Why are South Asians more specifically Indians gushing over Bridgerton season 2? Because there are many reasons that they are able to relate to it. One that worked for me was that the Sharma sisters did not carry the burden of being judged because of their Indian origin.
They just so beautifully blended into the London high-society, there were no surprised looks or hurried whispers when they entered the scenes but just startling envy. Let’s list out other reasons.
Lead actresses that actually look Indian
India encompasses a variety of different cultures. We all look different, we all eat different foods, we all practice different religions. It’s one of the most diverse nations on this planet.
Well, we know India is a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities so we have people looking totally different in one part of the country to the other so there is nothing like ‘they actually look Indian’ for no two states or regions will have people looking the same. But the fact remains, till now Indians prefer fair skinned, foreign looking actors on the big screen and tellies, blame Bollywood for this.
Bridgerton 2 for the first time featured three Indian actors, who actually look like most of us, of which two were lead actors of the season. Kate Sharma, played by British actress Simone Ashley, who was born to Indian Tamil parents, and Edwina Sharma played by Charithra Chandran and their mother Lady Mary. Most Western period dramas usually only have Caucasian characters and so seeing a beautiful, dark-skinned woman (Ashley) portray a lead character was something we had never seen before, and that includes Bollywood films was like a breath of fresh air.
Suggested Reading:
Who Will Be The Protagonist In Bridgerton Season 3?
Bridgerton 2 And The Sharma Sisters: Subtle Indian sensibilities
The storyline was not as overtly filled with intimate scenes as season one which is what most people expected, however the intimacy (or lack of) was an authentic representation of Indian sensibilities. Kate demonstrates the burden most first-born children in Indian families bear - the feeling of taking responsibility for your younger siblings to ensure that they have everything life can offer them. The need to put your family first no matter what is a common understanding and so very Indian isn’t it?
The interesting titbits in between
Since the Sharma’s have come directly from India, specifically from Mumbai, there are pieces of Indian culture represented throughout the series. Whether it was Kate massaging coconut oil into Edwina’s hair, or the elaichi she put in her tea, we get insight into how ingrained Kate and Edwina are to their culture.
Who can we forget the introductory line of Kate in the season, which was during an unforeseen horse race between her and Anthony Bridgerton when she exclaimed, “Baap Re.”
I commend the writers of the show for seamlessly integrating Kate and Edwina’s cultural background into English high-society, in things like ethnic prints and jewellery seen in the Regency style dresses worn by both sisters, including several scenes when Edwina can be seen wearing small jhumkas. Kate’s mother’s ethnic bangles play a significant role in the story. Yes, nothing misses our discerning Indian eyes!
Haldi ceremony was a stopper
Aren’t we Indian viewers thrilled to spot the haldi ceremony in the series? The haldi ceremony is a must pre-wedding tradition in most Indian weddings. It is customary to apply turmeric to the bride’s skin as a beauty pack. In the show, Kate and Mary celebrate Edwina’s haldi ceremony before her wedding with the Viscount on the classical rendition of “Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham.” Could it get any better?
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Sharma family in Bridgerton. Image Credit: Netflix
More research was needed
Brilliant as was the series, but we as Indians noticed some glitches too. The Sharmas came from Bombay, and probably spoke the Indian languages of Marathi and Hindi one would think. Being of Marathi ethnicity, the quintessentially north Indian name ‘Sharma’ is a surprise. Then the sisters refer to their late father as “appa,” a term used in South Indian languages. Then, Kate often calls her little sister “bon,” meaning ‘sister’ in Bengali while Edwina addresses her as “didi”. All these terms are from various corners of India and not just one state. They could be from anywhere in India. The worst part was where Kate introduces her sister’s talents, she mispronounces the musical instrument ‘murali’ or flute as ‘maruli’.
In spite of everything, it is interesting to see the director and producer’s efforts to incorporate Indian representation and how they imagine the culture during the Regency era. The series is a visual delight and a must-watch nevertheless!
The views expressed are the author's own.
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