Not Angry Birds, Angry Brides , and this game is anything but a parody

There were nearly 9,000 dowry-related deaths in India in 2010, according to India's National Crime Records Bureau. And Shaadi, a matrimonial website in the country hopes to bring more awareness to tragic numbers like through a Facebook game, Reuters reports. It's called Angry Brides, and it's clearly an Angry Birds knock-off. But no one's laughing, and really, that's not the point.

Dowries, usually in the form of valuables or straight up cash, are traditionally given by the bride's family to the groom to ensure that the bride is taken care of in her new life. While the archaic practice was outlawed in India over 50 years ago, dowry-related violent crimes are a prevalent problem in the country. Some newlywed husbands even douse their wives in kerosene and burn them to death if their demands for more dowry money aren't met.

"The Angry Brides game is our way of throwing a spotlight on the nuisance of dowry," said Shaadi SVP of online marketing Ram Bhamidi told Reuters. "According to a 2007 study ... there is a dowry-related death every four hours in India. We condemn this menace and have consistently run campaigns on social media to help create awareness of the issue."

Angry Brides is playable for free on Facebook, and allows players to assault three grooms--a pilot, a doctor and a builder--with items like stilettos, tomatoes and frying pans Angry Birds-style. The more times a groom is hit, the more is deducted from his dowry in rupees and added to the player's Anti-Dowry Fund, which they can post to their Facebook Wall.

Social games with a cause are certainly nothing new, and especially so in India. (And the Angry Birds formula seems to work quite well for those with something to say.) The Angry Brides slogan reads, "A Woman will give you Strength, Care and all the Love you need ... NOT Dowry! Join us ... Take a stand ... Make a difference!"

Click here to play Angry Brides on Facebook Now >

[Via Kotaku]

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