Movie Rec: "Jab We Met" (Bollywood)

“Jab We Met” is a pretty traditional romance narrative at surface level, which is also quietly but very effectively subverting a lot of the common romance tropes. It’s one of my favorite Bollywood movies, but it’s rarely one that I use to convert people mostly because it isn’t a movie that could only exist in Bollywood. It’s a pretty universally awesome romance narrative, all around.

HOWEVER, there is an aspect of it that makes it more subversive given the cultural context, which is that the heroine, while wanting a romantic happy ending for herself, wants one that’s traditionally frowned upon by her culture.

While the narrative starts with the premise of a Brooding Hero meeting his Manic Pixie Dreamgirl, that’s where the similarities end. Because we find out a lot more about Geet, her hopes and dreams, and her family than we ever do about him. One of the only things we do know about him is that at some point in his childhood, his mother ran off with another man because she didn’t love his father. The language used to describe her elopement will give you an idea of just how huge of a deal elopement is in this culture, and what kind of social disgrace Geet is possibly setting herself up for by wanting to elope.

However, the movie has Geet identifying with the mother pretty early on, and before the movie ends, this turns into an epic commentary on women and their choices and about doing what makes you happy rather than following social conventions that stifle you. So the most important thing we DO know about him still becomes about her. <3

I never have much to say about men in fiction, but the male protagonist of this movie is one that I quite like. He spends a good part of the movie being in love with her, but never even telling her, because he sees that as his own issue, and nothing *she* should be burdened with. Like, he has ZERO need for his feelings for her to be validated or returned. Which NEVER happens in romance narrative (except for in “Pride and Prejudice,” and that’s why it’s my favorite.)

And Geet! <3 Geet is one of the most self-assured and confident heroines I have ever come across in any narrative. She knows what she wants, and she has no hesitation or doubts about how she’s going to get it. She has a strong sense of self that briefly wavers in the face of the utter force of everything that’s against her, but comes back stronger than ever.

This is, by all means, set up as a narrative where the heroine would Learn Her Lesson about Wanting Unconventional Things, but the entire movie sets out to show HER way of life as the correct one, with everyone around her adapting to her worldview. Even though the specifics of what she wants for herself change, she still gets the exact kind of happy ending she set out to chase for herself.

I also love her need to create drama and constantly strive to write out a more interesting narrative for herself than the one life would otherwise give her. She reminds me of Jane Austen’s Emma Woodhouse or Catherine Morland, except that both of these women had to learn a lesson about Needing to be Serious/Mature (from the men they loved), while Geet keeps on being herself, and the guy has to change himself to adapt to her viewpoint. <3

Like, the speech that both Emma and Catherine get from the Men Who Love Them and Know Better? Geet gets that about halfway through the movie, only to totally set the guy straight, and that is literally the actual moment he falls for her. BECAUSE SHE REFUSED TO SUBSCRIBE TO HIS WORLD VIEW. And then he subscribes to her awesomeness. You should, too.

Top 5 Shows Girl Meets World Fans Who Miss That Show Should Check Out

So many Girl Meets World fans out there miss this amazing show. I do too. However upon trying to fill the void in my heart that Girl Meets Wold left me, I can say without a doubt that I have found five great family television series that have definitely helped me miss GMW a little less. Below are those five TV shows that I definitely feel hard core Girl Meets World fans will enjoy. Please share so many other GMW fans can have the chance to check out these series as well.

5. The Kicks - This ten episode long series focuses on a high school age female soccer player who moves to a new school and has to adjust to living in a new community and has to fit in with a new soccer team. The series is basically a five hour long sports movie but it does feature very relatable and realistic teenage girls. Plus the show is still interesting for all members of the family as well since the main characters’ parents and younger brother get plenty of screen time too experiencing their own interesting side stories and character development. It’s a simple show but it’s not stupid or dumbed down for kids, so it’s a pretty solid watch. *Available on Amazon Prime Video.

4. Sydney to the Max - This recently premiered series focuses on a young single girl named Sydney being raised by her single father as she navigates the simple and somewhat major problems that come from growing up in middle school. However the unique factor of the show is that Sydney’s father: Max gets plenty of focus as well since every episode features flashbacks to when he was a kid in the 90′s, thus showing viewers of all ages how much preteens have and have not changed in the last three decades. While most episodes feature simple sitcom plots, the strength of the show is the strong bond between Sydney and her father Max (and also Sydney’s super fun grandmother). The family of the show genuinely cares for each other and it often results in some very genuine and wonderful heart felt moments. *Available to watch on Disney Now.

3. Just Add Magic - This epic fifty episode long fantasy series focuses on three middle school age girls who come into the possession of a magical book that provides them with recipes to create magical food that can create major spells and curses on those that eat them. While the premise for this show sounds strange, this series is surprisingly one of the most solid children’s shows ever made in TV history. After the pilot episode (which is a little cringe worthy at times), the show begins to evolve into an epic fantasy mystery show. The mysteries are actually very well handled and the show’s mythology is very intriguing and concise. Plus the three girls of the show become three very intelligent young women that become great role models for female viewers watching. It’s a show with plenty of amazing surprises, surprisingly super smart writing, and great characters any one should check out. *Available on Amazon Prime Video.

2. Andi Mack - In this hit Disney series that has gained a huge following, a girl named Andi Mack’s entire world is shattered when she learns the woman she grew up thinking was her older sister was actually her mother who became pregnant with her when she was a teen. From this point onward the show becomes the story of figuring out what a family is as both daughter and young mother have to figure out their new roles as they both slowly mature and learn to become the type of responsible person they’re supposed to be at their current age. On top of that, the show tackles all sorts of realistic issues modern young people face in this day and age such as communicating with those with disabilities, teens having possession of guns, panic attacks, and dealing with peers coming out as gay. It may not be a show for very young viewers (and honestly in later episodes it begins to get a bit soap-operay with maybe too many love triangle sub-plots), but the show definitely addresses some terrific and intelligently complex mature life lessons that Disney has been long overdue at addressing. *Available to watch on Disney Now.

1. Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street - Despite the strangely long title, this is one of the most solid and best written family shows of all time. The show focuses on a boy named Gortimer along with his two best friends Mel and Ranger (and eventually many more kids) who go about their normal lives in a seemingly normal neighborhood. But every now and then a simple but strange supernatural occurrence happens which eventually leads to the characters learning an important life lesson. What helps this show a lot is that the life lessons are very relevant to all ages and the characters are very down to earth and relatable. The humor is simple and subdued and the general atmosphere of the series has a strange way of making it engaging to both young kids and grandparents. The series’ stories vary from simple ones such as trying to win a school science fair, to much darker and mature stories that deal with the sudden death of a loved one. The series is only 39 episodes long but it winds up being just the right length as the short number of episodes wind up being just long enough to tell every necessary tale with the characters. *Available on Amazon Prime Video.

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5 years ago