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CHICAGO, IL— Aparna Shewakramani became an overnight sensation and ambassador for women demanding to be heard—in their love lives, workplaces, and in every space they occupy—as the breakout star of the Netflix hit Indian Matchmaking. Viewers worldwide were captivated by the high-flying, Houston-based lawyer on her journey to find the love of her life, while refusing to lower her standards for a television audience.
Aparna is now telling her own story in She’s Unlikeable: And Other Lies That Bring Women Down with Chicago Review Press, releasing in February 2022. A declaration for anyone who has ever been cast out for sharing their voice and standing up for themselves, Aparna’s book will reframe the concept of likeability, asking what it might look like to instead care about liking yourself.
“There is no handbook for how to react when you're vilified on an international television series. Believe me, I looked,” said Aparna. “When Indian Matchmaking launched on Netflix I was hit with a deluge of harassment and trolling coming from all corners of the globe. It was at that moment that I reckoned with my two choices: either I could hide out and wait until the press and trolls died away; or I could reclaim my own voice and use my platform to empower women in every space they occupy—from matchmaking, to workplaces and schools, to their WhatsApp groups and family dinner tables.”
Aparna’s journey, from Indian Matchmaking to reclaiming her voice, is one to which people all over the globe can relate. Her book will walk readers through her life before Indian Matchmaking—how the show made her a divisive character, but how she ultimately became a strong, courageous role model. Her story as an immigrant, an autoimmune warrior, a hurricane survivor, and even a hopeless romantic resonates throughout.
“Aparna’s book is an amazing read,” says CeCe Lyra, previously at The Rights Factory and now at P.S. Literary Agency. “She takes us through her life’s story with her signature blend of humor and depth, offering some much-needed context for viewers of the show. Indian Matchmaking gave us Aparna memes, but this book will give us Aparna’s origin story. It’s Aparna unfiltered, uncensored. It’s everything her fans have been wanting. Transcending the show, it’s a book for every woman who’s ever had to worry about being likeable. It’s a book for women who are eager to take back control of their narratives.”
Similarly, Aparna doesn’t hold back on her own experience with the more controversial aspects of Indian Matchmaking—colorism, casteism, body-shaming. She delves into issues of race and assimilation, taking readers along on her journey to prevent Aparna-the-person from being erased by Aparna-the-character.
“When I first watched the show, I developed immediate tunnel vision for Aparna's story: the bravery required to believe that self-reliance and self-actualization should never preclude true love,” said Kara Rota, senior editor at Chicago Review Press. “This book will not only answer the many curiosities of fans of Indian Matchmaking, but also stand strong as a deeply relatable memoir of a woman who is funny, smart, adventurous, loyal, and unapologetically herself.”
“Thousands of women, maybe even hundreds of thousands, had the same question of me: ‘How did you become this way?’ adds Aparna. “This book answers that question fully—and then some. Sit back and take in my personal story of one supposed villain and how she's standing up for those before her and all those who will come after.”
About Chicago Review Press (CRP):
Chicago Review Press (CRP) was founded in 1973 and is one of two publishing units within Independent Publishers Group. Over the years, CRP has grown into a dynamic independent publisher with new titles in fiction and non- fiction for adults and children. CRP publishes under a wide range of subjects under several imprints, including Lawrence Hill Books, Amberjack, Academy Chicago Publishers and Parenting Press.
About Independent Publishers Group (IPG):
Founded in 1971, IPG was the first organization specifically created for the purpose of marketing titles from independent presses to the book trade. Today, IPG’s wide reach into the book market includes distribution of both print and e-books from a wide array of publishers, digital printing and traditional publishing. With consistent growth year over year, IPG’s success has come from supporting and encouraging the growth of its publishing partners in the United States and worldwide. IPG was acquired by Chicago Review Press in 1987, and this acquisition formed the parent company Chicago Review Press, Inc., which now owns Chicago-based indie publishers Chicago Review Press and Triumph Books.
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