In South Asian countries, arranged marriages are the norm and not the exception. However when people immigrate to western nations, they tend to choose their own partners. That said, many will still prefer to find mates within their own communities. The story of Muhammad Malik is like that – only not like that. He says he doesn’t want an arranged match though he still wants to marry someone from his own religion and someone who can adjust with his loud Punjabi family. So he is asking for ‘applications’: on YouTube on and London billboards:
He is inviting applications via this video. There is his website called findmalikawife.com where ‘interested’ parties can fill out a Google form.
It says ‘save me from an arranged marriage’ on the billboard.
This wife-hunting ploy sounds suspiciously like an arranged marriage – only here the parents and the gossipy aunts are taken out of the equation.
Some were full of admiration for this – though looking for a wife via a billboard is not about the internet or dating.
There were many who wished Malik all the best in his quest.
One comment pointed out that someone else had already had an idea like this earlier. And just for the record, this tweet from 2019 is still his pinned tweet. This guy is still single as pringle it would seem.
If someone has to advertise like tis to find a mate, it seems to indicate that they are socially awkward, bad at attracting a mate or just too lazy to make the effort. In other words, zero game.
The mindset remains pretty old fashioned – this guy is still just ‘arranging’ a marriage – even if he is doing it himself. And this is still a guy looking for a wife who will adjust to his life, look after his parents.
As another tweet pointed out, there are literally two red signals in that image – red flags about the kind of person who is still very much a part of the patriarchal setup. Though he may be using modern technology, there is nothing modern about his requirements.
There were a lot of people wishing Malik all the best and giving him props for this innovative approach to finding a wife. This tweet asks a valid question – what if it was a woman who put up such a hoarding. What if it was a woman who said a prospective husband would have to adjust to her family, look after her parents? How much abuse, trolling and vilification would she come in for?
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