“Sima auntie is India’s version of Karen,” reads a comment about matchmaker Sima Taparia on the Reddit group for Indian Matchmaking. The Netflix show is currently the most-watched in the Top 10 list for India as it slowly gains popularity across the world. But at the same time, the series is also being called out as highly problematic. Fans say that, while it makes the deep-rooted orthodox tradition of arranged marriage in India sound cool and even funny, it also glosses over regressive issues like colorism, sexism, domestic violence, and even body shaming. As the show continues to face criticism over its glamorous portrayals of stereotypes, here’s what critics have to say about its problematic premise.
Indian Matchmaking is a dating reality show with a difference. It has its share of awkward first dates, meet the parents moments, and singles who think they might stay forever alone. But it is also the story of Sima Taparia, a top matchmaker from Mumbai who visits her affluent clients from India to the USA to help them find a match for arranged married. The clients each come with their own set of drama, from overbearing parents to not being “photogenic" enough. They hand over a list of preferences to Taparia as she sits down with their parents, who have even higher expectations. The singles swipe through the matches that Taparia picks for them, often feeling dissatisfied after their first meetings. Taparia, on the other hand, provides her snide comments about the cast in a series of confessionals that sound like they've been scripted to be made into meme content. Her high-profile clients ask Taparia for daughters-in-law that are “fair” or “flexible,” and the matchmaker loosely labels the singles as “greedy” and “not stable.”
It comes as no surprise to see many major Indian publications slamming the show. BookMyShow mentions, “If you think about it, this show is every traditional Indian parent’s wet dream. As one character says early on, ‘In India, you have marriage and love marriage.’ If that’s not enough, there’s also horoscope reading and face reading to drill home the Indianness of it all.” The review also calls Indian Matchmaking a warped Indianized version of The Bachelor that has people going on parentally-approved dates. Mentioning how Nadia’s meeting with Shekar oddly includes her mother, the review gives the dating show an overall rating of, “far from a perfect match.” Another review in Livemint notes, “Perpetuating stereotypes of colorism, casteism, and sexism about the country, the creators forget that Indian millennials and their families have come a long way after battling these societal norms for years." The episode's titles have also caught the eye of alert Netflix viewers and have become the subject of ridicule and, of course, memes, such as the one below;
It’s interesting to note how memes, although filled with criticism, also spark curiosity. Memes highlight discussion topics and, much of the time, prompt viewers into watching a particular show, if only to learn more. However, a trending tweet by user Nikita Doval argues that arranged marriages like the ones showcased on Indian Matchmaking are no laughing matter. She tweeted that she was put through the grueling routine herself, the scars of which still remain. “This is a system which reduced women to cattle, where you are repeatedly subject to humiliation and insult just because the other side can,” Doval wrote, which sparked further conversations from her followers.
Problematic or not, Netflix and Indian Matchmaking have certainly aligned the stars for Sima Taparia and the rest of the cast, whose popularity continues to increase with each passing minute.
All episodes of Indian Matchmaking are now available to stream on Netflix.
Source: BookMyShow, Livemint, @Chosen_Pink, Nikita Doval
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