'Indian Matchmaking' cast member says show was far from reality

Aparna Shewakramani notes that the series is edited in a way to fit a certain narrative
Entertainment Desk | August 25, 2020

Popular Netflix reality show Indian Matchmaking has received a lot of criticism for multiple reasons since its release. Heavily bashed for promoting South Asian stereotypes and fueling the rishta culture that is perceived as toxic among many, the show has also been slammed for the fact that none of the relationships in it remained intact after it ended.

Now the show is being criticised by main cast member Aparna Shewakramani. In a recent interview with Quint Neon, she pointed out that Indian Matchmaking was edited in a way to fit a narrative different from what was actually taking place. Recalling her first interaction with Seema the matchmaker, Shewakrmani listed the things that weren't shown to the audience.

"I remember when I first met her, we were sitting down and she asked me, 'What do you want in a boy?' and the viewers don't see this but I actually said two things. I said I want someone really laid back, quiet and introvert and she looked at me and said, 'No'," Shewakramani recalled.

Posted by Quint Neon on Monday, August 24, 2020

The contestant adds that the part audiences were shown is one where she had to explain herself to Seema after receiving a 'blank' reaction. “So I am thinking there's a language issue. So I try to tell her what I want and that's what the audience sees. I thought, if I say it in enough ways, Seema will understand. But it wasn't about that. Seema had her own ideas and she wanted me with someone jolly," she said.

Shewakramani was also initially under the impression that it was a docu-series about Indian matchmaking as opposed to reality TV that eventually became the case. "We all have to think about the way we consume television. It was created for us as entertainment. People think it's true but it's not. It has everything to do with the archetype they created," she said.

Among other things, Shewakramani also opened up about the infamous incident where her mother describes the first suitor she's introduced to as a loser. " My mom calls him a loser and everyone thinks that it's because he had a podcast and we cared about that. I don't care about that. What happened off camera was that he was really hurtful to me. He said some really disrespectful things. My mother got really mad. I was crying that night. I almost did quit the show that day," she said."It's interesting that you lose your own voice in your own story."

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