Arranged marriage and movies

            It is said that less arranged marriage ends in divorce than love marriage – which is an interesting thing. Maybe it’s because where the custom of arranged marriages still exists are more traditional and “old-fashioned” societies, where divorce is not accepted or not even possible. But on the other hand, I believe that these marriages – and I have to emphasize: I am talking about arranged marriages, where the spouses accepted to marry each other, and not about forced marriages – last longer because the parties have to get used to each other. When people love someone, they tend to turn closed eyes to the loved one’s faults, but turning closed eyes forever is impossible. After 5, 10 or even more years, when the passionate love already turned into another kind of love – still strong and deep, but not the same, these things that annoy you can come up without any warning, but at that time it’s too late to change.

            However, in the case of arranged marriages, the parties are nearly strangers. Strangers act differently: they pay attention to their manners, looks, words and other small things which seem to be irrelevant, but in fact they do matter in a relationship. And while they’re slowly getting to know each other, they’re also adapting to each other.

            I am not speaking against love marriages. It is one of the most wonderful things when you have someone whom you love and with whom you want to live your entire life. But when you have no one like this…

Here are three movies about arranged marriages that I recently saw. These movies aren’t artistic, nor they should be given awards, but I think they portray the “arranged marriage” question quite well.

The Magic of Ordinary Days

About a girl, who got pregnant out of wedlock, and her family makes her marry a farmer to hide the unwanted pregnancy. Her husband does everything to make her happy, and the girl slowly realizes her husband’s love. I also liked this movie because it deals with the situation of Japanese Americans during the Second World War.

Loving Leah

According to an old Jewish tradition, the widow has to marry her late husband’s unmarried younger brother to maintain the bloodline of the family. Jake isn’t religious, but when his brother, whom he adored, passes away, he and his sister-in-law decide to live as a (fake) married couple. It was very touching to see how Jake and Leah slowly changed as a husband and a wife: Jake started to accept his roots and to follow Jewish traditions, while Leah – still maintaining her faith and the traditions – became more modern, independent and stronger.

Just Married

This is maybe a less known Bollywood movie about arranged marriages, but it’s really cute. It depicts different stories about married couples and their own problems, but the main one is Abhay and Ritika’s arranged marriage and how they fall in love after their marriage.

by Alla