When it comes to marriages, Sima aunty knows best. Or so she would have you believe. Sima Taparia, a Mumbai-based matchmaker, became an overnight sensation last year after her reality show, Indian Matchmaking, dropped on Netflix. She found popularity and notoriety in equal parts, with her show being criticised for being regressive and reducing women to a checklist.

Now, in an inventive move, Lionsgate Play has roped her in to lead a campaign for its first Indian original, Hiccups & Hookups, featuring Lara Dutta and Prateik Babbar.  

The Kunal Kohli-directed series revolves around two siblings, essayed by Dutta and Babbar, navigating the world of love, dating and separation. When devising its promotional strategy, the creative team felt Taparia assessing the lead characters’ love lives would make for an interesting watch. The first video of the series was shot at a Bandra five-star hotel last week.

A source reveals, “The video sees Taparia trying to find perfect matches for Dutta’s Vasudha, who is separated, and her commitment-phobic brother Akhil. She is shocked to learn that Vasudha is experimenting with her sexuality while the brother is trying his hand at open relationships. The conservative Sima aunty judges their life choices, while declaring, ‘Yeh family hai ya falooda.’”

Stories with women at the centre have been on the rise in Indian entertainment. While that is cause enough for celebration, it is noteworthy that the parts written today are braver and far from conventional. Lara Dutta, who delivered an impressive performance in Bellbottom earlier this year, is set to ride this wave with Hiccups & Hookups, Lionsgate Play’s first Indian original.

The slice-of-life series is an adaptation of the popular American show, Casual, and revolves around a pair of siblings who navigate the world of dating, love and separation. With the November 26 release, director Kunal Kohli wanted to take another step forward in shattering the industry’s ageist ways. “I play a woman at the crossroads of life who is separating from her husband at 40, trying to raise an opinionated teenage daughter while foraying into online dating and finding love again. It was exciting to explore this role. Today, the roles being written for women are layered and showcase various aspects of life,” states Dutta, who shares screen space with Prateik Babbar.

The actor considers herself fortunate to be an active part of the changing tide in the industry. Eager as she was to lead a woman-centric drama, Dutta says the show’s insightful writing was another draw. “In today’s world, life doesn’t end with the end of a marriage. There is so much to look forward to. We wanted to convey that through Vasudha [her character].”

An actor, no matter how talented, can only be as good as the material provided to him/her. She credits Kohli for capturing the victories and vulnerabilities of women while encouraging them to reclaim their life. “A woman could have grown-up children, but her life is first her own. Others can’t be the be-all-and-end-all of one’s life. Vasudha’s trysts with finding love again is amusing on some days, and heart-warming on others. I hope it ignites self-realisation in women. We want women to know that at 40, life is possibly just beginning.”