When I got married, I only spent about sixty thousand rupees in total: Karan Gulianii

MUMBAI: According to statistics, there will be around 48 lakh marriages in India in the next 60 days, and director Karan Gulianii, who is known for projects like Amrinder Gill, Ranjit Bawa-starrer Sarvann, which was produced under Priyanka Chopra’s banner, and Amritsar Chandigarh Amritsar, starring Gippy Grewal and Sargun Mehta, feels it's great news. He, however, mentioned that people do take the extra mile when preparing for weddings and feel that it should be a close-knit affair.

He said, “If 4.8 million people are gaining some benefit or advantage in the next 60 days, that’s really positive. It means people are finding love and happiness in their lives, which is wonderful. Plus, it’s beneficial for the economy and the market too. Overall, it’s definitely good news."

Sharing his views on the extravagant celebrity marriages, Karan stressed that each person has their own approach.

He said, “Some celebrities and wealthy people spend a lot on their weddings, and middle-class people often follow their lead. They want to keep up with what’s trendy in the market, even if it means stretching their budget. I feel middle-class families often feel pressured to match the lifestyle of the wealthy, and this can add a lot of stress.”

“When I got married, I only spent about sixty thousand rupees in total. My wedding attire cost around Rs 35,000, and my partner’s outfit was about Rs 10,000. The remaining fifteen thousand went to other basic expenses.

Unfortunately, my marriage didn’t last, but even so, I don’t believe in spending heavily on weddings,” he added.

He feels marriage is a personal affair that should involve only close family members. “After all, a wedding is not just about two individuals; it’s about two families coming together. While spending on weddings is good for the market and the economy, I don’t personally support spending large amounts on them,” he said.

Karan also pointed out that earlier the weddings were simple yet fun. Sharing a childhood memory, he said, “I remember that when I was a child, attending my cousins’ weddings was special. Those weddings used to last six or seven days, and it was all just close and extended family members. Everyone would gather at home, and for the Sangeet, people would play the dholak themselves and sing together. That enjoyment and togetherness were really special.”

“Nowadays, that simple joy seems to have faded, taken over by professional artists. Music is still there, and people enjoy it, but that sense of playing the dholak yourself, singing, and dancing along with family is mostly gone. I believe that old culture was beautiful,” he added.

He feels now it’s more like a competition about how much one is ready to spend. “Weddings have become a game of outspending each other. Instead of being a celebration of love with close family, it has turned into a display of wealth. Sadly, the focus has shifted away from love, which is what marriage should be about,” he said.”