The narrative of "Desi Dulhan" centers around traditional Indian settings, often exploring themes of newlywed life (implied by the title "Dulhan" meaning "Bride").
Episode 5 introduces a long-distance romance. The groom is stuck in Canada due to visa issues. Using VR headsets and a drone, the Desi Dulhan -2023- NeonX Original shows a bride putting the varmala (garland) onto a drone that flies up to a screen showing the groom's face. It sounds gimmicky, but the emotional weight of the scene—a woman marrying a hologram during a pandemic—struck a chord with audiences who survived COVID-separated weddings. Desi Dulhan -2023- NeonX Original
However, the series is not without its narrative flaws. The 2023 season, consisting of eight episodes, occasionally suffers from pacing issues. The middle episodes tend to rely heavily on montages of the bride staring blankly into mirrors, which, while aesthetically powerful, become repetitive. Additionally, the portrayal of the groom oscillates uneasily between a complicit bystander and a victim of his own upbringing; the script fails to fully commit to either path, leaving his character somewhat underwritten. Some critics have also noted that while the show brilliantly diagnoses the illness of the saas-bahu (mother-in-law/daughter-in-law) dynamic, its final resolution—a quiet act of rebellion rather than a dramatic escape—may feel subdued for audiences accustomed to explosive climaxes. The narrative of "Desi Dulhan" centers around traditional
) navigating the complexities of a traditional joint family household. Using VR headsets and a drone, the Desi