Indian Matchmaking has easily been one of the most controversial reality shows on Netflix to date, but there is absolutely nothing divisive about Nadia Jagessar, one of its most popular stars.
Viewers had many thoughts on arranged marriage as well as the effectiveness of matchmaker Sima Taparia’s methods, but there was one thing everyone seemed to agree on – that Jagessar is a catch. The only Indo-Guyanese person in the series, she captured plenty of hearts with her easy-going, bubbly nature, and romantic yet realistic approach.
The series followed her working with Taparia, who initially matched her with Vinay Chadha: this whirlwind romance ended on a dramatic note, thanks to a spot of ghosting. Jagessar was then set up with Shekar Jayaraman and, while they were seen hitting it off on the show, they did not end up together.
So, where exactly does that leave the 32-year-old event planner from New Jersey a year after filming? As she tells us, she’s just “living her life”.
“Things have been great, busier than usual, but all in positive ways. I’m still working, planning people’s events. This year was mostly filled with rescheduling events for next year. I feel like I’m just living my life … it’s just that a lot more people are invested in my life now!”
And as for her love life? “I’m taking a break. I think the world has seen enough of my dating so I’m trying to lay low for a bit,” she laughs.
Vyasar was her favourite on the show
Jagessar tells us she didn’t have an inkling of what to expect from the show before it aired, but she did know it was landing on Netflix at 3am her time. "I ended up waking up at like 5.45am or so, and I already had 200 messages on my phone,” she laughs, adding that she decided to put down her phone and just concentrate on the show, which she binge-watched like the rest of us.
“Vyasar is my favourite – he just seems like a big teddy bear and I want to give him a hug so bad. I love Ankita, too, I really resonated with her, she seemed like such a strong, independent woman. It was so cool to see everyone’s different personalities.”
I think the world has seen enough of my dating so I'm trying to lay low for a bit
Of course, watching her own life play out on screen brought a mixed bag of emotions. “Certain moments were fun … like seeing my mum going on a date with me. But I had spent the past few months working on letting go of the past and watching it play out on screen a year later … it was hard to relive and talk about again. I had spent the past nine months putting everything away and now everyone wanted to talk about it all over again.”
She woke up an overnight celebrity
She has received an outpouring of support and found instant stardom because of the show. "I was in New York City the other day in a face mask and glasses and this woman came up to me and said, 'has anyone ever told you look like Nadia from Indian Matchmaking?'"
Since the show landed on Netflix just over a month ago, her Instagram following has gone from 1,300 to 90,500. People have been reaching out to her through every social media platform, from Facebook to LinkedIn. Some have even sent emails to her business account.
“But people have been saying the nicest things – that they support me, that they’re rooting for me to find love. Every day, I try to go through it all but ever since the show has launched, I haven’t been able to clear my inbox. It’s a little overwhelming.”
And, of course, a huge chunk of these messages are from would-be suitors. “People have been proposing, saying things like ‘I would never stand you up, I would never do this or that to you, I would have married you in episode two!’ It’s all very sweet!” she says.
Part of the reason the proposals are pouring in is that Jagessar’s personality resonated with a lot of modern Indians looking for love. Perhaps even more so with people from specific communities. “A lot of the reactions have come from people from who are Indo-Caribbean or Indo-Fijian or Indian-South African, or any part of that diaspora around the world.
"They said they understand my story because they’ve had the same struggle; they understand being connected to India but also having this other part of them. I didn’t go into this thinking I would be an embodiment of anything, but I’m happy if I turned out to be that person.”
Going into an arranged marriage with an open mind
Much of the show was filmed about a year ago. Today, Jagessar is left with quite a few memories, a lot of memes about her (which she tells us she finds hilarious) and a few revelations about arranged marriage as a whole.
“What I thought – and I think a lot of people misconceive – is that the matchmaker is going to give me everything I wanted in a human. But it’s not like that. She’s not going to magically find you the perfect person in the first round. I mean, maybe it could happen but maybe not. That was one of my biggest revelations,” she says.
