Write a short summary of what happens in the film.

The film highlights conversations between three couples who are about to get married. Instead of how their home is going to look or planning the wedding, these intimate chats go to a deeper level of what the ‘marriage’ itself, beyond the wedding will entail for both.  With each couple, the film unpacks brave, progressive conversation that many are too shy or scared to have. There’s a conversation about adoption. One about mental health. Another about a young male professional who wants to give up his well-paying job to bootstrap his own start-up. From the perspective of a largely conservative Indian society, all three conversations are uncomfortable and difficult. The film, however, tries to normalise the inherent discomfort of these topics by keeping the conversations real and authentic.  At its core the film highlights a subtle, but critical, difference: couples need to have the ‘marriage conversation’ before the wedding, not after.

Cultural / Context information for the jury

In India, the big fat wedding overshadows all else, with little time or space for even the couple to talk about what awaits them after. However, this day is just a small part of a very important journey - marriage.  Not surprisingly, with all the focus on the wedding itself, there are often unpleasant ‘surprises’ in store for both once the marriage begins, irrespective of whether it is an ‘arranged marriage’ or a ‘love marriage’. This film, which released just before the traditional ‘wedding season’ in India, challenges this practice by portraying candid, straight-from-the-heart style pre-nuptial chats between three different couples about topics that are typically taboo in the country – mental health, adoption, and a man not being the breadwinner, going against the norms of patriarchy - to emphasise the criticality of having the hard ‘marriage conversations’ before the wedding. 

Provide the full film script in English.

Tanishq – Conversations Before Marriage 1st Couple – adoption – kitchen – morning 2nd Couple – job – café – open 3rd Couple – depression – car – night ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st Couple seated in the kitchen. The female says, “Yeh lo..” (Have this) Man, “Thanks..” and walks away.. sits down takes a sip and says, ‘Acha (So).. you wanted to talk about something??” Cut to 2nd Couple sitting in a café. The man says, “6 months to go… Shaadi karne ja rahe hai… (We are going to get married)” We see 3rd couple inside a car. The woman speaks, “Finally we are going to start living together” Man in café - Aur main koi bhi baat mann mein nahi rakhna chahhta.” (And I do not wish to keep anything inside my heart) Woman in kitchen as she sits down on table- “We keep talking about the wedding… and you know that I was adopted right...” Car – woman – “My lows… they can get really low/bad.. I just..” Man in café - “Tumhe apni job se jitna pyaar karti ho… utna hi I hate mine yaaar!” (The way you love your job… that much I hate mine) Kitchen - The woman sifts uncomfortably and sips her cup of tea. “It’s a big part of what’s made me, me. Aur mujhe itna pata hai ki aage jaakar mujhe bhi adopt kar na hai… (And I know that in furture I want to adopt a kid)’’ Café - The man continues, Mujhe bahut time se apna kuch start karna hai.” (From a long time I want to start something of my own) Cut to car - woman looks out of the window and says, “This depression.” Her partner says, “Renu...” and lingers... allowing her to open up… She cuts him mid-sentence and continues, “You don’t know about the days we didn’t meet. Woh sirf main jaanti hu. (Only I am aware of it)” Cut to couple two in the cafe. - The man continues talking, “Kuch salon tak main financially stable rahunga ya nahin, I have no idea. Kya pata ghar pe baithna padh jaaye.. (For a few years I may not be financially stable, I have no idea. For all you know, I may be jobless for while and be sitting at home) And I want to know how you feel about this....” Kitchen. The woman sifts and sips her tea. ”I would like us to adopt… And I don’t know if you would be ok with it…” Car - The woman continues. “Being by my side will be hard for you sometimes. Will you be able to live with it?” Cut to her partner saying, “I won’t live with it… We will live with it. Together.” We his wife smile reassuringly and almost tear up. Café, woman says teasingly, “Hmm.. sochna padega….” (I will have to think) \ Man - “C’mon yaar...Kabhi toh serious bano..” (C’mon… be serious a few times atleast) Don’t worry we’ll figure it out. <she then says cheekily> Kitchen - man says, “Adoption… I think …. it’s beautiful.” Look marriage aasan nahi hogi..(Marriage won’t be easy) for many other reasons…. As long as hum apna koi bhi jhagda unresolved chhod kar na soyein, we’ll be okay. (As long as we do not keep any of our conflicts unresolved before we go to sleep, we’ll be okay)” She says, “Ab tak (Until now) I was just waiting for the wedding, but now I’m waiting to begin our forever.’ Cut to a montage of tender moments between the couples. SUPER: This wedding season, let’s also talk about the marriage. TANISHQ