Bridgerton’s great return to Netflix was met with much excitement and anticipation – season two promised two new faces, specifically two South Asian faces, to the regency drama.
The introduction of sisters Kate Sharma, played by Simone Ashley of Sex Education fame, and Edwina played by Charitha Chandran, was met with much applause, as we’re seldom exposed to Indian representation on mainstream TV.
And the level of detail afforded to their characters hasn’t gone unnoticed by audiences.
We’ve been treated to Hindi terminology including ‘didi’ meaning sister, a tel malish whereby an elder lovingly massages oil onto the hair, a haldi ceremony (where turmeric mixed in oil and water is applied to the bride), and plenty of gold jewellery and embroidery on dresses, reflective of attire popular among South Asian communities.
And who can forget the dulcet acoustics of the Khabhi Kushi Khabi Gham soundtrack – one of the highest grossing Indian movies of all time?
Though some have pointed out the flattening of many Indian cultures into one (referring to a father as appa wouldn’t be common across many Hindi-speaking families, for example), others have pointed out how refreshing it is to see some representation.
The fact that Kate and Edwina are two dark-skinned Indian women, which even Bollywood fails to employ, also won much praise, especially as their identities aren’t used as a point of conflict.
Seeing them as beautiful, desirable leads is certainly refreshing to many.
I do not know that my heart is big enough to convey what it has been like watching #bridgertonS2 and seeing Simone Ashley and Charithra Chandan as Asian women with darker skin, playing romantic leads on a mainstream show. I am 41, and this is the first time I’ve seen it.
— Poorna Bell (@poornabell) March 28, 2022
Bridgerton has got to be the one of the best South Asian representations I’ve ever seen in Western media tbh and the representation of darker skinned South Asian women was better in 8 episodes than any show/film in the Bollywood Industry #Bridgerton
— I (@inayasr) March 28, 2022
just finished bridgerton season two and i really loved how they showed baring of expectations on older siblings, ESPECIALLY AN OLDER SISTER, the amount of south asian representation and the appreciation of culture and language. and of course Kathani, she was my favorite pic.twitter.com/5p8B4NWSyK
— ani⁷ | ¡yoongi month! (@glossdied) March 26, 2022
The south Asian representation in @bridgerton season 2 was amazing. I cried straight up. Seeing the most amazing leading ladies use hair oil and Ubtan and the presence of my culture fills me with so much light. Absolutely sensational acting from the actors who played the Sharmas pic.twitter.com/yidQ2xkEo3
— hayehaye (@hayehayee) March 26, 2022
I always love historical fiction, but @bridgerton has powerful South Asian representation in a Regency setting. Many small things such as language & hair oiling, but having Pithi scene before a wedding, with an orchestral cover of Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham was so moving to see pic.twitter.com/up5sc96NeX
— Binita (@binita_dave) March 28, 2022
The difference between the south Asian representation in Bridgerton vs most shows with south Asian female leads is that it wasn’t forced or tokenized. There was appreciation for our culture and our people without it being an issue for someone to deal with.
— Nav (she/her) (@Nav_yeet131) March 28, 2022
As a South Asian woman working in television, I’ve been poring over my feelings about #Bridgerton. I’m absolutely blown away by this season. This is the representation I’ve been craving, the entire reason I got into entertainment. My heart is warm.
— Rika ? (@rdbhakta_93) March 27, 2022
I’ve loved this season of #Bridgerton so much for that reason. We’re often reduced to stereotypes and caricatures when we deserve so much more. The South Asian representation doesn’t come across as forced or tokenised to me, it’s affirming and empowering (and I love to see it!)
— Shehnaz Khan (@shehnazkhan) March 29, 2022
Being a South Asian women and a literature student it feels surreal to see Brown female characters represented in Regency era literature in mainstream media. Now that imagination has culminated into reality with a Bollywood touch. How beautiful is the representation. #Bridgertonpic.twitter.com/ryIM9bWaYb
— Avantika Panda (@avantika_panda) March 25, 2022
This representation also means a lot to Chandni Sembhi, a producer, 24, from Slough.
She tells HuffPost UK: “While the representation wasn’t perfect (I’d have loved to see Edwina with some bridal henna), I do think we have come a long way with South Asian representation.
“Seeing Kate massage oil into Edwina’s hair was something I would not have imagined seeing in Western media even a few years ago. Aside from those really touching references to South Asian culture, it was such a refreshing and welcomed change to see a darker-skinned South Asian woman being portrayed as a desirable character – especially when Bollywood still has so far to come in addressing colourism.”
Sempbhi also appreciates that these roles are not identity-conflicted.
“Kate’s conflict in the series didn’t come from the colour of her skin, which can be a trope for a lot of non-white characters in Western media, and it was really lovely seeing a South Asian woman get to have a storyline where race wasn’t her entire personality.”
Let’s hope we see more of it.