My Scary Indian Wedding
A cursed bridesmaid is forced to track down and marry her soulmate to escape the wrath of a malevolent demon called The Manglik.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Ramone Menon
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I wanted to make an Indian-themed horror film because when I was growing up, I would see some relatives and some relatives' friends who were women, who were forced into marrying a tree or marrying an inanimate object before their actual wedding. When I asked why this was happening, the answer was, that those women were considered a Manglik (a woman who is considered bad luck to her first husband and his family because they are born at a particular time and date astrologically). In order to get rid of this curse, the woman would have to marry an inanimate object first and then she could get married to her actual husband-to-be. Some women in India are not allowed to marry because they are considered a Manglik. This social stigma is something I believed would be great to explore in a horror movie hence I personified the manglik curse by using a demon that would follow the main character who happens to be Manglik, and force her to marry in order to rid herself of this curse.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
If you enjoy a scary night at the movies, this film is for you. It delivers the goods in terms of scares, demons and a terrible curse while blending it with Indian mythology, social stigma and a setting that should be a celebration but instead is turned into a nightmare.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Growing up in India made me realize how much my culture is biased against women, including at a time when they should be celebrating, which is a wedding. When I heard about the Manglik curse/social stigma, it was something I felt was dehumanizing to my relatives who were women and I felt that it should be exposed as a social stigma rather than this cultural pillar that everyone has accepted it as. The film deals with the theme that women have a time limit in order to get married as per society's rules due to the belief that their biological clock is counting down and I wanted to personify this in an entertaining genre film.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I wanted to make a film that took place at an Indian wedding, which would expose the hypocrisy and familial politics that usually tear families apart instead of bringing them together at what is supposed to be a joyous celebration. In order to be able to discuss these themes in an entertaining fashion - I decided to do it in a horror movie that would keep the audiences engrossed with the genre elements while exposing these underlying themes throughout the course of the story in an entertaining fashion. The film hints at many of these themes but doesn't delve into it deeper yet as I am going to be turning this into a feature film.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Audiences are enjoying the film for showing them a different type of horror film. It is scary to blend Indian mythology and culture with technology.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
The feedback shows that this type of film is appreciated and encourages me to push the envelope even further in terms of style, structure and cinematic language.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I just want the film to be seen by as wide an audience as possible so that they can become aware of the film itself and the themes discussed in it.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
I need producers and distributors to come on board so we can get the feature film made with the right budget and vision instead of a pared-down version. I need journalists to come on board so that they can get the word of the film out there so that more people become aware of it.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like audiences to be more curious about Indian culture, in the same way they are interested in Japanese, Chinese, Korean and European cultures. India has so many people around the world, yet the culture has not really come to the forefront the same way other cultures have. By making Indian culture accessible through different types of art, like genre cinema, it can become more relatable to audiences worldwide.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
The debate that will be sparked is why is there a social stigma against certain women in India who are born on a certain day and at a certain time. It is time to question the logic of looking at someone's astrological chart before agreeing to marry them.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I am currently working on the feature version of My Scary Indian Wedding and another horror film that has a curse in it. As you can tell, I love curse movies.
Interview: November 2023
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
My Scary Indian Wedding
A cursed bridesmaid is forced to track down and marry her soulmate to escape the wrath of a malevolent demon called The Manglik.
Length: 12:04
Director: Ramone Menon
Producer: Ramone Menon and Annalea Fiachi
Writer: Ramone Menon
About the writer, director and producer:
Born in Bangalore, India, RAMONE MENON is now based in Los Angeles and works primarily in the horror and thriller space. His previous works include award-winning films such as The Pey and Once Upon a Time in a Haunted House.
Key cast: Misha Molani (Asha), Patrick Rutnam (Vikram), Lexa Gluck (Mila), Anna Chavez (The Manglik), Raoul Menon (Matchmaker)
Looking for: producers, distributors
Instagram: @ramonemenon
Hashtags used: #MyScaryIndianWedding
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Another Hole in The Head Film Festival (Dec 2023) and Soho Horror Film Festival (Dec 2023)