When news broke that the second season of "Bridgerton," Shondaland's sexy Regency-era scripted series, would feature a cast of South Asian leading ladies, I was elated. In a world where South Asian representation in Western media has either been offensive — like Apu Nahasapeemapetilon from "The Simpsons" — or blatantly whitewashed — like Max Minghella's Divya Narendra in "The Social Network" — it was about time that I saw characters who not only looked like me but were also not mere caricatures.
This season accomplishes exactly that with the Sharma family, comprising Lady Mary Sheffield (Shelley Conn) and her daughters, Kathani "Kate" (Simone Ashley) and Edwina (Charithra Chandran). The trio, adorned in silk dresses, sheer lace gloves and gold jhumkas, make quite the appearance before the Ton. While the reason for their recent return to England from India remains a mystery, it isn't enough to ward off Viscount Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), who sets his sights on marrying Edwina — the season's prized diamond — when his heart actually desires her older sister.
