Bridgerton Season 4's Regency Era, Modern Indian Society And The Parallels We Often Overlook

Bridgerton creates a world far from our modern one - ball gowns, bigger halls, carriage rides, orchestral pop covers, gentlemen kissing hands of maidens and dancing away all night. A fantastic world that

is no longer achievable. However, scratch the surface and you will know why we are saying that the Regency era is not much different from our Indian society. In fact, the similarities and lots of young women 'self-inserting' themselves in the fictional story might very well explain the massive popularity of Bridgerton series in India.

The world of Bridgerton beyond fancy ballgowns

Based on a series of books by Julia Quinn, Bridgerton took the world by storm. At a glance, the show is all about romance! 7 Bridgerton siblings are out in the world, looking for true love. All of them have a fairytale love story with tropes that make you giggle and kick your feet. Three of these stories have already been explored. Daphne- Simon's fake dating trope, Anthony-Kate's enemies-to-lovers story and Colin-Penelope's friends-to-loves tale: all of these received love from audiences. The latest Bridgeton season 4 explores the Cinderella story.

Bridgerton may be set in the corseted ballrooms of Regency-era England, but its themes often feel uncannily familiar to us Indians. Surprisingly - or perhaps not - the show’s portrayal of love, marriage, and class mirrors many realities of modern Indian society. The parallels between the Regency era and contemporary India, especially around arranged marriages and class hierarchies, reveal how certain social systems mirror each other, even if cultures, timelines, and aesthetics differ vastly.

Arranged marriage - romantic in Bridgerton, reality in India

At the heart of Bridgerton lies the marriage market. Each season opens with young women being 'presented' to society, assessed not just for beauty or charm, but for how well they fit into an unspoken checklist of suitability. Love, while desirable, is secondary. Marriage is first and foremost a strategic alliance - between families, fortunes, and social standing. Any one who dares to question the system is side-eyed, punished or worse- banished, again depending upon their inherited class.This approach feels strikingly similar to arranged marriages in India today. Despite changing times and increasing emphasis on personal choice, marriage in most Indian households remains a family-led process. Matrimonial profiles list caste, education, salary, skin tone, and family background alongside hobbies and interests. Like the debutantes of Bridgerton, prospective brides and grooms are evaluated in a structured, almost ritualistic manner, where compatibility is measured much more by social alignment and less by emotional connection.

We also see how brides are expected to pay dowry in Bridgerton, and if a man agrees to marry a lady without dowry, he considers himself 'kind-hearted'. In season 2, Kate negotiates a deal with Edwina’s maternal grandparents that states that Edwina must marry a member of the ton to obtain an inheritance, which would be used for her dowry. While dowry is illegal in India, 'gifts' are rather famous in most marriages where brides are supposed to get gold, car and other household appliances like AC, fridge and anything else a groom and his family desires. The constant talks of dowry in the show and an ongoing social debate in India make this particular parallel glaring and sad.

The show thrives between the living room and the ball room. Fates are decided in the Jane Austen-esque living room, which sees something as trivial as breakfast and as massive as a marriage proposal. Men come to the head of the family's home to ask for a woman's hand, just like John did for Francesca. If this reminds you of countless Indian movies, nobody can blame you!

How Bridgerton ladies tell the tale of Indian women

The girls in the world of Bridgerton have only and only one aim - to get married. The first season starts with how Daphne has always wanted to be a wife and a mother, while knowing nothing about the process to become the latter. Violet, like many other ladies in the show, teaches her daughter how to be the perfect bride. This is not different from thousands of girls in India who are taught cleaning and cooking and given just enough education for them to get married.

Every season, we see ladies compete with each other to marry a man. While a man can court any lady, a woman has to wait for someone to come and ask her first. A maiden caught alone with a man is considered 'ruined', but a gentleman who has many romantic interest is merely a 'rake', who needs marriage to settle down. While this may sound eerily similar to the Indian society, these are all present in the world of Bridgerton. Remember how Daphne had to marry Simon because they were caught alone by Anthony?

Class: Then and now

Class hierarchy is another cornerstone of Bridgerton. The show’s glittering surface hides a rigid social order where lineage determines opportunity. Titles, inherited wealth, and proximity to power dictate one’s place in society. Moving between classes is rare and often met with resistance, gossip, or outright exclusion.Modern India, while not bound by titles of nobility, remains deeply shaped by class and caste divisions. Economic status, family reputation, and social networks continue to influence access to education, jobs, housing, and marriage prospects. Just as the Ton looks down upon those without pedigree, Indian society often draws invisible lines between the 'elite,' the aspirational middle class, and those struggling on the margins. Eloise, in season 2, was considered 'ruined' because she interacted with a paper boy.

What makes Bridgerton resonate is how subtly it portrays these barriers. A character may be welcomed into a ballroom but still be considered 'not quite equal.' The storyline of Mondrichs is just like that - while the family is now a part of the nobility, there's a constant pressure on them to fit in. Meanwhile, a family like Cowpers, who no longer have the riches to back their extravagant lifestyle, are still respected only on the basis of their long-standing class.Similarly, in India, social mobility may grant financial success without necessarily erasing prejudice or exclusion. Season 4’s narrative arc, which revolves around the brother of a Viscount falling in love with a maid, is likely to deepen these observations, showing how class is not just about money, but about perception and inherited privilege. Benedict falls in love with Sophie, but she is a maid, hence the only thing he can actually give him is an offer - to be his mistress (the book is named An Offer From A Gentleman)! Of course, they will fall in love and get married, but the main story revolves around the class difference between both.

Gossip columns and matchmakers

One of Bridgerton’s most compelling devices is Lady Whistledown - a reminder that society is always watching. Reputation can be built or destroyed overnight, and gossip becomes a powerful tool of control. Women, in particular, bear the brunt of this scrutiny, where a single misstep can permanently damage their prospects. Meanwhile, Lady Whistledown is the only tool for Penelope, a shy and bullied girl, to show the power of words to a society that does not care what women have to say.

This culture of surveillance finds a modern echo in India’s tightly knit communities and extended families. Social media has only amplified what already existed: constant observation, judgment, and commentary. Choices around relationships, clothing, career, or independence are often filtered through the fear of “log kya kahenge” (what will people say). Like Whistledown’s pamphlets, whispers travel fast and leave lasting consequences. Like Penelope, there are many girls waiting for their families and the world to listen to them.Since the show is all about marriages, matchmakers are also in business. Lady Danbury reminds us of a Regency Era Seema Taparia, who just seems to know all the good and bad matches and who belongs with each other. Remember how she noticed Anthony's growing fondness for Kate before anyone else?

Why these parallels matter

The reason Bridgerton connects so strongly with Indian audiences is not just its diversity or modern soundtrack, but its emotional truth. By dressing familiar struggles in historical fiction, the show creates a safe distance for viewers to reflect on their own realities. The Regency era becomes a mirror, one that reveals how little some social structures have changed.

As Bridgerton Season 4 unfolds, it might very well be a fluffy, easy-breezy watch for most. It is a show where pretty people wear gorgeous clothes and have their happily ever after. But it is also a series that shows the brutality of the marriage mart and classist division of the society. It is on the audience to put on their preferred glasses to watch the drama unfold.