Top 5 Lessons from the Bharat-Aditi Mehndi

It's the time of second marriages on Dulhann. After Amar's impromptu hitching to Gauri, we have the Bharat-Aditi Mehndi Ceremony. As we are all suspect Bharat & Aditi will NOT get married this time around - alas, they are not as quick as Amar - we shall have to make do with the Mehndi ceremony.

Highlights of the ceremony... Bharat (Mohit) looking dashing in a red and gold silk sherwani. Wait, didn't we see the same kurta on Sharad earlier in the track? Hmmm...can we say cost-cutting? Well, both gentlemen looked dashing in any case!

Additi (Shamin) matched Bharat to the tee in full-on red saree with elaborate jewellery and tikka. The two certainly were a vision together.

But that's where the buck stops my friends. The rest of the ceremony looked like a lack luster, quickly thrown together affair, as opposed to the wedding that Divya had always wanted to throw for her nephew/brother-in-law. But not an entire loss. Here's what we can all learn from this affair:

5. Spend more than Rs.200 to decorate the venue. A few lights, some streamers, decorative flowers. Something "I didn't just pull this all together yesterday."
4. Expand the guest list. Invite people you actually know to the ceremony, not just your mausi's friends who will dance around you. Maybe a male friend or two - and the 'Baba' who is taking care of your home and brought you up. Consider expanding the guest list past 5 people.
3. Invest the money in a good DJ who can play dhin-chak Bollywood numbers at the party.
2. Get RSVP from close family - like Amar - who is willing to dance to the dhin-chak Bollywood numbers in #3. Ask Divya bhabhi. If not, hire people from other serials to dance for you.

....and the number one lesson to be learned.....

1. NEVER EVER invite your first (and current) husband to your second (illegal) marriage!

1st September Issue: Wedding Story

WEDDING STORY

Last week's second wedding ceremony is the last (presumeably) in a long line of wedding-related festivities for Amar-Divya/Sagar-Vidya. So let's take a walk down memory lane and revisit wedding grandeur - BMTD style!

The Weddings Three

Well, officially three weddings; unofficially more. The more the merrier, we say. Each marriage the start of a new chapter in life and an opportunity to decorate, dress up, and smile. No complaints here!

First came the Sagar-Vidya wedding. By far the the most lavish of the three weddings, it lasted for three whole episodes, with every character decked out, including the bride who was laden in gold. A lovely wedding venue, Shivji, traditional red/gold attire, and a thunder lightning rain dance thrown in for good measure.

Amar-Divya's wedding in contrast was exactly the opposite - quiet, intimate, simple and quick. The attire was unconventional: the bride in blue-green/magenta with very light diamond jewellery and the groom in a yellow/black sherwani - but appropriate for the setting. Though both weddings were strong in style and, of course, Shambhunathji, this was one romantic wedding ceremony!

And finally, the renewal of A-D's wedding vows (last week), was a quicker, considerably less-dramatic version of the S-V wedding. This time, the venue was the Singh Mansion, decked out in all its grandeur. Divya did wear an elaborate red/gold lehnga with gold jewellery, but considerably simpler than for the S-V wedding. Amar, on the other hand, made a much stronger impact with the solid red/black sherwani, while still looking traditional. This was an eye-candu wedding: peaceful and beautiful. Finally!

More Weddings

Throughout Amar-Divya's love story, Shambhunathji, and the audience, was prodding them to reunite, resulting in two additional impromptu unofficial 'weddings'. These may not have been as stylish, but they deserve honorable mention. Both were in Banaras - the first when Divya unknowingly exchanged garlands with Amar (during Poornima Mahapujan) and the second when Amar, intoxicated, put sindoor in Divya's maang (Holi).

The varmaala exchange (left,top) was the first time we saw Divya in Indian attire and the venue was warm and colorful. This particular scene is a popular favourite with Divya glowing in a simple blue-green churidaar-kurta, and Amar looking oh-so-cute in a pink silk kurta with jeans.

The Holi Sindoor (vermillion) scene (left, bottom) isn't stylish, but its fun. Aesthetically, Divya in white with a red dupatta and an even more red maang was pretty, but getting married while drunk may work in Las Vegas, not in Hindi serials, so this one didn't stick.

Even More Weddings

And then there are the weddings where our hero-heroine were not marrying each other, and although never completed, some went pretty far before coming to a grinding halt. In fact, some were even really stylish, so here were go.

First, the Tushar-Vidya wedding. This was a sad, heart wrenching wedding at night, in an open temple, in the wind and rain. This was one tragically beautiful ceremony. Both Tushar and Vidya looked captivating. This wedding went as far as the second pheraa before Vidya collapsed of poisoning to be whisked away by Sagar.

Then, there was the Amar-Bindiya wedding. This one didn't go far, but both characters did manage to dress up for an (innocent!) encounter in Bindiya's bedroom where it was called off.

And finally, the Samrat-Divya wedding: deception, accusations, fist-fighting, gun-play and love - this wedding was on a different level altogether. It was a quickie Singh Mansion wedding with both Divya and Samrat looking good! Amar, however, was a different story altogether.

Plus, a bonus for long time BMTD fans - a scene from the Chinu-Shalu wedding!

[Scenes: Tushar-Vidya wedding(TL,TM,TR), Samrat-Divya wedding(BL), Chinu-Shalu wedding(BM), Amar-Bindiya wedding(BR)]

Wedding Parties

What's a wedding without parties before and after them? These integral parts of all serial weddings are an ideal opportunity for drama and, what else? dressing up!

[Scenes: S-V Wedding Reception party(TL), A-D Engagement party(TR), A-D Godh-bharai(BL), A-D Mehndi ceremony(BR)]

Suhaag Raats

This is a party of a different sort - a party for two. While Amar-Divya hold the guiness world record for most weddings (without divorce), Sagar-Vidya will go down in history for the most (ineffective) suhaag raat attempts. Still, from a style perspective the result is more eye-candy for the viewers. Let's check them out.

[Scenes: S-V wedding night (TL), S-V recovered Sagar first learns he is married (TR), S-V Sagar finally accepts Vidya (BL), A-D 2nd wedding in loooooove (BR)]

Other Gems

Lets close with some random wedding-related scenes strewn throughout the serial. See if you can recognize them all.

[Scenes: Sam-Divz engagement (TL,TC); Mahua-Lallan mehndi (TR);Mahua-Rajiv wedding (CL);Chinu-Shalu wedding (CC);Sam-Kam engagement (CR); Mahua-Some_guy engagement(BL), Sam-Divz mehndi (BC,BR)]

Hope you enjoyed this trek back in time. Till next time ...