From haldi to the sangeet, from the mehendi to the pheras, bachelor’s/bachelorette parties to pre-wedding shoots – a big Indian wedding includes a series of events. Showcasing those magical tales of love, bonds, enjoyment and emotion uniquely every time is what is expected from a wedding photographer/videographer. Some Bollywood films’ wedding sequences have perfectly showcased various themes – be it an intimate, earthy affair or an extravagant multi-day big-fat wedding, interplay of colour and fashion, style and elegance with great finesse. Take your inspo from these movies to refine your photography and videography style for those ultimate shaadi footages that will top your portfolio.
Yeh Jawani Hain Diwani
Stills from the movie Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani
The movie portrays a big fat royal wedding of the character played by Kalki Koechlin in one of the luxurious hotels, The Oberoi Udaivillas in Udaipur. The second half of the movie primarily centres around her wedding ceremony. This movie has one of the most exquisitely captured wedding sequences in the history of any Bollywood film.
Stills from the movie Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani
Stills from the movie Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani
From the lavish bachelorette party to the subtle poolside haldi ceremony to the groovy sangeet and final wedding, the movie had well-thought sequences to get inspired. The scenes where the elders put haldi on the bride, the entire family posing after the haldi, the bride’s entry scene under a fairy light-lit chaddar in the song Kabira, Kalki looking at the mirror with Ranbir Kapoor sitting behind her are the few scenes that can be the absolute inspiration for you to use in your next wedding videography.
Stills from the movie Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani
Stills from the movie Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani
The themes and decor are a complete blend of elegance and opulence. One such still is the shot of the seating arrangement on the patio against the dome-shaped warm-lit backdrop of the luxury hotel. A few of the morning shots of Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone in ethnic wear near the pool against the white chhatris can fill a lot of pre-wedding couple shots. The fashionable Indian attire with lively and highly energetic music-dance duos make it a perfect wedding scenario that everyone would want for their big day.
Queen
Stills from the movie Queen
The opening song London Thumakda from the Kangana Ranaut starrer movie Queen is one of the iconic pieces of cinematography. The song is power packed with dhamaakedaar dhol beats and quirky lyrics with a flavour of folk tunes. The sequence gives an insight into a typical middle-class Punjabi wedding. Weddings in Bollywood movies pivot around mainly extravagant themes, colour plays, and featuring perfectly dressed people. However, this song video has been a break from those stereotypical themes.
Stills from the movie Queen
The videography focuses more on tapping the essence of raw Indianness. There are no organised dance moves. The scene is conceived to show characters of every age group – from big-bellied aunties to bald uncles to kids, all engrossed in the ceremony. Everyone wearing regular clothes with sweaters has made the scene more natural and relatable.
Stills from the movie Queen
Even the protagonist’s, i.e., Kangana Ranaut’s makeup and costume are minimal. She dons the look of a simple bride wearing a lime green salwar suit, a beige sweater, and only floral maangtika and hair accessories. The song video creates that perfect feeling of a Hindu shaadi environment in a mediocre family with a touch of humour. Picturing those funny moments like the decorator testing out the lights, the house getting decorated to, laddoo preparations to, mehendi and sangeet ceremony after sundown are more to depict the real wedding episodes in celluloid. The emotion where the mother is laughing and crying at the same time on seeing her daughter is also well captured. As a wedding photographer, this film can be an inspiration to weave magical moments even in middle-class budget weddings.
Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara
Stills from the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara
The ending song of this movie, Sooraj Ki Baahon Mein, portrays the wedding of the characters played by Hrithik Roshan and Katrina Kaif. The video is nothing short of a dreamy fairy tale sequence. The song taps the essence of a plush Christian wedding set in a garden during the daytime. The entire sequence has all the ingredients to get great ideas and refine your wedding videography style for your next shaadi shoot.
The sequence has all the details from capturing the venue, the wedding cake, the giant sunflower décor, the white floral arrangement, and the champagne bottles. It also captures the bonds and unique dance moments of the groom with two friends – the bride entering in between with the family and friends gradually joining in the celebration. The couple poses against the floral wreaths or the clip where Katrina Kaif swings in the leafy swing are inspiring shots that can amp up your forthcoming wedding videography. The white-themed décor and flowers to apparel look minimal yet add a touch of purity and aesthetic look to the entire video.
2 States
Stills from the movie 2 States
The wedding scene of characters played by Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor in 2 states infuses tradition with sleek modernity. The main wedding scene is shot at the Mahabalipuram temple in Chennai at sunset hour. It portrays a South Indian wedding.
Stills from the movie 2 States
The scene focuses on capturing the emotions of every character, which adds to its uniqueness. Be it the mother (Revathy) looking affectionately towards the daughter, or the two mothers (Revathy and Amrita Singh) exchanging smiles of happiness and relief. The close-up shot of the bride getting ready against the bokeh effect looks quite contemporary and modern. Alia’s traditional red and gold bridal attire, the backdrop of pristine white lilies hanging from pillars, and Arjun Kapoor’s entry in full white traditional costume under the big yellow coloured umbrella are what made the whole scene classic and earthy yet majestic.
Stills from the movie 2 States
The ceremony exuded warmth as the venue’s beauty was seamlessly braided into the scenes. A special mention needs to be made on the silhouette shot of the entire venue during the sunrise, with guests in colourful clothes walking to the venue.
Band Baja Baaraat
Stills from the movie Band Bajaa Baraat
This movie is based on wedding management, a co-industry seeded out of the gala event marriage that is core to Indian homes and culture. The film revolves around two persons trying to flourish their budding wedding planning business. The film showcases weddings of different budgets ranging from a middle-class shaadi of Janakpuri Ke Uncle to the plush extravagant wedding of a big businessman to the wedding scenes of the protagonists, Anushka Sharma and Ranveer Singh at the climax.
Stills from the movie Band Bajaa Baraat
The film inspires different wedding shots against decor themes like luxurious fabrics, fairy lights, hanging lanterns and floral arrangements. The shot of a ‘nikah’ against the sparkling white layout with the bride visible in between the white streamers,- or the shot of people walking down the aisle under the fairy light and the hanging star-lit backdrop of an upmarket, stylish wedding or – the low angle shot of the Jaimala scene under a red floral canopy are some of the extremely creative endeavours to take inspiration from.
Stills from the movie Band Bajaa Baraat
Stills from the movie Band Bajaa Baraat
The shot where Ranveer Singh carries Anushka Sharma against a yellow backdrop with extensive use of marigold garlands and petals is quite romantic to emulate in a pre-wedding couple shoot.
Stills from the movie Band Bajaa Baraat
The vivacity of colours has also been a characteristic part of the film’s videography. Be it in the first big shaadi of ‘Shaadi Mubarak’ (the wedding company started by the protagonists in the film) or in the last wedding of the main characters with fairy light-covered canopy or multicoloured backdrop. The multiple wedding scenes can be a great guide to sew in that melange of colours in your next wedding shoot. That’s what sums up an Indian wedding – a collage of colours!
Bollywood wedding movies have a pleasing nook because of the high drama, romance and visual delight associated with it. These wedding-centric films can be a great inspiration for a wedding mood board for a photographer/videographer who wants to spur creativity and refine their style.
