As a first-generation Indian woman living in America, who is quite the consumer of American television, I would often imagine what some of my recent binges would look like if they featured a beautiful and badass South Asian woman in the cast. It was while watching the second season of Bridgerton that I was able to see that come to life, rather than remaining a mere figment of my imagination.
South Asians are featured in American movies and shows once in a blue moon, which surprises me, considering our rich, exquisite culture that’s meant to be cherished and recognized and the beautiful, diverse faces that embody it. Not only are we heavily underrepresented, but we are also misrepresented. Sadly, I can think of more cookie-cutter or token South Asian characters who make me cringe compared to those who blow us away while defying the stereotypes set for us. I’m so over it. We’re not desperate and undesirable women craving the validation of those around us through ignoring our roots. We’re not nerdy men whose only purpose is to make a fool of ourselves and serve as your comedic relief. We’re so much more than that. We are South Asian, and we are proud.
While watching the first season on Bridgerton, never did I expect the delights of the second. Honestly, this would be one of the few shows where a lack of diversity can be excused as prevention of anachronism. After all, it is unrealistic for the upper-class society of 19th century England to be completely accepting of people of color. Racial prejudice is practically nonexistent in the Bridgerton universe, with only gender and class being the biggest indicators of difference. But this fun, romanticized depiction of the Regency era makes this period drama that much more special and unique to its own. Shonda Rhimes did not come to play when it came to Bridgerton’s multiracial cast. She came to serve and that’s exactly what she did when she cast not one but two South Asian women as the leads. Let me repeat that. The leads.
The Sharma sisters, who travel to London from India alongside their mother, are taken in by Lady Danbury in order to participate in the social season. Simone Ashley plays Kate Sharma, the independent, sharp-witted older sister, and Charithra Chandran portrays the role of Edwina Sharma, the sweet, endearing younger sister. Both women hail specifically from South Indian descent, as do I, which personally made the casting even more significant than it already was. On top of that, both these women rock a darker complexion, something unfamiliar to casting in popular Indian movie industries, such as Bollywood, Kollywood and Tollywood, where colorism is still a major issue. This is a huge step forward in the right direction. This is the start of breaking barriers.
The incorporation of the Sharmas’ Indian culture was close to phenomenal, much more than I can say about South Asian characters from other American movies or shows. The entirety of the characters’ personality does not revolve around their ethnicity, but at the same time, they don’t disregard their roots whatsoever. It was the details that truly mattered, and they were crafted so gracefully. It was balanced. Comforting, even. Like never before.
In one of the episodes, Kate expresses her distaste towards English tea and is shown making herself a cup of chai instead, Indian-styled tea that’s prepared with an aromatic blend of herbs and spices and is a household staple for many South Asian families. In another episode, Kate shows Edwina some affection by massaging oil into her hair, a common cultural practice usually done by a parent or older caregiver. In the sixth episode, viewers see Kate rubbing turmeric paste on Edwina’s face during her Haldi ceremony, a ritual that takes place before Hindu weddings, where the bride is smeared with turmeric paste, or “haldi”, in order to bless the bride and make them glow on their big day. And I absolutely cannot forget the classical rendition of the Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham title track that played for a bit during one of the balls. Apparently, when Charithra Chandran found out that this Bollywood song was going to be included in the show, she texted creator Chris Van Dusen that it brought tears to her eyes.
Okay, but my favorite piece of Indian culture that was integrated into the show? The Sharmas’ flattering wardrobe. Throughout the season, the sisters’ gowns, made out of bright, colorful silks like many Indian outfits, featured Indian-inspired embroidery and were paired with distinctive, sophisticated Indian jewelry that I was very much in love with. And the green jewel-encrusted gold bangles that Kate takes out for Edwina deserve their own shoutout.
However, there were a couple of flaws or loose ends that I believe are still important to mention, almost as important as celebrating this Indian representation. Like how the Sharmas’ exact lineage is honestly a little confusing. Sharma is typically a prestigious North Indian surname, though it isn’t exclusive to that region and doesn’t reveal too much about the state in which the family is from. Kate and Edwina refer to their father as “appa,” the word for “father” in some South Indian languages, and Kate even referred to her birth mother as “amma,” the word for “mother” that is widely used in South India. We can assume that both sisters are partially South Indian, however, there is nothing else that points to South Indian roots. Rather than calling Kate “akka,” the most popular way to refer to your older sister in South India, Edwina calls her “didi” instead, the Hindi term for “older sister.” Additionally, Kate calls Edwina “bon,” which translates to “younger sister” in Bengali. Kate also says that they know how to speak Marathi and Hindustani (a now ancient term used to refer to a mixture of Hindi and Urdu), which may make sense since they lived in Bombay before coming to London. Multilingualism is common in Indian families, however, there is no mention of any South Indian language. I don’t know if this was purposefully done to remain ambiguous and to appeal to a larger Indian audience, or if this was simply a result of a lack of research, but many fans take it upon themselves to explain the Sharmas’ origins through a variety of theories. There have also been some other clumsy references though. For instance, Kate tells Lady Danbury that Edwina knows how to play the sitar and the “maruli.” The sitar is an Indian plucked string instrument, while we’re guessing that the “maruli” is supposed to refer to “murali,” an Indian flute. Edwina also asks Anthony Bridgerton if he has read the work of Ghalib, a famous Urdu poet, who, at the time the show took place, would’ve been sixteen or so, way before his work was published. Yes, these are detailed observations, but mentioning these inaccuracies can help prevent inaccuracies in the future.
So, was the representation perfect? Probably not. Was it a great start? Absolutely. Casting two darker-skinned South Asian beauties was truly a breakthrough, along with the incorporation of Indian culture, though it was a little wishy-washy at times. The South Asian representation that Bridgerton offered this season is still definitely worth celebrating. Because this is just the beginning.
What did you think about Bridgerton season 2? Let us know at @SJSUHerCampus.