The reality TV industry is one that is both adored and criticized by many. With Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives hitting Netflix this past November, it has proved to make no exception.
This show stars Maheep Kapoor, Neelam Kothari, Bhavna Pandey and Seema Khan (wives of well known Bollywood actors Sanjay Kapoor, Samir Son, Chunky Pandey and Sohail Khan respectively.) After the hit show Indian Matchmaking released on Netflix months prior, this new series was eagerly anticipated as another avenue for more Indian representation in reality TV. Many Bollywood followers were intrigued by the opportunity to get a sneak peek into the rich and lavish lifestyle of famous Bollywood families. However, the show sparked controversy over the sense of pretension and privilege the public perceived.
The show is unscripted and rather focuses more on the wives’ day-to-day interactions with each other and their family through various scenarios. From going shopping in luxury cars to exclusive debutante balls like Le Bal, FLBW showcases a luxurious life which, ironically, the wives consider “mundane.” Given that FLBW was helmed by the very prestigious Dharmatics Production banner, it was shocking for many to see the 1.7 star rating on Google and thousands of disappointed Bollywood fans commenting throughout the internet. The Indian Express verbalized their opinions calling the series a “cringe fest” and “empty, shallow classism”. And the majority of Indian viewers seem to agree. Under the twitter hashtag #FabulousLivesofBollywoodWives viewers expressed how they felt about the overall sense of fakeness and lack of authenticity of the show. The word “pretentious” was abundant throughout these comments. With 6.7% of India living under the poverty line and intense debates on nepotism in Bollywood yet to subside, this show came across for many as a display of blatant privilege.
Though the majority of FLBW viewers felt let down, not everyone believed that the show was a waste of time. On Twitter many Indians were also quick to defend the show, noting that the breezy content wasn’t designed to be over scrutinized. Others took a more neutral approach: acknowledging both the tone-deaf privilege and the addictive entertainment.
Despite the mixed the reviews, FLBW trended #1 on Netflix in multiple regions and broke 2020 records. Love it or hate it, you can’t ignore it. And after months of a global pandemic, perhaps light entertainment is what the audience wants.
Article by Inaya Siddiqi of Clarksburg High School
Photo Courtesy of Netflix