On Indian Matchmaking, Sima Taparia’s first impression of Aparna Shewakramani was that she’s the hardest type of candidate to match. Since Sima takes the age-old route of traditional matchmaking to help her clients find their soulmates, the terms she used to describe Aparna included “not stable” and “negative vibes.” Aparna was instantly cemented as the villain of Indian Matchmaking for simply being strong-minded and goal-oriented in her approach to choosing a life partner. However, fans started to move past the memes and instead began to comment on Sima’s harsh statements about Aparna. The Houston native chatted exclusively with Screen Rant and shared her thoughts on the matchmaker’s gender-biased approach.
Aparna, a 34-year-old lawyer, was introduced as the first eligible candidate on Netflix’s Indian Matchmaking. The headstrong and outspoken attorney met Sima Taparia, Mumbai’s top matchmaker, as she went out to play cupid and find Aparna her perfect groom. From the word go, Aparna was crystal clear in her approach to zeroing down on a life partner, which Sima mistakenly likens to “ordering from a menu.” Her first match came in the form of a podcaster who ticks off none of the requirements on Aparna’s soulmate checklist. Sima again labeled her as “picky” for saying no to her first candidate and assumed that “her mind is not stable.” Meanwhile, Sima continued to speak highly of her male clients wanting “flexible” mates and also handled their rejection of 150 marriage proposals by gifting them chocolates. The matchmaker unknowingly wove misogynistic overtures into Indian Matchmaking’s plot while making Aparna look like the bad guy. Aparna certainly agrees that she has been wrongfully portrayed.
Screen Rant exclusively interviewed Aparna and asked her to speak her mind on the orthodox route taken by Sima on Indian Matchmaking. Referencing a viral tweet that declared the show should be renamed "The Roast of Aparna By Sima Aunty", Screen Rant asked the world-traveling attorney if she felt that Sima’s comments about her on the reality show were too severe. “I felt that Sima was speaking from her own perspective,” began Aparna, before adding that while she watched the events of Indian Matchmaking unfold on screen, she realized that Sima’s views were “quite skewed in favor of men.” Aparna noted how, “One man was called unsure for standing someone else up,” referencing Vinay Chadha allegedly ghosting Nadia Jagessar, while she, on the other hand, was called “stubborn” for rejecting her first match. “I definitely think there is a double standard,” said the breakout Netflix star, giving a nod to many a fan's comments about Sima’s misogyny. “It’s very interesting to hear the conversations swirling around that topic since the show aired,” remarked Aparna in conclusion.
A young, independent woman knowing what she wants in life, and specifically in a spouse, doesn’t make her picky or stubborn. During Indian Matchmaking, Aparna explained that although her own choices always worked out in the end, she continued to work with Sima because she trusted in her decades of expertise. However, changing your inherent behavior should not be expected of those looking for a mate, especially not a true match, who should accept you as you are. Aparna seems to realize this, but perhaps Sima does not.
This assertive, confident streak in Aparna’s character might have been portrayed as her flaw on Indian Matchmaking, but for those women who believe in the mantra of “love yourself,” Aparna is now a prominent name in their growing list of role models.
All episodes of Indian Matchmaking are now available to stream on Netflix.