The Wedding Filmer: Vishal Punjabi’s New Chapter in Queer Storytelling

In India’s wedding industry, certain names stand out for revolutionizing how we celebrate love on film. Vishal Punjabi, founder of The Wedding Filmer, is one of those rare storytellers who transformed wedding videography from standard documentation into cinematic art. After his team’s stunning work at the grand Ambani wedding—a spectacle that made headlines worldwide—Punjabi is now drawing attention for a different reason: his latest project celebrating queer love.

At a time when India’s social fabric is evolving and conversations around LGBTQ+ rights are finding more mainstream space, Punjabi’s decision to spotlight a same-sex wedding through his lens is both timely and powerful. Let’s explore how this project came to be, why it matters, and how The Wedding Filmer is once again setting benchmarks—not just for how weddings are filmed, but for what kinds of love stories deserve to be seen and celebrated.

From Bollywood to Bridal: A Legacy of Storytelling

For those unfamiliar, Vishal Punjabi’s journey is as cinematic as his films. An alumnus of Yash Raj Films, Punjabi honed his craft working on Bollywood blockbusters before founding The Wedding Filmer in 2010. His idea was deceptively simple but radical at the time: weddings deserved the same narrative depth and emotional power as the movies that inspired us.

Over the years, The Wedding Filmer has crafted wedding films that feel intimate yet grand, weaving moments into stories that couples watch for decades. The company’s signature style—poetic voiceovers, lush visuals, and soulful music—has inspired countless filmmakers across India and abroad.

When The Wedding Filmer was chosen to capture the Ambani family’s wedding festivities—arguably India’s biggest society wedding—the team’s meticulous work stood out amidst the grandeur. But what followed next shows Punjabi’s real vision: to shift the spotlight towards stories that haven’t always had a seat at India’s wedding table.

A New Lens: Why Queer Weddings Matter

After the Supreme Court’s landmark decision in 2018 to decriminalize homosexuality, India’s queer community has continued to fight for visibility, respect, and equal rights—including the right to marry. While same-sex marriages are still not legally recognized nationwide, many couples are forging their own paths, celebrating commitment in private ceremonies surrounded by family and friends who accept them.

Vishal Punjabi’s latest film focuses on one such couple. For The Wedding Filmer, this wasn’t just about adding a “first queer wedding” to its portfolio. It was about normalizing queer love stories and giving them the same treatment as any other grand Indian wedding.

In a society where wedding films often showcase heteronormative rituals and gendered expectations, this project breaks stereotypes. It shows that love—regardless of gender—is just as worthy of stunning visuals, tearful parent speeches, slow-motion first dances, and drone shots of floral mandaps.

Beyond Representation: Building Empathy Through Film

Punjabi believes that films have the power to shape how we see each other. The Wedding Filmer’s queer wedding project isn’t simply a PR move; it’s a conscious step to help audiences expand their understanding of what family, acceptance, and celebration can look like.

By crafting this wedding film with the same passion as any high-profile event, Punjabi’s team hopes viewers will see familiar emotions: nervous parents, joyful friends, heartfelt vows. The narrative focuses on universal human connections—making it harder for skeptics to “other” these love stories.

It’s not activism in the traditional sense—it’s subtle, powerful advocacy. Through beautiful visuals and raw emotions, the film does what statements and debates often can’t: it nudges viewers to empathize.

The Challenges of Filming Queer Weddings in India

Of course, shooting a same-sex wedding in India still comes with challenges. Many queer couples worry about privacy, societal backlash, or unsupportive relatives. For this film, The Wedding Filmer reportedly worked closely with the couple to ensure comfort and safety at every step.

Discretion was key—crew members were carefully briefed, permissions were double-checked, and some faces were blurred for public releases. Even the final film was handled sensitively, with the couple having full control over what was shared and what remained private.

This respect for boundaries is part of what has made Punjabi’s team so trusted by India’s most prominent families. The same discretion and care that earned him the Ambani contract has been extended to a couple whose love story, though quieter, could be equally impactful.

How Social Media Extends the Conversation

A big part of The Wedding Filmer’s influence lies in how its films are shared. The team often releases carefully curated snippets—poignant vows, father-daughter moments, emotional speeches—that go viral on Instagram and YouTube.

For this queer wedding, The Wedding Filmer dropped a short teaser online. Within hours, it sparked thousands of shares, comments, and heartfelt messages. Many viewers, especially young queer Indians, described watching the clip with tears in their eyes—seeing, perhaps for the first time, a story that mirrored their own dreams.

While trolls were inevitable, the flood of support far outweighed the negativity. For many, this film isn’t just content—it’s validation. A reminder that they, too, can be celebrated in full color and cinematic glory.

Reactions from the Wedding Industry

Punjabi’s bold choice has also created ripples in the wedding industry. Planners, photographers, and designers are realizing that the Indian wedding market is evolving. Couples want more inclusive vendors—people who will embrace their identities and help them celebrate authentically.

Some planners have shared that they now get more inquiries from queer couples after The Wedding Filmer’s teaser. Florists, stylists, and makeup artists are posting supportive messages, highlighting that they, too, want to be allies in crafting inclusive weddings.

It’s a small but significant shift—one that could inspire other big-name creators to take similar steps. If more vendors treat queer weddings not as “exceptions” but as part of the normal spectrum of Indian celebrations, change will come faster.

A Look Ahead: The Future of Indian Wedding Films

So, what’s next for Vishal Punjabi and The Wedding Filmer? Insiders say more couples are reaching out to share diverse stories—cross-cultural weddings, interfaith unions, vow renewals, and yes, more queer celebrations.

For Punjabi, the goal remains unchanged: tell human stories with heart. His work proves that wedding films aren’t just about pretty visuals—they’re cultural time capsules. They preserve not just what a wedding looked like, but what it meant in that moment in history.

A decade from now, when queer weddings are hopefully recognized legally and celebrated more openly, Punjabi’s films will stand as early records of this transition. They’ll remind future generations that behind every milestone were countless individuals who dared to love openly, surrounded by family and filmed with care.

Why It All Matters

At its core, The Wedding Filmer’s queer wedding project shows that representation is not a box to be checked off—it’s a door to be kept open. It proves that India’s wedding industry, often rooted in tradition, can also be a force for progress.

Weddings in India are huge cultural touchpoints. They bring together generations, communities, and traditions. By telling a queer love story with the same splendor and sensitivity as any other, Vishal Punjabi reminds us that love is love—worthy of celebration, worthy of film, and worthy of the spotlight.

As India’s society continues to debate marriage equality, small acts like this film help soften hearts and change minds. They don’t shout—they show. They don’t preach—they move. And in doing so, they light the way for countless couples waiting to celebrate their love, their way.

Closing Thoughts

For over a decade, The Wedding Filmer has shaped how India sees wedding films—now it’s shaping how India sees weddings themselves. From grand Ambani extravaganzas to tender queer unions, Punjabi’s lens captures what really matters: love in its many forms, immortalized for generations to come.