Sima Taparia interview: Indian Matchmaking star addresses her 0% success rate, confused youth and more

Sima Aunty is back. The third season of Netflix’s popular reality show Indian Matchmaking is here to inspire a fresh barrage of memes, reels, and hot takes. Not to mention giving us a new roster of folks looking for love who become the subject of our judgement, unhealthy obsessions, and catty commentary.

But, compared to the previous two seasons, season three seems to have received something of a lukewarm response. It would appear that the internet didn’t take to it quite as much. Perhaps it’s because season three offers more of the same tried and tested structure with very little evolution or reinvention in the show’s format.

All this while the conversation around Sima Aunty’s “old-fashioned” conservative approach to marriage and relationships invites the same criticism time and again. Of course, she sees it differently. “My traditional Indian values have spread throughout the world and now youngsters are saying ‘Sima Aunty said we won’t get more than 70% of our criteria and we should listen to her’. I’m just spreading my traditional values around the world and that’s what’s made me a star” she says.

Following the release of season 3, over Zoom, I spoke to her about why the show’s poor track record of successful matches, the strangest criteria she’s ever received, and what life after the series might look like.

Edited Excerpts:

You’ve talked a lot about how much love and attention you’ve got from the show and how you get recognised all the time. But is there anything annoying about fame?

It’s never annoying. It’s my pleasure that people are loving and respecting me. And they always know who I am. They always say the full sentence – “Sima Taparia from Mumbai” (laughs). It’s now a famous tagline. They come and tell me they love the show and love my advice.

I’ve always felt that, through the three seasons of the show, the kind of women who come to you are these very accomplished, headstrong, successful women who know what they want. Unlike the men who seem a lot more confused and unimpressive. Would you agree?

I think each person is different. It doesn’t matter if they’re man or woman. Each of them is different. My job is just to help them. If they’re confused I guide them. But I don’t feel that. I think both men and women are impressive. I treat them all like my sons and daughters.

But there’s always some criticism and I welcome critics. The show becomes popular with both responses, negative and positive. That is the beauty of this show. And everyone has their own right to an opinion.

You’ve talked about how young people today tend to be a lot more confused about what they want. Do you think movies play a role in that at all? Do you feel people who watch too many movies have unrealistic expectations about marriage and love?

Yes, the youth dreams a lot. They want everything in one person. But as a matchmaker, I just tell them that they won’t get everything. They need to be realistic. The real world doesn’t work like that. You won’t get 100%. If you get 60-70% you should be happy. Two people have to make that 100% together. And it is possible that if you see a movie you think “I must get this kind of partner”. It does happen. That’s why we are here to guide them.

The one thing that keeps coming up is people wondering why there hasn’t been a single successful match across the three seasons.

People will always find things to criticise. And they have a right to also. Netflix just showed the process of Indian matchmaking. That’s what they wanted to do. In 5 months do you think it’s possible that everyone will get married? No. It would be a miracle. The show only shows the process.

You have to understand, this is a reality show. If it wasn’t a reality show, I could have matched all 8 couples. But it is a complete reality show, so it’s very difficult to actually match anyone. We are just showing the process to the world nothing else.

Would you ever be open to matchmaking for same-sex couples?

I don’t have options for that. When options come, we can think of that.

Have you thought about life after the show? Would you still want to keep doing something on TV?

My life has completely changed because of this show. I’ve done The Fabulous Lives Of Bollywood Wives, I’ve done Big Boss, I’ve done a lot of brand endorsements. I’m doing all of this and if more opportunities come after the show, I’ll happily do it.

What’s the strangest criteria you’ve ever been given for a match? I read an interview where you spoke about someone who was looking for a very specific height for their daughter-in-law.

That was a unique case. They wanted a specific height, skin colour, and hair length for their daughter-in-law. It was a challenge but they got their demand. That happens sometimes.