Is a TV show even considered popular if it doesn’t lead to fan theories? Reality show Indian Matchmaking has a few shocking ones of its own. Many fans have accused the Netflix show of glamorizing the regressive aspects of arranged marriage while some claim it’s straight-up scripted. Now it’s Indian Matchmaking’s poster child Aparna Shewakramani’s turn to accuse the show of being sensationalized for TV.
The 35-year-old attorney from Houston didn’t come on the reality show to be liked by men. Aparna’s only intention was to stay true to herself as she sought out a suitable match with Sima Taparia’s help. Taparia misunderstood Aparna’s strong-willed nature for stubbornness and assumed she was being too picky when it came to choosing a man. Aparna’s mother’s comment “Srini the loser,”, about one of her daughter’s failed dates, was noticed by all Indian Matchmaking fans, and everyone assumed that it was made because of Srinivas Rao’s career. Aparna was shown commenting that she didn’t like her date talking to waiters, but in reality, all she wanted was his undivided attention. Most of the show’s viewers formed a quick opinion about Aparna, and Taparia continued to fuel the fire by describing Aparna as “egoistic,” “negative vibes,” and “picky.” Aparna did “change a lot” according to Taparia towards the end of the show, and the editing also made her look happier than she did in episode 1. Was this just Aparna taking a positive approach towards life or is that how she’s always been? Aparna is asking Indian Matchmaking viewers to support strong women instead of vilifying them.
In an interview with Tweak, Aparna confessed to being “a hopeless romantic.” She spoke about how the matchmaking process was just a new opportunity for her to find love. But when she auditioned for the spot, she didn’t have the slightest idea of what it would look like on television. Although she agreed that Sima did a great job in finding compatible people for the Indian Matchmaking cast to date, none of them really worked out. “In terms of the matches, I don’t think any of the setups were well thought of,” she confessed, before adding, “I think they were just like ‘oh, they’re about the same age, let’s put them together and see what happens.’”
Aparna revealed that she was “shocked” at the way Indian Matchmaking was edited. She felt that the reality show portrayed “a very two-dimensional perspective” of all the singles. The dates “were edited, crafted, and sensationalized for TV,” she commented. Aparna also went on to reveal that her dates lasted for more than an hour, but what was shown to the fans was a mere 20-second clip. The reality TV star also shared how fans reach out to her with offers to give her “therapy”, but she wants to tell them to start thinking about content that’s been “so craftily created.”
Not one to mince words on any interview she’s been a part of, Aparna has revealed a side of her that was never even glimpsed by Indian Matchmaking fans on the show. Her social media posts show a different Aparna than the “stubborn” girl who “dislikes comedy” that they came to know. Add to this the fact that Aparna is still friends with most of her matches, including Dilip, Shekar, and Jay, speaks oodles about how well the dates went, as opposed to what was seen on screen. The bottom line is that while Indian Matchmaking may have aced the editing game, they sacrificed a few good people along the way. Perhaps that is what it takes to create binge-worthy content in 2020.
All episodes of Indian Matchmaking are now available to stream on Netflix.
