Like many a recent crazed fan, when seeing that the new season of Bridgerton was out I took a day to binge-watch the show. I was especially intrigued to see that there were not one, but two, heroines of South Asian Descent. I grew up without any representation in the mass media as a child, with the only representation being Apu of “The Simpsons,” who was the owner of a small corner store with a heavy accent.
It was a joy and a triumph to see that the leading ladies of this season of Bridgerton were brown, let alone of a similar background to my own. Bollywood is the largest movie industry in the world, releasing over eight hundred movies a year compared to Hollywood’s two hundred. Even so, the actors are expected to try to meet Western beauty standards, including bleaching their skin. The actresses playing sisters Kate and Edwina, Simone Ashley and Charithra Chandran, are both of Tamil (South Indian) descent. Seeing their beautiful faces in a period drama was a delight that I was skeptical I would see in my lifetime. Not only was I caught up in the intense romance of the story, I was happy to see their depth and development. The older sister felt a need to protect her loved ones and draw on her own strength, whereas the younger one was trying to find herself and her way in the world.
As a first-born daughter, I can identify with the character of Kate as she tries to secure her family’s future after her father’s passing. It was a heavy weight on her shoulders, and she sacrificed her own happiness to help her mother and sister. The tenets of Indian culture of family and tradition were very prominent. In fact, it echoed the story of many a Bollywood film. “Muhjse dosti karoge” from 2002 comes to mind, including the jeweled bracelets that foretell the hero’s true love, despite his arranged match.
The characters of diverse backgrounds shown by Shonda Rimes’s production company has been wonderful to see. I hope to continue to enjoy seeing more stories of people of color in the future. We may have been erased from many a history book, but we existed and did things great and small. Our stories need to be told, both fictitious and real-life. Romances, rebellions, revolutions, and riotous laughter is not owned by any one ethnic group.