I have always wondered as to whether it was arranged marriages or love marriages that managed to stand through the test of time. And even though I was all up for love marriages, there was always an inkling of doubt in my mind about the other.

Well, here comes a movie that reinforces my choice, in addition to dishing out an all important message to everyone out there getting ready to get hitched; ‘Two people can never connect emotioanlly for all the wrong reasons’!

Released on April 22nd, 2011, ‘When Harry Tries to Marry’ is one such movie that would definitely keep you engrossed from the start till end. Fun filled, humorous, sentimental and thought provoking, the movie has it all to become a first class entertainer, and has already received rave reviews and several accolades before its release. These include a prestigious premiere at the Austin Film Festival and the inclusion of the movie’s script in the ‘Top 10 of the Creative Screenwriting Magazine Competition’.

‘When Harry Tries to Marry’ is all about Harry aka Harrysh Shankar (an Indian born American bachelor from New York) and his quest for true love which he believes he can find only via an institution called ‘arranged marriage’. As a child, Harry (Rahul Rai) was witness to his parent’s (who had falled in love before getting married) constant bickering and fights.

These incidents left Harry with a very bad impression of love. Harry believes that love marriages would lead to divorces whereas arranged marriages would sustain the test of time. He also believes that in an arranged marriage, the two young individuals would have plenty of time to understand each other and accept each other’s idiosyncracies.

With this notion in mind, Harry enlists the help of his match making uncle back in India to find himself a suitable bride. This move on his part baffles his family members and friends. They however comply with his wishes and zero in on Neeta (Freishia Bomanbehram), the quintessential Indian bride; a sweet, calm and sober individual who would do anything and everything to make things work out with her future husband.

Aiding him in his preparations for the D –day is Theresa (Stefanie Estes), his closest pal from America. However, as the wedding approaches, Harry begins to have second thoughts about the entire event, mainly because he starts developing feelings for Theresa with the latter reciprocating the same. And as the time starts running out, Harry needs to decide between the two ladies who are about to entire his life as his soul partner; the one arranged for him or the one he has found himself!

In between this entire facinating hullabaloo, you get introduced to plenty of other interesting characters. Thiese include Harry’s fashion conscious mother who snubs at traditional Indian values and norms; his best friend Louis who tries in vain to talk him out of the arranged marriage business; and his father Deb Shankar, a business man who is into lingerie designing. 

When Harry Tries to Marry’ is essentially one of those cross cultural family dramas that actually manage to entertain you. The stroyline is witty and engrossing, in addition to the wonderful performances dished out by the justified cast.

The breezy narrative makes a run time of 101 minutes look like a lunch break, with the movie sucking you into the proceedings as soon as the preparations for the big wedding start. The unexpectedly hilarious climax is the icing on the cake and is followed by a solemn lecture by Harry on how true love is the only secret to a long lasting relationship.