Monsoon Wedding, colorful and profound

Monsoon Wedding had my attention in the first shot with a vivid view of orange petals falling on the upturned face of Aditi’s father, and I remained interested in the characters’ relationships and the colorful shots throughout the film.
What I possibly appreciated most was the number of characters who were important and revealed a certain depth of their vulnerability, rather than a singular focus on the young woman getting married and her troubles. One character in particular, the event planner for the wedding, was an argumentative man who was initially irritating (but occasionally humorous). His character was developed beyond this first impression, and I saw his insecurities and the loneliness he felt at home with a complaining mother who “may never see the face of a grandson.” When he began falling in love with Alice, the rough exterior began to disappear and it was replaced by a man clumsily trying to flirt with a pretty woman. This was a surprising glimpse into the life of a character I expected to remain a minor one, but we were even invited into his run-down home where he returns after work.
Other areas of the movie were troubling and emotional, such as when Ria confronts her past and the father struggles knowing that his girls have not always felt safe and happy. And, of course, Aditi deals with a past relationship and accepting this new one which has been arranged by the parents of her and her fiancé. Unlike other movies with one conflict that is easily resolved, this film spoke to numerous realities that complicate the lives of family members. One moment people might be laughing together and in another they may feel at a loss, but the problems of each individual is important because it affects the others. It would have been shallow for this film to claim that once Aditi's relationships were straightened out, the wedding would be problem-free. A wedding is not just for the bride and groom (which would be much simpler), but it is an important, and even stressful, day for each member of the family.
I can’t think of another movie I’ve seen in which so many subplots occur, involving nearly every character the audience is introduced to. I expected Aditi to be the main character, but I slowly realized that there were at least five or six characters with significant stories. There were a few points in the film when I was afraid the plot was wrapping up to end, and luckily it didn’t end until the big wedding celebration was underway because I wanted to see all of the plots resolve.