WHAT'S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?

UK, 2022, 108 minutes, Colour.

Lily James, Shazad Latif, Emma Thompson, Shabana Azmi, Mariam Haque, Oliver Chris, Alice Orr-Ewing, Nosheen Phoenix, Asim Chaudhry.

Directed by Shekhar Kapur.

In 1993, Tina Turner had the answer to this title of her song – Love is a second-hand emotion. It all connected with the drama of the turbulent marriage of Tina and Ike Turner.

30 years on, this is a title of a British romantic comedy – and the answer, of course, is that love has everything to do with it.

This is a very contemporary British film, focusing on Anglo families as well as families from the Asian subcontinent, particularly here from Pakistan, bringing culture and traditions, ceremonies, clothes, food, and arranged marriages. Or, as the screenplay mentions, “assisted marriages” (although Zoe, Lily James, filmmaker, asked whether this means that it is like “assisted suicide”).

Speaking of Pakistan and Britain, the screenplay is the first by British producer, Jemima Khan, a member of the prominent Goldsmith family who, in 1995, married world-celebrated cricketer, Imran Khan, later to be Prime Minister of Pakistan. They divorced in the early 2000s. So, when it comes to marriages, arranged and otherwise, and Pakistani traditions transplanted to Britain, she does know what she is talking about.

But, noting that she retains the name of Carmen, not going back to Goldsmith, she is very sympathetic to Pakistani traditions. In fact, in the screenplay, the migrant family and the Anglo family live next door, close friends over the decades, in and out of each other’s houses, and their children, Zoe and Kazim, Shazam Latif, who share the backyard treehouse.

Kazim is a doctor and decides that he is not against an arranged marriage, wants one, consults Mo the Matchmaker, looks at photos, goes to meetings where couples are invited to encounter each other, and some questions, as well as family intervening, and Skype conversations between London and Lahore. Zoe, a great believer in personal freedom, even though it leads her to make many mistakes, is desperately making a pitch to producers to make a documentary. Brainwave, follow Kazim and his quest, engagement, marriage ceremony, interviews or around. And, this she does.

So, in the context of British and Pakistani arranged marriages, the audience is invited to ask what love has to do with it. (No spoiler to guess the ending, signalled well in advance.)

Lots of colour, lots of special clothes, lots of food, rituals and ceremonies, and Zoe’s film. Which means that Zoe has a lot of time to observe Kazim, the family, the traditions, and question herself, brief relationships, and pressure from her mother. And, mother is played in her most exuberant outbursts, clothes and dancing by Emma Thompson.

There are amusing situations – but Jemima Khan has an ear for amusing language plays on words. Zoe pictures her documentary as “Love Contractually”. And there are fatal notes about air travel, to final destinations, departures, terminals… And, with frequent references to familiar fairy tale heroines, Cinderella, career-focused, looks at the glass ceiling rather than for the glass slipper!

Britain has been multicultural, inter-cultural, for decades, carrying the baggage of Empire and colonial dominance – but, here in the 2020s, it is obviously a time for re-think, that love rather than traditions has got to do with it.

1. The title and expectations? British romantic comedy? Love having everything to do with it? Tina Turner’s song – Love is a second-hand emotion?
2. The British tone of the film, characters, situations, traditions, styles, humour, verbal humour and irony? Traditional British? Pakistani British – and developing over the decades? Pakistani traditions in Pakistan? The screenplay by Jemima Khan – and her personal experiences?
3. The light touch with the romantic comedy, the serious underlying themes with arranged, “assisted” marriages? The reality of love, arranged love, falling in love? Love breaking through all kinds of cultural and religious backgrounds?
4. Kazim’s story, born in London, growing up in his Pakistani household, next door to Zoe and her family, the treehouse refuge, Zoe and Kazim as childhood friends, no element of romance? His being a successful doctor? His views on arranged marriages? His decision to marry, comfortable with the idea? Going to Mo the matchmaker, the humorous questions and interrogation, going to the meeting, the groups of Pakistani British men and women, conversations, questions? Parents’ interventions? The Skype conversation with Pakistan? His decision? Audiences reaction to his decision?
5. Zoe, her life, filmmaking, the sequence with the producers, their flip remarks, money-orientation, commenting on her work? The issue of the arranged marriage? They’re agreeing? Zoe and her enthusiasm, proposing the idea to Kazim, his acceptance?
6. Zoe, her mother, Emma Thompson’s exuberant performance, always in next door, the Pakistani clothes and their colour, food, meals, companionship and friendship? Her mother intervening in Zoe’s life, suggesting men, the importance of Mark, the fact, the dog, going to the vet, the tempting the setup, Mark’s approach, her rejection, later, with the wedding, beginning the affair, liking but not loving, Mark and his devotion, his work with the dog? The screening of the film, and so in breaking off the relationship?
7. The importance of Kazim’s parents, Pakistani and British, religious traditions, is alarmed, food, customs, prayer? The story of their arranged marriage, falling in love, their life together? Influence on their son? The rejection of their daughter and her marriage?
8. Maymouona, on the Skype interview, demure, reticent? Kazim meeting her in Lahore? Her continued reticence, her parents and their influence, the parents negotiating with Kazim’s parents? The ceremonies, the rituals, audiences enjoying these rituals and colour?
9. The flight to Pakistan, Zoe and Kazim and their conversation? Zoe and the continued filming, interviewing, the ceremonies?
10. Zoe and her mother in Pakistan, Zoe, the conversations with Kazim, questioning him? His reactions? The ceremonies, her mother’s exuberance entry into the dancing, the wrong moves and being drawn away, laughing? Zoe filming?
11. Kazim and his meeting with Maymouna, the dancing, her letting loose, the gay friend and the commentary, the joke about being literally stoned when being stoned for homosexuality? The relation to the audience about Maymouna? The different personality? Ambitions, study, the law?
12. The ceremony itself, the rituals?
13. After the ceremony, the return to London, Zoe and her relationship with Mark? Her mother intervening? Her talking frankly to her mother?
14. Kazim, the relationship with his wife, her background, lacking in love? The truth? The statement enabling divorce?
15. The screening of the film, the varied reactions, Kazim’s mother and her antipathy, Maymouna liking it, Kazim and his reaction? Zoe not wanting to watch the film, staying outside? The importance of the inclusion of the conversation between Kazim’s sister, marrying outside the Pakistani tradition? And the continual presence of the grandmother and her criticisms?
16. The sister and her husband, the baby, bringing it to Kazim’s family, their change of heart because of the baby?
17. The treehouse, Kazim and Zoe, the final realisation that love has everything to do with it?