Review of the Gujarati Movie “The Great Gujarati Matrimony”

Newz Daddy Gujarati Movie Review

IMDb Ratings of Newz Daddy

Newzdaddy Ratings: 3.5*/ 5

Genre: Romance, Drama

Lead Star Cast: Mitra Gadhvi, Siddhi Idnani, Hiten Kumar, Devarshi Shah, Tatshat Munshi, Jhanvi Gurnani, and Sucheeta Trivedi

Writer: Jhanvi Chopda

Director: Preetsinh Gohil

Produced By: Divyesh Doshi and Jagat Gandhi

Music & Background Score: Siddharth Amit Bhavsar

Cinematography: Suman Kumar Sahu

Language: Gujarati

Run Time: 144.53 minutes

Recommended:  Yes.

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Critical Review of the Gujarati Movie “The Great Gujarati Matrimony”

The Great Gujarati Matrimony is a love triangular movie.  It also offers an intriguing premise that brings together multiple characters and runs two different generation stories parallelly.  Their paths intertwine, leading to a heartfelt exploration of love, cultural clashes, and self-discovery. The movie tries to explain that love and friendship never die and that age is just a number, just a number.  You can have feelings of love and affection at any age. At any given time of your life, you need someone with whom you can share your feelings, emotions, sorrow and happiness. 

The movie is more expressive of feelings and emotions rather than words, there is more silence and the sound of rain than words.

Many times when you don’t say anything your eyes and your facial expressions speak for you.  Expressions are larger than the words.

If you believe in love and expression and you still have affection for someone whom you loved but you are not with him/her, if you are alone and missing your loved one then you will definitely resonate with this movie.  You will feel that this is your story, your own love story. 

The movie has 3 songs that are perfectly fitting to the story.

The Storyline

The storyline is rich with emotional depth, showcasing the characters’ struggles and triumphs. 

Itishri’s Character is played by Siddhi Idnani who is making her debut in the Gujarati movie industry, she is a very well-known actress in South Indian movies.  Raghav is played by none other than our own friend Mitra Gadhvi, and Ved’s character is played by Chocolate hero Devarshi Shah.  

The story is a love triangle between these three prominent characters. Itishri is an aspiring stage actress, and Raghav is running his own Matrimony, “The Great Gujarati Matrimony”.  While Ved is a banker from the UK.  

The movie also has another 2 prominent characters of the older generation played as Rustom played by Hiten Kumar and Shalini played by Sucheeta Trivedi.  These two characters add more depth to the story and also intersect with the other characters in a unique style.

The story becomes predictable and becomes dull in the second half, I was expecting some unique twits but that never came for me. 

As I always say, I will not reveal the story in detail and give a spoiler alert, rather I request you to see the movie in a theatre and not wait for it to be streamed on OTT.

The Acting

The cast has delivered their best performance, especially Hiten Kumar.  He is truly a superstar of Gujarati movies.  His body language, expression and how he walks in the movie just show that he deserves applause. 

Mitra Gadhvi has tried to come out of his comic image and has played a serious and very emotional kind of role and he has done a wonderful job.  His screen presence and facial expression are top-notch. I believe now he proved to his fans that he is not just a comic character, he is an actor, a complete actor.  He has done good dance in this movie along with gorgeous Shraddha Dangar in a number song.

Siddhi Idnani, I was very eager to hear her Gujarati accent in this movie as she is doing a Gujarati movie for the first time; however, she has not disappointed me.  Her Gujarati accent is perfect.  She looks awesome on screen with her lovely deep dimples. 

The man who looks very handsome on and off screen is Devarshi Shah, initially, I felt that he was playing a grey character in this movie, but I was wrong, he came out to be a gentleman.  

The supporting actors such as Tatsat Munchi have also delivered commendable performances. 

However, the chemistry between the leads occasionally falters, which slightly impacts the emotional intensity of the film.

The Direction

Preetsinh Gohil has also directed “Vanilla Ice Cream” which was also based on relationship. directed this movie and he has been able to get more emotions from the actors rather than words.  He has managed to make the characters more expressive.  There are a number of scenes in the movie where the actors express their emotions, sorrow grief and pain without uttering a single word. 

The director’s emphasis on emotional authenticity ensures that the characters’ arcs feel believable.

Having said that, a few scenes lack the necessary emotional punch, and the pacing occasionally drags, particularly in the second half.

The Cinematography

Visually, the film is stunning. The vibrant hues of Ahmedabad contrast beautifully mirroring the characters’ emotional journeys. The cinematographer captures intimate moments with warmth, drawing viewers into the characters’ world. Sweeping wide shots and close-ups are used effectively to heighten emotional impact.

The Screenplay

The screenplay I thought was not up to the mark and the balance between poignant dialogue and lighthearted moments was a lack. 

Certain lines feel clichéd, and some transitions between scenes could have been smoother.

The Positive Points

• Relatable Themes: The exploration of love, expression, affection, and cultural identity resonates universally.
• Strong Performances: The leads deliver emotionally grounded performances.
• Cinematography: Visually captivating, with stunning visuals of Ahmedabad and character emotions. 
• Direction: A commendable effort in weaving together multiple storylines and extracting more expressions from the actors.

The Negative Points

• Pacing Issues: The second half feels slower and less engaging compared to the rest of the film.
• Underdeveloped Subplots: Some character arcs, especially Ved’s cultural dilemmas, needed more depth. 
• Predictability: Certain moments feel formulaic, lacking fresh twists.
• Entertainment: The movie is devoid of comedy. 

The Final Verdict

“The Great Gujarati Matrimony” is a heartfelt exploration of love, emotion, expression, and cultural identity that largely succeeds in delivering an engaging cinematic experience, while it stumbles in places with pacing and predictability, its relatable themes, strong performances, and stunning visuals make it a worthwhile watch.

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