Forget Materialists, I’ll tell the reality of Marriages, whether in INDIA, US, EU, Mid-East. Take this example. Twenty-Seven years back, one of my Friend in my school days in India, whose entire Family were of Doctors (parents, sisters, cousins all were Doctors), he came to me one late evening and told that, as his printer isn’t working, he urgently needs printout of his Sister’s CV. I asked him, she herself is a gold medallist practicing Doctor, why would she require CV! So, my friend told me, no, it’s her Marriage CV! I didn’t understand that time what even that meant. Marriage CV? My Parents being very Liberal, albeit my Mom died in ’99 and then later my Dad, BUT, they were the True Liberals’. Honestly, you would’ve academically known what Liberalism is if you had met my father back then! Maybe due to my grandfather, uncles were all into Academia also! Again, coming back to the topic, so I prepared Marriage CV for my Friend’s Doctor Sister. In that, I included from each Schooling Year to Institute to Dropout Year (if any, and the reason for the same), how many houses they had, bank account balance, height, weight etc.. The same I saw in the CV of the prospective groom also he was carrying. When in the movie I witnessed in this particular scene where a Woman is weeping that she doesn’t want to Marry, YET, she has to, as her Father has already spent thousands of dollars; it was understandable! A Father may go bankrupt, BUT, spending in the marriage with Dowry is Important! And the Groom hunts for different women as someone had told him that showing/staying with many women is basically a Fashion! Moving on, I prepared the CV and handed over to him!
Now, let’s go back in time in INDIA. Basically, since 1945, it was told that one who Fails to earn in Dollars would be either buried alone, or maybe, alive, after the Independence, and amidst the tussle b/w Capitalism / Communism. The Left in India, as they had access to Institutes like Oxford, Berkley etc. and due to their Left Leaning ideology, somehow in the Media told that Academia is Abroad only, and nowhere else, and honestly, which was true to some extent, along with Money! Thus -> Buy, Lie, Beg, Marry a Foreigner, or, Whatever, BUT-> GO OUTSIDE, LIFE IS PEACEFUL THERE! GO ABROAD, IN THE OPEN AIR! GO WEST OR EAST, WHERE THE SKIES ARE BLUE! GO ANYWHERE, THAT IS WHAT WE’RE GONNA DO!
So, it became a trend that one who can go Abroad, would get Validation of Success, which was used by the ‘Families’ then for Mutual Marriage Deals! Now, the DATA in the Marriage CVs were not restricted to India only, but, became expansive!
Then 9/11 happened, and not only US, but the World needed Labourers’ in the War period! And just alike China feels proud of their sweat shops and working people abroad; India too also felt proud of their alma-maters earning in better currencies which Indian Media validated! So either go Full Vernacular Mode at State Level, OR, Buy, Beg, Lie, Sell, Marry a Foreigner to Settle anywhere! This brought a Chaos! Now cracking the VISA became the ultimate agenda! At the age of 6, the kids being sent to Coaching Centres as their Parents wanted them to crack competitive exam, crack VISA, crack everything in between, as, again, those who failed to earn in dollars shalt die alone or be buried alive since ‘45!
As I wrote earlier, the Demand of the Marriage CV is not restricted to Indian Rupee or Institute, BUT, in which Country they are living! In which Currency they are earning! From North to South to East to West, it became an Obsession. From Villages, to, Tier 2-3 Cities, this obsession spread like epidemic! And those who couldn’t go, started looking for Government Positions / Activism / Politics / Journalism / For Equal Rights, as, that was the second-best option to get a Good Deal in the Marriage CV, OR, to earn in Higher Currency, OR, An Award!
Parents of a Groom would do anything as they would Reimburse the amount Spent -> VIA Dowry; Wherein, the Father of the Bride would beg borrow! Why? Because Marriage is important! Whereas, Parents of Bride would seek an Equal Match as they want 50%-50% share in the Family’s Expenditures. This expanded purview of Marriage CVs! Rate increased of the Son/Daughter who got into, let’s say to any US University. Then came any European University! And in this way the prices were decided, including in India! These men/women were earning great, so any White or Brown or Black -> Woman or Man, would marry them as they needed stable monthly income; while the former needed quick Permanent Residency or Citizenship! It kept becoming worse & worse everywhere, all over World! The tuition prices of the IVY LEAGUE skyrocketed, including that for the Americans! These Ivy League spread this Nonsense that 100% of their Alma-Maters are Refined, while the Truth Was, Is, and Would Always be for Eternity that whether in US, China, Europe or India, ONLY, 10%-15% of their Alma-Maters are Refined, while the Rest are Thoughtfully VAGABONDS! People in Villages would mortgage and sell everything to go Abroad. What you’re witnessing in CANADA, is a result of that only! From Village to Singing to Album to Canada!
Now, you’ve money, so you need KIDS, more KIDS, to Pass that Money onto them as Inheritance; probably a British and an Indian concept! No where Evolutionary Traits came into picture, because, Uncle SAM told the World, EARN EARN EARN IN DOLLARS! And China told the World -> RISE, RISE, RISE VIA 996 WORKING HOURS! And then came Silicon Valley’s Social Media baloney! Quick money, quick career, quick marriage! What happened in the END? THIRTY YEARS AND THE GLOBALIZATION COLLAPSED! Because now, everyone, is HUNGRY Career-Oriented Zealot!
What the movie showed is NOTHING! Rich men are always looking for Young Girls for Dating or Marriages! Rich Women are always looking for young/rich men for Dating or Marriages! In real life, Dakota’s Math wouldn’t have married even in thousand years to Chris’s Economic Balance Sheet! I can swear on Teletubbies & Bob The Tank Engine! Further, indeed, as said in the Movie, these Matrimonial Portals, Dating Sites, are basically & Truly PIMP! Sorry! And
If tomorrow I’ve a million dollar in my account, and if someone comes and ask me that he/she wants to get his daughter or son married and hence need money, then, in front of them, I’ll go to back account, withdraw million dollar in cash, and in front of them would -> Donate That Money To Penthouse & Playboy Mansion Without Even Visiting There-> As a Message! Period!
Now all said and done, a good weekend watch! 😊
© Pranav Chaturvedi