Desi Bling Trolled For Normalising Infidelity
Karan Kundra and Tejasswi Prakash starrer “Desi Bling” is grabbing viewers’ attention for bad reasons. Rumors on social media say netizens are calling out “Desi Bling” for its misogyny and patriarchy, labeling it the new “embarrassing watch”.
What is “Desi Bling”?
The series, which is said to be a spin-off of the infamous “Dubai Bling” series, ends with a total of 7 episodes. The official plot of the series reads: “Sparing no expense or drama, extravagant parties and delicious secrets rule the lives of the ultra-rich Indian Diasporas in this reality series.” The series is set in one of Dubai’s most elite social circles and offers an unfiltered look at a world where everything is about money.
The internet criticizes “Desi Bling” for feeding patriarchy. Netizens also criticized Satish and Tabinda Sanpal for normalizing infidelity. What really triggered the audience was the statements of Satish Sanpal and his wife Tabinda. From partying with other women to flaunting his kilos of gold and ultra-luxurious lifestyle, his relationships seem to revolve around wealth, status and personal circumstances rather than emotional depth. Tabinda was seen saying that she has no problem with her husband cheating on her and partying with other women as long as it doesn’t happen again. He says he might fall in love if he meets the same woman. This statement reflects a very transactional and modern approach to marriage. Tabinda also said on camera that she likes to give her husband a foot massage after waking up in the morning, which he believes brings wealth and prosperity, and that this relationship seems more like a symbol of power and wealth than a lifelong friendship. At the same time, rituals such as gifting 3 kg of gold for every Dhantera resemble the lifestyle dynamics of the ultra-rich couple, where money often becomes the center of relationships and values, rather than a traditional emotional bond.
On social media, people commented:
One netizen wrote on
Another user
The guys at Desi Bling actually suck, I think only one of them makes sense. These women married really scary rich men,” stated one X user, while another wrote: “Desi Bling is really testing my patience because why do some of these talk to their wives/daughters like that? This disrespect is actually crazy and the fact that some of these women allow it has left me completely baffled every episode as I tag Desi Bling.
Moreover, citizens also compared it to ‘Dubai Bling’ and said, “The guys in Desi Bling are very grumpy. I watched the reality TV show in Dubai and I think most of their guys actually act like this. They are not well educated at all.”
One of the most talked about events of the series was Karan Kundra’s marriage proposal to his long-time girlfriend Tejasswi Prakash. Karan proposed to Tejasswi after 4 years of dating, much to the surprise of his fans; It was as filmic as fans expected: dramatic lights, a lavish beach setting, and Karan getting down on one knee and asking, “Tejasswi Prakash, will you marry me?” he asked.
The actor-couple has not officially announced their proposal yet. However, the emotional moment quickly spread on social media as clips from the episode spread on fan pages within minutes, and this proposal became one of the most discussed topics of the program.
However, while the series has been talked about a lot on social media by amateurs who criticize the misogynistic and patriarchal mentality of the cast, some people also defend the series and its cast by saying “if the woman is happily doing things for her husband and has no problems, then we should not comment on their private issues and relationship dynamics.”
