London, 18 February 2023 (GNP): Jemima Khan, the writer of ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It?’ stated when asked about her thoughts on rom-com: “I’m devastated by romantic comedies, I feel like they have destroyed my whole life and that includes the lives of all my friends.”
Jemima Khan continued by explaining how she came up with the concept for the script: “It began with an idea I had ten years ago when I returned to London from Pakistan at the age of thirty. After witnessing numerous happy arranged marriages in the conservative extended family of my ex-husband (former premier Imran Khan), I gave marriage a lot of thought. Only our marriage was not prearranged.”
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The writer further added: “At that time, I had a lot of friends who wanted to settle down and have children but were finding the process quite difficult. So, it really started from there. I would go up to them and say, ‘Okay, so who would your parents choose for you? And if that doesn’t work out, let me set up your marriage for you’. This also got me thinking, ‘What if I hadn’t gone to Pakistan at the age of 21 and instead had an arranged wedding?’ How would I even get to the point of accepting this? How many heartaches or frogs would I have to kiss to get to the point, where I would tell my parents that I’ve messed up and it’s their time to shine now?”
Jemima elaborated on how staged set-ups are not counterrevolutionary when the host wondered if the movie promotes ‘a backward institution’. Furthermore, according to Jemima, forced marriages have no place in the modern world.
She stated: “Well, I think there is a huge difference between forced marriages and assisted ones. There is no place for the first one in the modern world. Whereas you can call anything an assisted marriage.
It’s everywhere around us, it’s basically a set-up by the ones who hold you dear and know you the best.
It’s not that far different from your friend setting you up with someone or a dating application. It’s just a different style of courtship, helping you meet the right person.”
Watch the interview below!
