TIFF 2022 has always been a platform for telling and celebrating diverse stories.
It was the perfect venue to celebrate the world premiere of What’s Love Got To Do With It?, a multi-cultural romantic-comedy that adds layers of generational culture and norms to create a perfect reflection on what it means to be in a relationship; and most importantly, what it means to be in love.
I feel the film is a lot more complex than that. When you spend an entire evening with your partner discussing how representative, respectful, insightful and thought-provoking the film was, you can’t help but feel you were moved by the production.
Here are my very raw thoughts on this film. If you want to save some time reading, then I will get to the point: you must watch this film. It celebrates the humanity behind love and relationships, while respecting who people are and where they come from. It is so positive and heart-warming that even with the comedy, you couldn’t help but be moved by the performances and the story. It is a film about family, friends, and the quest for love. We are proud that this film made our Top 10 must-watch films list. It certainly is a must-watch!
Photo from ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It?’ | Photo: STUDIOCANAL, Working Title and the ProductionThe film’s story is perfection
If I had a nickel every time I said this film’s story was perfection, I’d probably have enough to invest back in for a sequel!
And I kid you not. Jemima Khan’s story is perfection.
The screenplay is a symphony of dialogue and interaction, blending together typical and common multifamily interactions with poignant, comedic comebacks. You are gifted with a family consisting of multiple-generations, but the dialogue captured both the stereotypical interactions one would expect but added a layer of complexity and comedy that helped us connect with each individual character on a different level. Kazim’s Nani jan portrayed that strict, culturally-engrained grandmother but the dialogue created for her was so energizing that you couldn’t help but love her and her role in this story.
I also felt the story brought a lot of balance to the narrative around arranged marriages, depicting the still-followed tradition in a respectful and thought-provoking way. Khans’s story was never ill towards any one aspect of any culture, which I found very humbling. At no point in this story do you feel that the creatives are pointing a finger at a culture for its limitations or traditions, but rather focusing on the characters and how they wish to understand their cultures and that of those around them, and allow them to grow with each interaction. The comedy gives both the characters and the audiences a relief from having intense discussions, but not so much so that we make a joke out of the situation.
This story has been 10 year’s in the making, but it feels so important to audiences today. As someone who got married not too long ago, it made me reflect on my marriage in a good way. The story isn’t about cancelling a way in which people choose to love or choose to be in a relationship, but more so about having that open dialogue that makes for better, stronger bonds between people. This could be in marriages, between family members, or connecting differing multi-generational thoughts.
The story is powerful, and I am thankful to Khan for bringing this story to the big screen.
Photo from ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It?’ | Photo: STUDIOCANAL, Working Title and the ProductionA truly representative film
This is Shekhar Kapur’s first foray into romantic-comedy. This film is an amazing debut into the genre, and certainly showcases his tenacity and adaptability as a director.
However, more than just making a solid romantic-comedy, aided by the wonderful story Khan has crafted, Kapur has created a film that is truly representative of the world today. Discussing with my partner who is from Pakistan, she noted how accurate the portrayal of Pakistan was in this film. From the social scenes, to the local markets, to even interactions with shopkeepers and rickshaw wala’s, it captured the essence of Pakistan that many audiences will be able to relate to today. What I also appreciated was the fact that stereotypes were limited to certain interactions, and not as a community as a whole. While in other films (very recent ones too) feature Pakistan with gritty characters that sadly lead us down a rabbit hole of very specific conclusions, this film captured both the modern and cultural Pakistan as it is today. That is very important I think in a film that talks about love, and what it means to be in a relationship in todays environment.
I also appreciated the way Kapur (again, aided by Khan’s wonderful story) captured the British-side of life for a South Asian family. We hear too much about racial discrimination in Britain towards minority groups, whether direct or implied. Any stereotypical moments were captured in intelligent, witty dialogue rather than running an entire scene around it. The idea of living with culturally-different neighbours but immersing oneself to reflect the importance of the other is actually very powerful. It captured the harmony that we in society already live with, but isn’t highlighted in the media as often as we’d like.
In addition, the music of the film glues the story together. Nitin Sawhney and his team have really blended culturally important music like Sufi music from legends like Rahat Fateh Ali Khan with modern, energetic music from talents like Naughty Boy to create a track that appeals to all ages and provides the perfect touchpoints for various moments during each character’s journey. Kudos to the team!
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A blend of wonderful talents
We all know the power of talents like Lily James and Emma Thompson. Their performances need no explanations, as they were wonderful as always. Lily’s character Zoe was a perfect viewers companion as she played the catalyst in unraveling the mysteries of marriage in a culture she didn’t understand. Emma Thompson’s Cath on the flip side showed her acceptance of cultures, being the bridge between the western and eastern worlds that blended in this film.
Shazad Latif gave a brilliant performance as Kazim, and actually portrayed a character that was not typical as someone who would consider arranged marriage. The way in which he engages with other characters leaves you wanting to understand him more, and that helped us the viewer travel along with him on his journey. I think Latif is a talent we should all be watching, as he has a knack for creating depth in this characters that will keep you engaged with the film.
With that said, many of the supporting cast played a major role in anchoring the vibe of this film, which made this film a truly successful romantic-comedy. Asim Chaudhry as the Matchmaker was a character that honestly deserves his own short-film or short-series. His delivery was magnificent, and he played an important part in Kazim’s journey to find a partner for himself. Sajal Ali’s Maymouna captured the essence of a young Pakistan girl preparing for marriage, balancing the vibe expected of her from her parents and family while still showcasing who she is to her friends and her soon to be husband. Then there is Jeff Mirza who plays Kazim’s father. He plays an important role as both anchor of traditional ways of thinking, while still being a humble character who’s dialogue puts a smile on everyone’s face.
I think the casting team have brought-together the perfect team to highlight the multiple cultures this film spotlights. Couldn’t ask for any better.
I “insist” you watch this film
At a time when we as people find reasons to divide our communities from one another, this film showcases that we can all live in harmony despite our differences. Emma Thompson’s eccentric character is actually one that I have come to love and appreciate in this film. For a goofy character, she celebrates those around her regardless of their background and traits. She embraces some of the elements of her loving neighbours, like their traditional attire, to be more involved in the things they celebrate. It’s moments like those that showcase how much wonder there is in other cultures (whichever side you are looking in from) in which we can immerse ourselves and grow.
Shekhar Kapur and Jemima Khan have teamed up to make an absolutely stunning and perfect romantic-comedy that I would “insist” that you see as soon as you can. What’s Love Got To Do With It? will be a cinematic experience worth having.
What’s Love Got To Do With It? plays as part of the Gala Presentations programme at the 47th Toronto International Film Festival. Visit TIFF’s website HERE for all the details on screenings.
Photo: Still from What’s Love Got To Do With It? | Courtesy of TIFF 2022
