Sima Taparia

She’s easily one of the most sought-after names when it comes to fixing arranged marriages in the crème de la crème of highsociety and community. But it was post her hit Netflix reality show Indian Matchmaking grabbing spotlight in the OTT space globally that Mumbai-based India’s top matchmaker Sima Taparia shot to international fame! Fondly called Sima Aunty, whilst the vivacious matchmaker didn’t find the perfect matches on the show for her prospective aspirants, she certainly has her detractors step back as the show’s third season has bagged a nomination at the 75th Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program category. This marks the second Emmy nomination for the show that showcases Taparia’s matchmaking skills as she helps her clients find suitable marriage partners. Unperturbed by what a segment of audience has to say about her show being regressive, Sima has a simple funda ‘To each their own’! Showcasing one more facet of her interesting personality, she has also recently released her debut single as a singer. We caught up with this much-in-demand matchmaker who’s in Dubai for a collaboration with Mahzooz to join in their LIVE draw and pick out a lucky winner who’ll walk away having hit jackpot and seeing his dreams come true. Excerpts from our candid chat about playing cupid, finding love, luck, destiny and of course, marriages!

Your Emmy nominated Indian Matchmaking has put a spotlight on arranged marriages. Tell us more about it. It’s a reality show on Netflix and this was an untouched topic. There’s nothing scripted, there’re no dialogues and every single thing you see on it is reality. I keep everything relatable, real and brutally honest. And I believe that my Indian values have made me a star. And these values are what I want the younger generations to imbibe too. It’s good to have expectations, but you have to be realistic enough to understand that when it comes to choosing a partner, you will have to compromise. Yes, love and respect are important, but 70 per cent of meeting your expectations is also good enough, because realistically you’ll never get a 100 per cent when it comes to finding a partner. One has to be flexible, appreciate each other’s quality and drop your ego. Also it’s very important to have patience. These are the real factors that make or break it. The fact that it has been nominated for the Emmy Awards shows how widely it has been accepted.

Is matchmaking and arranged marriages more challenging in today’s times when there are so many dating apps for the young generations?

Dating apps and all these things work only up to a certain extent. You’ll be surprised to know how many from the younger generation actually prefer arranged marriages and I can tell you that my way of matchmaking is all the more relevant and popular. There is no personality or any serious involvement with these apps. But in an arranged marriage, there’s a mediator, families are involved and there’s a support from them, plus there’s an onus for the decision. That’s the beauty of an arranged marriage. And my way of working is that I personally meet them, see the homes, understand their criteria, their needs, their economical and financial status, their culture, values, compatibility and only then proceed. I filter and scan before I match two people, so the success rate is more.

The debate about love marriage vs arranged marriage has been going on since ages, so what’s your take? There’s a wider safety net when it comes to arranged marriages as there are families also that are equally involved. In fact, after the show, I have seen an even more interest shown by youngsters in arranged marriages. The concept is changing.

There’s luck involved in love and life generally whether arranged marriage or love marriage. So is your collaboration with Mahzooz also an extension of that belief? When I find good matches, the couple is happy, the families are happy and they give me lot of blessings and all. I think it’s the same with Mahzooz. You participate in that and with luck you can win that, so destiny is there! Matchmaking and Mahzooz… Both help in achieving your dreams and your destiny.

What are the weirdest or the strangest criteria that people have approached you with for prospectivematches?

I had a woman approach me for a prospective bride and her list of requirement read like she was ordering coffee – not just skin complexion, she was insistent on certain height, hair length, qualifications, financial background, values, everything…

So how much do you pander to their expectations?

I do explain and guide my clients that realistically you can’t have it all. Kahin na kahin adjust karna hoga. You can’t have a 100 per cent, it’s a reality. People also understand this now and so do the youngsters. And if through my show, this has been possible then it’s a blessing for me.

How different is it playing a matchmaker in real versus on reel? No, it’s the same as what we do in real life. Our reality shows are totally real. It’s unscripted, so no dialogue, nothing. The clients are also real. It’s just that there are cameras.

Any plans of Season 4? Netflix will plan that.

And you have also turned singer.

Yes, Shaadi ki Taiyaari Hai is a very peppy and catchy wedding song and people have loved it. I’m not a trained singer, but I had a dream of becoming a singer since childhood and I used to sing in antakshari in groups and all. But never had I thought I would do it professionally. I don’t have the best voice for a singer, but I have sung a wedding song which is very real and people can relate to one of their family members singing. And I’m thrilled to share that the song went viral instantly crossing1.5 million views in under 15 days.

How has life changed post the show?

Everything. After the show, I’m doing a lot of brand endorsements. I’m going on many shows like Bigg Boss and Bollywood Wives. I have also signed a few movies. God has been kind.

You have showed that age is just a number when it comes to living your dreams, so is there a message that you want to give out especially to the women?

Yes, I want to give a message to women that for creativity and age there are no boundaries. Now I’ve sang a song at this age. I’m doing matchmaking, and so many other things. I’m a socialite, I’m travelling the world, I’m meeting so many people. So if you have dreams, just go after them. There is no age limit for the dreams. There are no boundaries. Do balance the professional life and your personal life and just go for it.