“The second is that sometimes people are different on paper. I understand why she brought me each of my matches, but when you meet someone in person, if that click or chemistry is not there then the biodata doesn’t really matter.”
She believes that, apart from chemistry, a good relationship is all about communication. “I see a lot of friends having struggles in their marriages and that is probably the number one thing, they don’t say what they are actually feeling.
“Compromising is another thing, but not from the girl’s side, from both sides,” she says, acknowledging the many memes around the show related to compromise. “Flexibility is not just one-sided. These are foundational elements. I also think people in our generation quit too easily. They have one big fight and think, well, that’s it, it is over.”
For all those looking for love in an arranged marriage set-up, Jagessar advises going into it with an open mind, while also staying true to your own values. “I know this can be hard, if there are families involved there can be a lot of pressure. But if you know this isn’t right for you, you need to exit. I don’t want anyone to be in a situation they don’t want for the rest of their lives.”
On learning to love yourself first
At the end of the day, though, she admits that she’s still a hopeless romantic. “I look for love, I seek it out,” she says. “Everyone tells me that when you’re not looking for it is when you will find it. I don’t know about that but I would love to have that person who is a best friend but also a soulmate.”
To all those looking for love, she says “good luck".
"I am searching right beside you! You are not alone in that struggle. Any single person, regardless of age, demographic, location, is going through something similar, the struggle is real across the board. But keep your head high, focus on yourself. I think people forget that they have to care for themselves before they enter a relationship and look for validation from another person.
“Take the time out to enjoy being single, doing the things you love, learn about yourself. If you’re not comfortable with yourself, how are you going to be comfortable with someone else?”
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
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The specs
Engine: 2.2-litre, turbodiesel
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Power: 160hp
Torque: 385Nm
Price: Dh116,900
On sale: now
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Spider-Man: No Way Home
Director: Jon Watts
Stars: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon
Rating:*****
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
HOW TO WATCH
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The years Ramadan fell in May
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
england euro squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Man Utd), Sam Johnstone (West Brom), Jordan Pickford (Everton)
Defenders: John Stones (Man City), Luke Shaw (Man Utd), Harry Maguire (Man Utd), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Kyle Walker (Man City), Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa), Reece James (Chelsea), Conor Coady (Wolves), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea), Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid)
Midfielders: Mason Mount (Chelsea), Declan Rice (West Ham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Kalvin Phillips (Leeds)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Man Utd), Raheem Sterling (Man City), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Everton), Phil Foden (Man City), Jack Grealish (Aston Villa), Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
Biography
Favourite book: Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
Holiday choice: Anything Disney-related
Proudest achievement: Receiving a presidential award for foreign services.
Family: Wife and three children.
Like motto: You always get what you ask for, the universe listens.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Squad
Ali Kasheif, Salim Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Ali Mabkhout, Omar Abdulrahman, Mohammed Al Attas, Abdullah Ramadan, Zayed Al Ameri (Al Jazira), Mohammed Al Shamsi, Hamdan Al Kamali, Mohammed Barghash, Khalil Al Hammadi (Al Wahda), Khalid Essa, Mohammed Shaker, Ahmed Barman, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Al Hassan Saleh, Majid Suroor (Sharjah) Walid Abbas, Ahmed Khalil (Shabab Al Ahli), Tariq Ahmed, Jasim Yaqoub (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmeen (Al Wasl), Hassan Al Muharami (Baniyas)
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Company%20Profile
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The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
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MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Fernandes pen 2') Tottenham Hotspur 6 (Ndombele 4', Son 7' & 37' Kane (30' & pen 79, Aurier 51')
Man of the match Son Heung-min (Tottenham)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More on Quran memorisation:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Ovo's tips to find extra heat
- Open your curtains when it’s sunny
- Keep your oven open after cooking
- Have a cuddle with pets and loved ones to help stay cosy
- Eat ginger but avoid chilli as it makes you sweat
- Put on extra layers
- Do a few star jumps
- Avoid alcohol
Trolls World Tour
Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Rating: 4 stars
