Indian families tend to consider it their life’s duty to ‘settle’ the marriages of their children. Marriages in India are an alliance between two families and not between two individuals, cliché but true. Even in the so-called urbane populace, the idea of actually letting the child find a spouse for himself/herself, especially outside the community, caste or religion is horrifying. As soon as you turn 25, extensive planning starts – by your parents, your parents’ cousins, friends and all other family members, remotely connected to your’s, for your wedding.
This book revolves around a rather new concept of marriage conspiracy. Written by author Sreeju Sudhakaran, a hotel management graduate, who has worked his way up to becoming an author after publishing his first book ‘Love and That Bitch Called Life’, an unconventional romantic drama.
‘The Great Indian Wedding Conspiracy’ is about Arjun, the protagonist who becomes part of a wedding conspiracy along with his cousin Neeraja – a conspiracy hatched by his college crush Snehal who is Neeraja’s boyfriend Sahil’s, sister. Confusing? Yes, it is. The idea of this love marriage is scandalous because Neeraja and Arjun belong to a staunch Malayalee family who, ‘look down on anyone with contempt who does not have Mallu-ness in his/her blood’. Neeraja has a Punjabi boyfriend Sahil, who she is keen to marry. The entire family comes together to give her a piece of their minds.
The cultural war between the two families, and the melodrama that follows is very realistic, and displays the narrow-mindedness of both the families i.e. the Puyickals and the Khannas, even though they live in Mumbai, the land of cultural diversities. They are not ready to accept each other and ignore the fact that both Neeraja and Sahil are successful in their careers and are mature enough to decide for themselves.
At the outset, the story seems similar to 2 States by Chetan Bhagat – the Punjabi boy and the Keralite girl stuck in the family drama. As the story evolves, the plot slowly starts sounding like a Bollywood pot boiler with multiple twists and turns. Arjun finds out that his college crush is his to-be brother-in-law’s sister. He feels that it is fate that has reunited them and that they are meant to be together. So he decides to support Neeraja and tries to bring together Neeraja and Sahil, just so he can get back together with Snehal.
Spoiler-alert: Finally, after a whole lot of drama and skeletons tumbling out of the ‘closet’, Arjun is left flabbergasted and heart-broken. It is a twisted love story with a melodramatic story plot, and lots and lots of confusing names for a non-Mallu.
The novel is recommended for those who are looking to spend an hour or two of their leisure time with something simple and light to read.
Our Rating: 2.8/5
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