New Delhi, July 29 . Pride and Prejudice, the 2005 film adaptation of Jane Austen’s timeless 1813 novel, returned to theatres on July 25, nearly two decades after its original release, much to the delight of its devoted fans.
When the news of its re-release was announced to Indian fans, they flocked to theatres to relive the quiet romance of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy on the big screen. Social media buzzed with excitement, with people demonstrating their love for the movie through early bookings.
A fan commented on a post on Instagram: “I’ve watched the movie three times already and read the book as well, but that isn’t stopping me from watching it in theatres. Cannot believe that it’s really coming. Who thought there were still good taste left in the world?”
On the day of the release, people dressed in their best made way to their seats with a wide smile etched on their faces. For a while, the cinematic nostalgia lived up to their expectations, until the final moments rolled in.
As the credits began to roll, an understood confusion set in among the audience. For a moment, no body was a stranger to another person. A key scene: the tender, final moment shared between the two protagonists under the moonlight was missing. Audiences sat through the credits; hopeful that the scene might appear any moment. But it never did.
“Almost half the audience sat through the credit parts, waiting for that scene,” said one viewer after the Delhi screening. “It’s what we were all waiting for. It’s how we wanted the story to end.”
Speculation quickly followed. Some viewers wondered whether the omission was intentional; perhaps a subtle pushback from the censor boards or part of the wider campaign to reduce the display of intimate scenes in public?
But as soon film enthusiasts and critics pointed out, the reason was likely more mundane, albeit still disappointing. The version that played in Indian theatres was the Bitish cut of Pride and Prejudice, which ends with Mr. Bennet’s approval of Elizabeth’s marriage, a fitting conclusion but one that lacks the romantic closure most of the viewers remembered.
The famous final moment shared between the two protagonists under the moonlight was actually part of the American release, added after test audiences reportedly wanted a more emotionally satisying ending. The scene, set at Pemberley, with Elizabeth and Darcy whispering under the stars was never included in the British version.
Theatres, however, could have opted for the American version, considering it’s the more accepted version among the audiences, but why they didn’t do it remains unclear.
Audiences left the theatres a little hazed and wistful. The experience, while still rich in beauty and everything synonymous felt unfinished.
. SQ PRS
