbers, Declan Quinn’s immersive camerawork, and Mychael Danna’s evocative score. Generational clashes, Delhi street scenes, unexpected romances, a shocking secret, and the constant threat of unending rain breathe life into Nair’s richly drawn world. Rated: R