How the Montage in ‘Wedding Season’ Makes the Film an Outstanding Rom-Com

When it comes to fiction, people often use the rule of “show, don’t tell” when critiquing something. In emphasizing the idea, people associate telling with lazy narrative writing, but it’s just as crucial to showcase the passage of time when space is limited. This is especially the case for romantic comedies, which typically don’t get the same three-hour time frame that high-status dramas do. So, in order to do both, that’s where an excellent montage comes in, and in the last few years, no montage has done it quite like Netflix’s Wedding Season. 

While a montage seems like the easiest thing to do, it’s actually quite challenging for it to feel evocative and worthwhile. In Netflix’s Wedding Season, it’s a testament to director Tom Dey, cinematographer Meena Singh, editor David L. Bertman, and Pallavi Sharda and Suraj Sharma for their performances throughout. It’s also a nod to Shiwani Srivastava’s screenplay, wherein the earlier establishment works brilliantly, making this wordless moment that much more profound. 

In many ways, Ravi and Asha are opposites of one another. They’re both holding things back when the fake dating becomes real, but they’re still far more transparent with each other than they have been with others. (We don’t have to know their past relationships to understand this because it’s where Sharda and Sharma shine with their acting.) Thereby, what themontage ultimately reveals to viewers are the tiny moments where their feelings grow into something bigger. 

Weddings are more fun now they’re allowing themselves to be real partners. They’re lighter when they dance, more free, and less in their heads about everything. She isn’t prioritizing work over her joy. He’s more present, too. They’re challenging each other, which a game of Scrabble intricately exhibits despite the casualty of the moment. It shows us that there’s a willingness to compete and play together while simultaneously leading to moments of sincerity that reveal how charmed they are by each other. (Him, especially, as Sharma does a brilliant job giving us an insight into Ravi’s headspace when he bursts into laughter watching her cheer as she wins the game.)

We watch them celebrate each other with the vinyl and record player after we watch their dances turn into more intimate moments with genuine bursts of laughter. Their chemistry alone is explosive, but the tenderness and joy in the montage is what makes their relationship so deeply memorable. It’s what shows the audience that they are, in fact, perfect for each other, not as a result of their fabricated dating profiles or because they’re putting on a show for others, but because of the sheer level of joy that they bring out in each other. In these moments, it’s all about the two of them, even when their parents gleefully watch from the edge of the dance floor.

Lastly, a montage only works when there’s tremendous thought behind how the story will move forward, and that relies heavily on the song or the instrumental playing in the background. In this instant, Hope Tala’s “Tiptoeing” feels tailor-made for Ravi and Asha. The lyrics paint the light, hesitations, and fears so gorgeously in their relationship, giving us more insight into how they must feel inside without the spoken words to tell us. It’s one of the sweetest montages, but it’s also intrinsically meaningful. The film does plenty in showcasing South Asian customs through an intimate lens, so it wouldn’t even surprise me if there were bigger details in the montage that I’m not noticing. All I know is that it’s been two years, and Netflix’s Wedding Season still stands as a comfort move, with this montage being the one to top all. It feels raw, vulnerable, and so indescribably joyful that words simply don’t suffice. 

What are your thoughts on the montage in Netflix’s Wedding Season? Let us know in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Netflix