Amazon and Netflix are locked in tussle for eyeballs across the world and there is one clear winner in all this – the audience. In the last year, the two networks have brought us some amazing stories that were mostly untold on the mainstream media in countries like India. Now, after Four More Shots, Amazon India promises a new Made in Heaven series that talks about some of the same issues, but in the backdrop of a big fat Indian wedding that we all love to watch.
Made in Heaven Series Cast
Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti write this new drama that looks at the current Indian society that is desperately trying to balance the freedom of modernity and still stay true to customs and beliefs of the old system. The 9 episode series premieres on March 8 2019.
Made in Heaven (2019)
Created By: Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti
Cast: Arjun Mathur, Sobhita Dhulipala, Jim Sarbh, Kalki Koechlin, Shashank Arora and Shivani Raghuvanshi
Network: Amazon
Release Date: March 8 2019
Made in Heaven Series Plot
Made in Heaven series follows two wedding planners Tara and Karan as they take us behind the scenes of big fat Indian weddings of the rich. While marriages are supposed to be union of two hearts and a strong bond among two families, the reality is often far from what the guests see at the weddings.
We meets different families and couples and see their problems through the eyes of these planners who end up being more that just service providers for decoration and menus. As tradition competes with aspirations, and money and success trumps heart’s desires, the series pulls back the veil to give a raw, unencumbered look at emotions that run a riot.
Made in Heaven Series Trailer
Watch this trailer of Made in Heaven series on Amazon and tell us if you like this new Drama.
Made in Heaven Review
My first impressions of the series weren’t that great. Partly because Drama is not a genre of choice and the pace seemed a bit too sluggish early on. However, after watching a bit more, I can say that I have had a change of heart.
Created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, it immediately sets high expectations. And I’m happy to say it exceeds them.
The trailer certainly piqued my curiosity. The series promised high drama, giving the viewer an inside look into the lives and weddings of the rich and famous. Who doesn’t want the scoop on big fat Indian society weddings and what goes on behind the scenes? Just one episode into the show, you realize this series is so much more than that.
A word of warning – the series has plenty of explicit content, strong language and is certainly not for the homophobic.
Karan Mehra and Tara Khanna are fledgling wedding planners in New Delhi. Made in Heaven is their ambitious venture. They have both borrowed big to fund the business and work really hard to make it succeed. They focus on the couple rather than the family and move heaven and earth to give the bride what she wants on the most important day of her life.
Every episode tells the story of a different couple but as you delve deeper into the episodes, you might be more interested in what’s going on with the lead characters. The series plunges into ‘Lost’ style flashbacks every few minutes, showing us the past of Karan and Tara.
Sobhita Dhulipala plays Tara, a disgruntled rich woman who works hard to maintain her own identity with her wedding planning business. Arjun Mathur plays Karan, a promiscuous gay man who is a softie at heart. Tara and Karan are fearless and righteous, traits which often land them in trouble.
Jim Sarbh is effortless as Adil Khanna, Tara’s husband. He’s the perfect image of the rich, handsome man most young girls will drool over and dream of marrying. Kalki plays Tara’s best friend and handles the entitled poor, little rich girl role with aplomb. Shashank Arora as Kabir, the Made in Heaven cameraman is understated but powerful. Shivani Raghuvanshi as Jazz, an ambitious girl from the wrong side of the tracks shines as the odd person out. It’s evident that a lot of thought has gone into the story and script. Characters are multidimensional and have plenty of layers. Even the supporting characters like Karan’s landlord played by Vinay Pathak or the money lender played by Vijay Raaz will leave a lasting impression.
Every episode presents a different couple with their own set of problems. The creators have managed to squeeze in a social message here too, highlighting issues like dowry and superstition.
Most of the language is English with a smattering of Hindi here and there. Characters speak in a posh accent but once in a while they slip and append the Desi ‘na’ or ‘only’ to their sentences. The profanity seems excessive at times and I am not sure that every character needs to drop an F bomb every few minutes to be heard. There is also copious amounts of smoking. This seems a bit of an anachronism at a time when a lot of the western media is moving away from it. In this case, I am not sure if media portrays real life, or people imitate media.
After plowing through the entire season in one weekend though, I am certainly going to say Made in Heaven is binge worthy. Good story, tight script and great performances make this one a must watch.
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