[15] The film's central story deals with the organisation of an enormous, chaotic, and expensive wedding that is due to take place in a modern Indian family.

Lalit Verma (Naseeruddin Shah) and his wife Pimmi (Lillete Dubey) have arranged a marriage for their daughter Aditi (Vasundhara Das) to Hemant Rai (Parvin Dabas).

As so often happens in Indian culture, such a wedding means that, for one of the few times in each generation, the extended family comes together from all corners of the globe, bringing its emotional baggage along.

Tej offers to pay for Aditi's cousin, Ria Verma (Shefali Shah) to attend university in the U.S., after the family consults him for advice.

Lalit begins experiencing difficulty in paying for the final, smaller aspects of the wedding and is embarrassed when he has to borrow money from friends and colleagues.

Dubey (Vijay Raaz), the eccentric wedding planner, falls in love with Alice (Tillotama Shome), the Vermas' maid.

Meanwhile, Ayesha is mutually attracted to Pimmi's Australian nephew Rahul (Randeep Hooda), a fact they attempt to hide from the family.

The website's consensus reads: "An insightful, energetic blend of Hollywood and Bollywood styles, Monsoon Wedding is a colourful, exuberant celebration of modern-day India, family, love, and life.

The film includes an Urdu ghazal, Aaj Jaane Ki Zid Na Karo (Don't Be So Stubborn About Leaving Today) sung by Pakistani artist Farida Khanum.

The song Aaj Mera Ji Karda is recreated by Indian musicians Tanishk Bagchi and Arjunna Harjaie for the film Lucknow Central starring Farhan Akhtar.