2023 HOLLYSHORTS FILM FESTIVAL REVIEW!
A bridesmaid, Asha (Misha Molani), just hours before the ceremony, finds out that she is cursed by something called The Manglik (Anna Chavez). Now she is forced to marry her soulmate before sunrise, or she will die. With all of the odds stacked against her, Asha must jump through a series of hoops before it’s too late. This is My Scary Indian Wedding.
I won’t lie, I was pretty confused while watching this film. There was a lot that didn’t make sense to me, and with My Scary Indian Wedding being so fast paced, it was hard for me to find my footing. This is a film that requires a lot of attention from viewers. They can’t sit back and watch in a lackadaisical fashion, but rather they need to do everything in their power to dive into the story and do what they can to follow along and understand. There are a lot of things happening throughout the course of My Scary Indian Wedding–a ton of content to digest in just a few short minutes. With that, I think the film could have used a few more minutes, slowing the pace down and allowing viewers a better opportunity to grasp the things occurring throughout.
With everything I’ve just said, however, the moments of horror that are strewn throughout My Scary Indian Wedding are spectacular. Nearly the entire film takes place in the darkness, and much of what is occurring on screen can be difficult to see; that lends itself nicely to incorporating hidden figures in the background of a scene–and Writer-Director Ramone Menon takes full advantage of the opportunity that he’s afforded himself. Chavez’s Manglik is often seen in the shadows, almost never fully formed–and she’s often expected to exist in the darkest corners of the film, enhancing drama and suspense, and ultimately being the driving force behind this horror film.
While Chavez has one of the smaller roles in the film, every single aspect of her character is used to develop horror–and I’m not sure a single one of those aspects fails. As mentioned above, she often exists in the shadows, and viewers are well aware of the fact that she exists somewhere, even if they can’t see her. They anticipate the next jump scare, and the constant anticipation is almost agonizing–in the best possible way. Furthermore, My Scary Indian Wedding relies heavily on the makeup department to turn Chavez into something horrifying. This team has to ensure that she doesn’t look cheesy or over the top, but just right–so that every time viewers see her on screen they are terrified. Again, every aspect of this character works–including her appearance.
Chavez is ultimately the backbone of My Scary Indian Wedding. It’s not just her performance that matters, but it’s everything that goes into developing her look and the way in which her character is used throughout the course of the film. Aside from Chavez and The Manglik, My Scary Indian Wedding has some issues in terms of pacing, length, and acting–but every piece of The Manglik and Chavez, including the darkness that surrounds her, the brilliantly choreographed timing of the jump scares, and her interaction with the others propels My Scary Indian Wedding Forward. Even with the issues the film has, it’s pretty entertaining.
Written & Directed by Ramone Menon.
Starring Misha Molani, Patrick Rutnam, Lexa Gluck, Anna Chavez, & Raoul Menon.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½/10
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