WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Growing up as an Indian-American with experiences living in both India and the United States, I was so excited to see how the events of Bridgerton season two would play out. Even more so since the Sheffield family in the books were of Indian heritage this season, starring the Sharma family. I’m happy to say that I was not disappointed! It was so refreshing to see Kate Sharma, played by Simone Ashley, along with her sister Edwina Sharma, played by Charithra Chandran, and Mother Lady Mary, played by Shelley Conn, add a cultural angle to the world of Bridgerton.
For all the Indians that grew up watching Baljeet from Phineas and Ferb, Ravi from Jessie, and every other stereotype, this season of Bridgerton was a fresh breath of air. I’ve never seen our culture be intertwined so subtly and elegantly into a show while bringing traditions that we grew up with into the limelight. I admire that they made both sisters so beautiful and desirable without attempting to westernize them. I genuinely believe that this show has influenced every Indian girl in America in the most memorable way.
Aside from the prominent styling of the Sharma women, which was inspired by Indian fabrics, jewelry, and designs, and the South Asian practice of oiling one’s hair, here are five reasons why season two of Bridgerton filled my Indian heart with pride:
- Usage of Tamil and Hindi Words of Endearment
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All through the season, Kate and Edwina refer to their father as “appa,” which means “father” in Tamil. Kate also uses “amma,” which means “mother” in Tamil, to refer to her birth mother. In addition, Edwina always refers to Kate as “didi,” which means “elder sister” in Hindi. As an older sister who is called “didi,” it touched my heart to see that representation. Typically, in Indian culture, you call everyone auntie and uncle, even if they aren’t related to you to signify a closer relationship, and the same goes for “didi.” It’s a lovely expression that conveys both the respect and the intimacy of Indian sisters, just like Kate and Edwina.
- The Beautiful Indian Wedding Tradition; the Haldi ceremony
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My favorite form of Indian representation in this season was the Haldi ceremony which I spotted in the season two trailer. In the season, the Sharma women are seen celebrating Edwina’s Haldi ceremony before her wedding with the Viscount by applying turmeric paste to her arms and face. The Haldi ceremony is a pre-wedding tradition seen in most Indian weddings where turmeric, called “haldi” in Hindi, is smeared onto both the bride and groom by married women on the morning of the wedding. Yellow is an auspicious color related to happiness and new beginnings during Indian wedding rituals. Thus, the yellow mixture of haldi, oil, and water is believed to invite peace and prosperity to the couple. Edwina is also seen applying haldi on Kate’s face, which refers to an age-old Indian superstition. Indian couples usually apply haldi to unmarried friends and family to wish them luck in finding a partner.
- Classical Rendition of the Hindi song”‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham”
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Bridgerton is notable for its classical renditions of popular modern music, and this season’s show included songs by Harry Styles, Madonna, and Miley Cyrus. However, the cover of “Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham,” which means, “sometimes happy, sometimes sad,” had to be my favorite classical cover and the song that had the greatest cultural impact. Every Indian grows up watching this movie and listening to its songs. It was playing in the background during Edwina’s Haldi ceremony and signified a homage to her Indian roots as she prepared to leave the comfort of her family and take her place in English society.
Charithra, who plays Edwina, talked about the importance of the song at a national press conference, saying: “For me, that song is a Bollywood staple so as soon as it came on, I was like, ‘Hold on,’ and then rewind and immediately pause and text Chris [Van Dusen, the showrunner] saying, ‘This literally brought tears to my eyes because it’s a collision of both my worlds.’ When you’re growing up as immigrants’ children, sometimes it’s so hard to figure out your identity and you don’t always know where you belong.”
Just like most other Indians, I also grew up watching this family movie and have seen it more times than I can count. It was such a shocking moment to be able to recognize the Hindi song in the background and it immediately brought a smile to my face. It was indicative of my identity and I love that!
- Kate Practicing the Desi Ritual of Tea Drinking
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In a conversation with Lady Danbury, Kate expresses her distaste for English tea by saying “I even taught her how to make this pitiful excuse for tea the English so adore. I despise English tea.” As an Indian, this was a hilarious remark. The scene beautifully presented the Desi ritual of tea drinking. In India, it is common standard practice to begin the day with a steaming cup of chai to warm both the soul and the body. Kate is seen doing this in Aubrey Hall when she takes a peaceful minute to herself to make a cup of tea. She is also seen adding elachi — i.e., cardamom pods — and cloves; spices commonly used in Indian recipes and chai.
- when Anthony called Kate her actual Indian name; Kathani
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Finally, in the Bridgerton finale, Anthony used Kate’s traditional Indian name, Kathani, when proclaiming his love for her. This is such a moving moment of representation because we find out that Kate has been using an anglicized nickname all along. Many POC are familiar with the unfortunate reality of being forced to adopt an anglicized name for the sake of others’ convenience or simply to fit in. But birth names have significance and by paying homage to Kate’s cultural name, Anthony is not only professing his love for her, but also honoring her Indian history. He’s basically telling her that he loves every part of her, and he wants her to be proud of who she is.
Kudos to Bridgerton for emphasizing the beauty of Indian culture in this season! This show did a great job depicting South Asian culture, making Indian main characters with depth, rather than just being a side character for “diversity.” It is also important to acknowledge that this representation may not accurately reflect the experiences of every Indian and that’s okay. Hopefully, this is only the beginning of more diverse content!
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