Written and directed by Ramone Menon, a cursed bridesmaid is forced to track down and marry her soulmate to escape the wrath of a malevolent demon known as The Manglik. Starring: Misha Molani, Patrick Rutnam, Lexa Gluck, Anna Chavez and Raoul Menon.

Ramone Menon kicks things off on strong footing with a fantastic use of colour and a classic horror style opening. It makes a brilliant first impression, it’s got great style and it holds a sincere confidence. There’s a well-done balance between comedy and horror, it’s hitting fun notes throughout which make the most of the absurd superstition. It does help that it is based in reality, it adds an extra layer of humour and takes aim at outdated aspects of Indian folklore, while never feeling like it’s being derisive.

Initially that’s a great basis for the story, it’s a high energy with a nice amount of risk and impending danger. However, the way that it handles its lead character takes away some of its potential. Asha’s (Misha Molani) persona is captivating, she’s determined, clever and strong but how they treat her romantic side, knocks down her sympathy. Leading the story to end on a weaker note, not living up to the bigger personality the story had built up until then. Part of that problem is that the progression can feel rushed, it’s constantly skipping ahead rather than containing itself more to give scenes additional time to land and connect.

However, the performances are strong throughout, while the writing of Asha’s arc has its weaknesses, Molani’s performance is nicely consistent. She’s throwing in a lot of energy, she’s pushing heightened emotions and there’s a scrappy quality to her which comes out as time goes on. Patrick Rutnam portrays a very relatable response to the situation, he’s not taking the superstitions seriously and is mostly disturbed by Asha’s erratic behaviour. He provides a good way to keep one foot on the ground rather than diving headfirst into supernatural territory. The way that the two of them interact is almost reminiscent of reality TV, it’s a classic moment of drama which plays nicely with the film’s slightly chaotic atmosphere.

My Scary Indian Wedding is a stylish, colourful and vivacious mix of comedy and horror. It has a lot of personality and confidence in its style. The story is a little bit mixed and doesn’t end on a resounding note but it’s still a great foundation and entertaining to watch unfold. It can feel rushed at times but it’s supported by really enjoyable performances. Its main highlight is that all throughout it has a clear sense of fun and making a piece of film that’s a good time, which it definitely achieves.

Verdict: ✯✯✯✯ | 8/10