Choosing to live by faith in a faithless world
While the idea of an arranged marriage sounds backward and outdated in the modern world, the movie ‘Arranged’ shows that you can be equally happy in an arranged marriage as you could be in a love marriage. The movie explores the lives of two women in the United States, one Muslim and one Jewish, who struggle to keep their religious identity alive while advancing in their professional fields.
The movie explores the friendship of the two women, belonging to different faiths, yet sharing the common bond of humanity and belief in modesty. It addresses misconceptions of people who think that Jews and Muslims cannot be friends. It also illustrates the struggle religious women have to go through in their workplaces when they are told by their supervisors not to dress a certain way and try to fit in with the rest of the staff.
Interestingly, the movie does not succumb to stereotypes by treating the Muslim father as some grumpy old man on a constant rant while being abusive to his daughter. In fact, the Muslim father is shown as someone extremely loving and caring, who occasionally kisses his daughter on the forehead and assures her that he will only marry her to someone who will keep her happy. She ultimately ends up marrying a well-qualified handsome young man.
The Jewish woman on the other hand is made to go through a series of dates selected by her match-making aunty. But none of the dates prove to be decent enough to marry. Her Muslim friend then tries to help her by pairing her with her brother’s Jewish friend. In the end, all turns well.
For a change, if you forgot that movies can really be filth-free for real, it’s time to remember that again. There is innocence in the movie, depicted remarkably by the originality of the characters. If you are tired of watching TV for a while, try your hands at this one. You would become a believer again.
