Lalita vs Elizabeth: A Postcolonial Comparison of Chadha's film Bride and Prejudice and Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice

Abstract Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813) remains a cornerstone of English literature and has inspired numerous adaptations across media and cultures. Among these, Gurinder Chadha’s Bride and Prejudice (2004) offers a unique postcolonial reinterpretation of Austen’s classic through a South Asian lens. Chadha, a British filmmaker of Indian descent, relocates the story to contemporary India, blending Indian traditions, music, and family dynamics with Austen’s original themes. This paper presents a comparative study of the characters Elizabeth Bennet and Lalita Bakshi, examining how cultural, social, and ideological elements are adapted, negotiated, and sometimes contested in the process. It explores how Chadha’s cinematic choices reflect postcolonial concerns of identity, hybridity, and globalization, while simultaneously celebrating Indian cultural vibrancy. Through this comparison, the paper highlights the convergences and conflicts between Austen’s portrayal of 19th-century English society and Chadha’s reimagining of it in a modern, multicultural world. Keywords: Jane Austen, Gurinder Chadha, Pride and Prejudice, Bride and Prejudice, Postcolonial Adaptation, Comparative Study, Cultural Identity