How to Be Single in India Part 1/6

Liz Tuccillo: My name is Liz Tuccillo and I was a writer on Sex in the City and coauthor of He’s Just Not That Into You. You would think I was a dating expert yet single life is still battled me, so I decide to travel the world and see how people all over were managing their single lives. The reason why I wanted to go to Mumbai was because I was obsessed with the idea of arranged marriages. What would it be liker to marry a perfect stranger? So at what age were you? You said— Priya Shridhar: I was almost 24 when I got married. Liz Tuccillo: So you we’re thinking you were going to become a career women, you’re going to have a— Priya Shridhar: Definitely I never thought that I would be staying at home. I was like very keen on academics. Liz Tuccillo: Did you say to your family find someone for me or did your family say— Priya Shridhar: No, they’ve were—we continue to find someone, we’ll look out for a boy and in the mean time if you find someone, please let us know. Liz Tuccillo: So you and your husband grew up together. Female: 21 years. Liz Tuccillo: Together total? Female: Yeah. Liz Tuccillo: So they we’re looking, you were looking. Priya Shridhar: I was not really looking.— I was. Liz Tuccillo: And they, meaning your mother and father? Priya Shridhar: The extended family; aunts, uncles, grandmothers. Liz Tuccillo: And your brothers, uncles, aunts— Did you meet a few women before you met your wife? Pradip B. Nahir: Yeah, I met her about more than 60 women. Liz Tuccillo: Six? Pradip B. Nahir: Six zero. Liz Tuccillo: Six zero. Pradip B. Nahir: Yes, yes. Liz Tuccillo: You met 60 women. How many people did you meet to be possibly in arrange marriage? Hamida Parker: I met about 20, 25 people. Liz Tuccillo: 20, 25 people? Hamida Parker: Yes. Liz Tuccillo: And none of them were right. Hamida Parker: None of them were right. Priya Shridhar: That’s the only reason I agreed to do an arranged marriage. Liz Tuccillo; Is that you could say no whenever— Male: Maybe because I was too picky, I couldn’t find anyone on my own. My parents told me one fine morning that, “We are going to engage you, is it all right?” “Look, I have not seen the girl.” So, they said you’ll be leaving us, your parents. Liz Tuccillo: Yes, trust us. Male: Trust us, and I trusted them, so I saw my wife, would-be wife and it was love at first sight. Liz Tuccillo: So they were the ones that introduced you to their wife? Male: Yeah. Liz Tuccillo: And it was tat love at first sight? Male: First sight. So, it depends. Liz Tuccillo: So you met in the terrace. Priya Shridhar: Yes. Liz Tuccillo: For half an hour. Priya Shridhar: Yes Liz Tuccillo: And then he came inside and he said this is the girl for me and it was you— Priya Shridhar: And I was the first girl he met, so I was like quite impressed. Liz Tuccillo: So when that happened, you met him and agreed marry him. Priya Shridhar: Yes. Liz Tuccillo: Oh my God. Priya Shridhar: I don’t know if he regrets it but I don’t, not even for a minute. Liz Tuccillo: I don’t know but it’s the most romantic story I’ve ever heard, the craziest story I’ve ever heard. Priya Shridhar: Probably the latter. Liz Tuccillo: Yeah. Okay, so far it didn’t sound so bad but how do arranged marriages actually work?