From American Novels to Jaipur Streets: The Evolution of Mismatched
In short: How does a best-selling American novel about Indo-American teenagers transform into a multi-season Indian Netflix hit? The journey of 'Mismatched' reveals how cultural recalibration—swapping family dynamics and settings—can turn a specific story into a relatable national phenomenon for millions of viewers.
To appeal to viewers in India, the production modified the framework of Sandhya Menon's 2017 book 'When Dimple Met Rishi'. While the source material is set in the United States and features a Gujarati family where the parents are still together, the Netflix adaptation moved the setting to Jaipur. Screenwriter Gazal Dhaliwal intentionally altered the family dynamics to make the narrative more believable for local viewers.
A key mechanism of this cultural shift was the introduction of a grandmother character—who does not appear in the book—to provide a traditional justification for an arranged marriage setup. This allowed the story to explore the tension between modern ambitions and generational expectations. The adaptation also shifted Rishi's personality from being more obedient in the novel to a 'hopeless romantic' who believes in traditional dating methods, creating a central conflict with Dimple, a driven gamer.
The production was an intensive undertaking, filmed over 38–39 days in November 2019. The majority of scenes were shot in Jaipur, with some portions at the Old Royal School of Jodhpur. While critics offered varied opinions on its script and guidance, it became a landmark as an Indian Netflix Original Series hitting four seasons, with the concluding part due in 2026.
The series also highlights the complexity of modern identity; characters like Dimple are depicted navigating the dilemma of achieving personal goals versus parental pressure to marry. By grounding these 'high-school romance' tropes in specific cultural realities—like the looming prospect of marriage for college students—the show attempts to balance lighthearted drama with relatable, real-world issues.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Mismatched
- Also: Wikidata — mismatch · CC0
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/places-mismatched.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
Related
More in Cities · More in Countries & Cities · Latest · A–Z · All topics
