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By: tiffreviews
Variety.com - Chipping away at the Indian institution of arranged marriage one feature at a time, Deepa Mehta brings her latest taboo-challenging critique home to Canada with “Heaven on Earth,” in which a beauty leaves Punjab for better opportunities abroad, only to end up shackled to an abusive husband and his unsympathetic family. Working from the testimony of true survivors, Mehta rejects notions of domestic discretion to unveil patterns of subservience and shame. But don’t expect fans keen on her exotic overseas portraits to feel the same way about a candid First World expose, suggesting limited prospects for the primarily Punjabi-language pic.
“Heaven on Earth” opens with the vibrant imagery auds have come to expect from Mehta and longtime d.p. Giles Nuttgens, as friends and relatives throw a colorful bridal shower for Chand (Bollywood star Preity Zinta), who travels from India to Toronto to meet husband-to-be Rocky (newcomer Vansh Bhardwaj). For Chand, this new world feels grim and disorienting, with Nuttgens’ handheld camerawork reflecting her mental state.
Almost instantly, warning signs arise that the marriage is not an equitable one. Her new mother-in-law (Balinder Johal) senses competition for her son’s affections, wedging herself between them. When Chand objects, Rocky slaps her, triggering a cycle of abuse that escalates as the story progresses… [Full Story]
