Sima Taparia from Mumbai has been in the news ever since the Netflix show Indian Matchmaking came out. The matchmaker arranges marriages for Indians and NRIs, assessing their requirements and providing profiles for clients. While this is a very common way to get married in India, the show has sparked an uproar for seemingly endorsing regressive practices.

Sima herself is unfazed. The matchmaker believes that everyone is entitled to their opinion.

In this interview with TNM, Sima addresses the criticism she received and also how matchmaking has changed over the years.

You have been a matchmaker for several years now. Is there a difference between what your early set of clients wanted and what people want now from their prospective partner?

Matchmaking evolves with what clients want out of their partners. Younger clients seek and consider other things to be more important than what clients 10 years back wanted. Clients today want their partners to be equally ambitious, driven, and have similar interests in addition to having similar core values. It seems as though they want to learn and grow with each other.

The show has received all kinds of responses. Are you surprised by the discussions? What do you feel about it?

Not really. Everyone is entitled to an opinion – some may like it, some may not. This is the way my work is and how my clients are. The series also showed some good things that have changed, like how independent girls are now. I’ve gotten so much praise since the show was released. Of course some criticism is there also, but that is life...

There are eight people we meet in this season. Who was the most difficult for you to figure out and why?

For me, a client is a client. Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to what they like and what they don't like. I have loved all my interactions with the candidates of the show.

One objection people have about the show is that it stresses too much on women needing to be 'flexible'. Others say that's what clients want in a marriage. What do you feel about this expectation yourself? 

I tell all my clients, boys and girls, that they have to adjust and compromise. In the show, I also told Vyasar to compromise and adjust as well and do not think it’s solely up to women. Personally, I believe that compromise, adjusting and open communication are integral parts of a relationship.

We're curious to know about your fee. Is it a one-time payment or does it vary according to how long a person takes to find a partner?

I am reading on social media about my charges but they are incorrect. I do matchmaking for every client who needs my services.

Have there been instances when you set someone up and they got married but the marriage fell apart? Do clients blame you for it?

In arranged marriages, I introduce a client to the other. Both the families meet and discuss. I do not interfere in their decision. So in a way I am not making any decision for the families.

You take the help of face readers and astrologers in the show. How big an influence are they in you taking a match forward? For example, in Nadia and Vinay's case, what they said didn't happen. Also, what happens in case the face reader says the match you've put together is not good?

Astrology and face reading shows one a possible direction in life. As you may notice, we are in a digital age where there are limitless opportunities and possibilities. Even then, a lot of importance is given to such techniques as it helps many find a direction in life, not a solution or end result.

How is matchmaking going on with the coronavirus pandemic?

I have a very loyal customer base that have referred me to several new clients. In COVID times also I am getting calls and mails from people. I am getting a lot of new enquiries.