Indian Matchmaking: What is Face Reading and How Does it Work?

In Netflix’s latest dating series, Indian Matchmaking, Sima Taparia, matchmaker to Mumbai’s finest, finds potential spouses for her Indian and Indian-American clients. But while an expert matchmaker like Taparia can spot a perfect pairing a mile way, a face reader can see even more from just one glance at a selfie.

Having successfully curated hundreds of marriages, Sima is highly sought after by clients who haven’t had luck in finding love on their own. Indian Matchmaking follows seven middle-aged singles living in India or the U.S. The show details the culture of Indian arranged marriages and the necessary modernization of the match-making process along the way. While demystifying the cultural mist that obscures understanding of arranged marriage in western societies, the show also provides a peek into the techniques of a modern Indian matchmaker. Sima relies on her decades of experience to provide strong proposals for her clients, comparing the candidate’s astrological charts, caste, and complexion as part of the process. Believing that all marriages are made in heaven, she sees it as her job to only bring the couple together here on Earth. Sometimes, however, she needs assistance from her go-to face reader to crack a tough match.

Face reading astrology, technically known as physiognomy, is the practice of predicting personality traits from minute details forming one’s face. Similar to palm reading, face reading is a staple in some cultures, believed to be a reliable pseudo-science that guides clients to learn more about themselves. Forehead height, inner-eye distance, markings, wrinkle position – each minuscule feature of one’s face unlocks a message of who they are. Fans of astrology would have some understanding of face reading, as certain characteristics are attributed to astrological signs. 

Sima consulted face reading astrologer Janardhan Dhurbe in the second episode of Indian Matchmaking to gain clarity on two clients who proved difficult to match. When shown a photo of Aparna, a client recognized by her pickiness, Dhurbe said her face represented Jupiter, demonstrating stubborn and domineering qualities. This is certainly how Aparna comes across in the show’s edit: She’s an accomplished woman who won’t settle for anything below her sky-scraping standards.

Dhurbe hit the money shot with his reading of Aparna, but not so much for Nadia and Vinay. He predicted that the two would walk the same path, and Nadia would give birth to twins. While the couple certainly started strong, they stopped dating after a couple of meetings. The jury is still out on the twins, but it doesn’t seem to be in their future. Based on its track record in the series, face reading may or may not be a viable tool for council, but it is only one of the many practices and traditions Sima wields in her matchmaking arsenal.

Indian Matchmaking season one is now available to stream on Netflix.

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