What’s Love Got to Do with It? is a 2022 British romantic comedy film directed by Shekhar Kapur. The film follows Zoe (Lily James), a documentary filmmaker living in London, and her childhood friend Kazim (Shazad Latif), a British-Pakistani doctor.
The film begins with Kazim announcing to Zoe that he has decided to have an arranged or “assisted” marriage. Zoe is surprised by this decision as Kazim does not seem to be the type to go for an arranged marriage. Intrigued, Zoe decides to make a documentary film chronicling Kazim’s journey to find a wife through the arranged marriage system.
1. Kazim’s Assisted Marriage Process
As Zoe documents Kazim’s process, we see him meet with a matchmaker who sets strict criteria for the type of bride Kazim’s parents want – someone who is educated but not too outgoing or opinionated. Kazim also attends an arranged marriage mixer where he speeds dates several prospects.
Finally, the matchmaker introduces Kazim to Maymouna, a shy and soft-spoken law student from Pakistan. Although they don’t have much chemistry, Kazim decides she meets his parent’s expectations and agrees to marry her. Throughout this process, Zoe questions Kazim’s decision to go through with an arranged marriage.
A romantic at heart, Zoe doesn’t understand why Kazim would marry someone he doesn’t love. She tries to convince him that love and attraction should be the foundation of any marriage. However, Kazim believes arranged marriages have merit – they are practical partnerships with a low divorce rate.
2. Wedding Festivities in Lahore
When Kazim travels to Pakistan to wed Maymouna, Zoe and her mother Cath tag along to film the wedding festivities. In Lahore, there are elaborate pre-wedding celebrations featuring music, dance, and traditional clothing.
Behind the scenes, however, there are family tensions. Kazim’s parents disowned his sister Jamila for marrying outside their faith several years ago. Kazim grapples with following tradition versus choosing his own path.
During the celebrations, Zoe also confronts her own views on love and relationships. She enjoys a flirtation with Kazim’s brother Adeel. And she realizes that her judgment of arranged marriages means she has dismissed parts of Kazim’s cultural identity.
3. The Ending – What Happens After the Wedding?
After the wedding, Kazim returns to London with his new wife Maymouna. However, on their wedding night, Maymouna admits the truth to Kazim – she only married him because of pressure from her parents. She was already in love with another man she could not marry. A disillusioned Kazim realizes he cannot stay in a loveless marriage either.
Soon after, Kazim and Maymouna divorce. Zoe finishes her documentary, but Kazim’s family react angrily to it, feeling humiliated. In the final scene, Zoe and Kazim reconcile. Kazim asks Zoe to meet, and they acknowledge their feelings for each other.
There is a suggestion they might begin a romance together now that they both better understand love and relationships. In the end, neither an arranged marriage nor a love marriage guarantees lifelong partnership.
But for Zoe and Kazim, their journey leads them to learn more about relationships, their cultural identities, and what they truly want in a partner. Their views on love and marriage transformed, they come together with new understanding and appreciation for each other.
Also Read: ‘Breaking’ (2022) Ending Explained
So in summary, What’s Love Got to Do With It? has a thoughtful ending that sees its central characters evolve in their attitudes towards love while finding their way to one another. Let me know if you would like me to expand on any part of this plot summary and analysis.
