The fee for hiring Indian matchmaker Sima Taparia could be between $2000 and $5000.
Sima Taparia, the Indian matchmaker featured in the Netflix series "Indian Matchmaking," charges a fee of around $2000 to $5,000 for her services. However, the exact amount may vary depending on the client's specific requirements and the complexity of the matchmaking process. In addition to her fee, clients are also responsible for covering the costs of travel and other expenses associated with the matchmaking process.
Taparia initially pursued matchmaking as a hobby, but her success inspired her to establish her business, "Suitable Rishta." While her focus was initially on Marwari families, her business has now expanded globally, catering to individuals from diverse backgrounds. Her services are currently limited to Indians and South Asians.
Specializing in Indian arranged marriages, Sima Taparia has become an adept leader and mediator, navigating between the clients and their families. The matchmaking process starts with the client reaching out to the company. After verifying the client's seriousness, the company collects essential information, including photographs, citizenship documents, education and job details, as well as lifestyle and home assessments.
Based on the client's preferences, Suitable Rishta filters potential partners from their database. If both sides agree, an initial meeting is arranged.
What is Indian Matchmaking?
A Smriti Mundhra-produced 2020 Indian reality television series titled "Indian Matchmaking" debuted on Netflix on July 16, 2020. Netflix picked up the show for a second season in August 2021. The third season of the show was ordered by Netflix in March 2022, and it debuted in April 2023.
The reality TV series follows the stories of several Indian singles as they seek out potential partners with the help of a Mumbai-based matchmaker named Sima Taparia. The show explores the complexities of the Indian matchmaking industry, including the traditional methods used by matchmakers, the role of caste and class in partner selection, and the evolving attitudes towards marriage and relationships in modern India.
What is the critical reception of Indian Matchmaking?
The critical reception of "Indian Matchmaking" has been mixed. While some viewers have praised the show for its engaging storytelling and unique insights into the world of arranged marriages in India, others have criticized it for perpetuating certain stereotypes and promoting outdated notions of gender and marriage.
Critics have also argued that the show's emphasis on caste and class distinctions reinforces harmful societal norms and fails to address the deeper social and cultural issues at play in the Indian matchmaking industry.
How did the Indian Matchmaking Series develop?
"Indian Matchmaking" was developed by Smriti Mundhra, an Indian-American filmmaker and director who was inspired to create the series after experiencing her own challenges with matchmaking. Mundhra collaborated with Netflix to produce the show, which was filmed in India and the United States.
In 2009 or 2010, Mundhra, the show's creator, pitched the concept to a television producer but the proposal was rejected because it was “essentially not white enough.” She demonstrated Taparia, who "were super excited about it," when pitching the show to Netflix.
When she documented the lives of three other women going through the Indian marriage process for the 2017 documentary "A Suitable Girl," she met Taparia. This took place three years before “Indian Matchmaking” debuted on Netflix as one of the young women was one of Taparia's daughters.
