Seema Taparia from Mumbai is back again with a new season of Indian Matchmaking and can we just say, we’ve been dreading this? Don’t get us wrong; while season 1 of the show was hella entertaining, it did receive a fair share of criticism. This was because it not only overly-glorified the concept of arranged marriage, but also because it propagated messages of colourism, classism, castism and body-shaming.
Now, just as we thought we were all done, we get a glimpse of what season two has to offer. And NGL fam, it gets worse… Well, without further ado, here are five problematic things we witnessed while watching the trailer of Indian Matchingmaking Season 2.
The Curse Of Being Unmarried
The protagonist of the show is definitely part of the problem. Seema has a self-proclaimed ‘destiny’ to play cupid and treats marriage as the end goal for a happy life. “In the past, matchmaking was easy. But it has become tough for me. For some clients, since years I am working and still they are unmarried,” Seema said with utter disappointment. The show fails to recognise that while the search for a life partner can be tough, being unmarried is also completely fine. Unmarried people are already judged enough in our society—why does the show need to make it worse?
They Want Everything
We’ve been brainwashed into thinking that a successful partnership is all about sacrificing your own needs. But hey, what’s wrong with wanting more from a marriage? While Seema herself asks clients for a list of criteria they’d like in their partner, she soon ends up criticising them and their wishes. And some are not even asking for a lot! Like, isn’t it okay to want your partner to be loyal or to get along with your furry best friend?
And yes, the “ovo-lacto-semi-vegetarian” comment may seem over the top, but who knows? Perhaps, she was just talking about her own food preferences? And we all know that’s no crime.
Adjustment, Adjustment, Adjustment
Ahh, the good old notion that marriage is all about adjustment and putting your dreams and desires in the back seat. Indian Matchmaking Season 2 echoes this idea more firmly into our brains and we just want to scream “stop!”. Seema even said, “You have to adjust a little, then life becomes beautiful and smooth”. And believe you us, we’re not shocked at all.
The Dark Roots Of Arranged Marriage
The show glorifies the origins of arranged marriage and represents it as a wholesome and quirky alternative to blind dating. The show does not talk about how it started because of wanting to marry within the same caste and that this harmful practice still very much exists.
The People On The Show
Lastly, we can’t put the entire blame on Seema and the makers while letting the people who participate go scot-free. They too indulge in this problematic process of finding a partner and are equal partners in crime when it comes to participating in casteism, colourism, and sexism.
It’s 2020, and there must be a change in how we view marriage. Here’s hoping things head in the right direction and archaic ideas of finding a partner are tossed out the window!
Featured Image: Instagram
