In India – much like across the globe – good education is synonymous with an English medium education.
While some criteria are more or less explicit (“must like dogs”), others, such as “good education”, work as implicit references to social class. Contestants and their families outline their preferences – from values to profession, hobbies to looks – and scrutinise potential partners. The show offers a glimpse into matrimonial negotiations and the arranged marriage process, guided by matchmaker Sima Taparia. After a popular and controversial first season, Netflix’s Indian Matchmaking is back with more Mumbai elites and American Desis (diasporic South Asians) looking for love.