Jashandeep Singh
Created by Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, ‘Made in Heaven’ is an Indian romantic drama series known for its captivating storyline and diverse character portrayal. First premiered on Amazon Prime Video in 2019, it is set against the backdrop of big-fat Indian weddings and follows the lives of two wedding planners in Delhi, India – Tara Khanna (Sobhita Dhulipala) and Karan Mehra (Arjun Mathur) – as they navigate the complexities of arranging extravagant weddings while dealing with their own personal struggles.
While Tara goes through an unhappy marriage with her industrialist husband, Adil (Jim Sarbh), Karan is a gay man who faces societal challenges due to his sexuality. During the course of two seasons, ‘Made in Heaven’ has formed a connection with the audience due to its ability to showcase the hidden layers of society by means of visual splendor. The multidimensional characters, their authentic portrayal, and the thought-provoking themes make the series pretty relatable and one can’t help but wonder if it is based on any true story.
Made in Heaven: A Fictional Tale Based on Wedding Culture
‘Made in Heaven’ is a product of the imagination of creators Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, as well as co-writer Alankrita Shrivastava. The creators revealed that they got the idea for the show while having a conversation with a friend who works in the wedding planning business. “Zoya and I came up with it [the idea], the first germ of the idea came from Zoya talking to a friend of hers who works in the business,” disclosed Kagti in an interview with The Statesman.
“And just the world [of weddings] is beautiful. You know, it’s like behind the scenes of a circus, or a theater, or the film industry; or it’s just behind the scenes of something grand and magical,” added Akhtar. The two then started penning the script and eventually, Alankrita Shrivastava came on board as a co-writer. Meanwhile, the creators also attended a considerable number of weddings to get the script right. “[We attended] one too many [weddings]. We lucked out as two of our friends got married in Delhi. The weddings had two events every day — it was manna from heaven. So, we spent three weeks there,” Akhtar said in an interview with Mid-Day.
Despite being a work of fiction, the themes represented in ‘Made in Heaven’ are very much rooted in reality. Each episode of the series subtly addresses major issues prevailing in the society. From class division to gender inequality and from issues in the lives of people from the LGBTQ+ community to societal taboos, the series covers it all through the lens of opulent weddings. At its core, the show delves into the contrasts between appearances and reality, often exposing the double standards prevalent in modern society.
Furthermore, the complexity of the show’s narrative allows for an examination of relationships in all their intricacies — be it romantic, familial, or professional. It blends Indian traditions with contemporary trends and features complex characters with conflicting personalities, which makes up for a captivating story. Akhtar also opened up about the portrayal of conflicts in the show and revealed that she was inspired by the dynamics of her own family and friends. “We interviewed people and attended the events. The conflicts depicted in the show were [inspired by incidents] that have happened to friends and family,” the co-creator and director told Mid-Day.
Akhtar further added, “The instances are drawn from real life, from what we read in newspapers. But the nuances — like the characterization, the things people spent money on, or how they live — came from that experience.” So while ‘Made in Heaven’ is not based on any real story, the creators have taken inspiration from the experiences, life events, and family dynamics of their own lives and that of several others to weave a nuanced narrative centered around the dualities and hypocrisies of the contemporary society that resonates strongly with the audience.
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