2010’s show "Mahi Way" is the perfect example of Indian Cultures Biases that exist within the South Asian Community. It is a show that we must watch to best understand things that the culture values. This show is set in the capital city of India, New Delhi. It shows a woman, Mahi, who is 25-years-old, and is struggling with her appearances. She is a girl who is overweight and is living in an Indian Family. This family is pushing her for marriage, as they believe she’s at a marriageable age and as she ages, marriage will become unlikely. They also push for marriage as her appearances are unacceptable as is and the factor of age will make it only more difficult for Mahi to find a marriage purposely. However, because she has factors that put her at odds, like her weight, the audience sees some of the hardships a girl faces in a South Asian community. The show shows pressures that already exist in this society, which are amplified if a factor which the culture respects in appearance is misplaced.
Despite it being a 2010 show, Mahi Way it has been recently added to Netflix. And the biased standards in the community still stand strong. SO, the show remains the most relatable.
Here are some reasons why a South Asian American relate to this show:
1. It’s inclusive.
We see that the main character is friends with a man who is gay. He is open about his sexuality and opens up his best friend. We recognize that for the community that this is based in there are still ways to express the existence of a diverse population in a conservative country. It shows that there is a shift in the nation, but biases are making it difficult for communities like the LGBTQ to openly be expressive.
2. It portrays a cultural struggle.
It shows that the Indian culture is set in its ways. The show indicates that India has a fixed view of their beauty standards. Thus, if someone doesn’t meet those standards, it creates tension and difficulty for people to fit in with their families and their peers/colleagues.
3. It shows a sense of self-pride and awareness.
The audience sees in this show, is that the main characters best friend who is aware of her of his sexuality isn’t afraid of what people are saying. He is fearless and a great example of self-awareness and self-pride which is often not seen within the community. Thus it is inspirational for the South Asian community.
4. The diary-like cinema gives a sense of inner connection.
Mahi, speaks to the audience. This direction indeed allows for a direct connection with the stress that she is facing. It's almost like a diary which is unfolding at every turn and allowing us to experience the issues Mahi undergoes.
5. As a girl, especially South Asian, it shows us how the public sees us.
The show shoes a girl who is struggling with her appearances. She faces taunts and berating from those around her. But there is this inner strength that keeps her spirits alive. Her spirts allow her to look past her flaws, and hope for a man she has dreamt up rather than what those around push on her.
If television has mastered the problems that the South Asian Community holds, then is an indication that the community is changing? Or it is just a way for us to identify the issues that are persistent in the country? Only time will tell. Therefore, the community must push for a change in mindset if it expects for it.
