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Netflix series on matchmaking glorifies casteism, misogyny

WION
New DelhiEdited By: Palki SharmaUpdated: Jul 24, 2020, 07:12 AM IST
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Photograph:(Twitter)

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The show glorifies arranged marriages as being the ultimate goal of any young person’s life.

A Netflix original has been creating ripples on social media for all the wrong reasons. A show that manages to be both cringe-worthy and binge-worthy at the same time.

It’s a series that Indians across the world "hate" to watch created by Smriti Mundhra, the show follows Sima Taparia, or "Sima aunty", as she likes to be called. She's a woman on a mission after all being God’s mediator on planet Earth would be a full-time job for anyone.

"Sima" so famous or rather infamous has become the Netflix series "Indian matchmaking" mascot.

The series takes off with an Indian mother meticulously listing out the qualities that her to-be daughter-in-law should possess. A viewer may think that it has all the ingredients of a binge-worthy reality show with a pushy mother, a Mamma’s boy, an ambitious career woman, two astrologers, one face reader and a life-coach - all their stories weaved together brilliantly.

However, all the eight episodes are liberally sprinkled with casteism, misogyny and colourism. The problem is that the show glorifies arranged marriages as being the ultimate goal of any young person’s life, and also promotes the practice as an epitome of Indian culture and of course, the onus of adjusting and compromising for a 'happily married life' falls squarely on the women. 

As for the men, were they shopping for a product, or truly looking for a life partner? It does not surprise anyone that none of the participants ended up with their intended partners which looks like the makers completely forgot that Indian families have come a long way in the 21st century.