Kusha Kapila Takes a Swipe Ride with Vaani Kapoor and Neena Gupta; Tinder India

In the latest season of Tinder’s “Swipe Ride,” the dating app’s attempt at matchmaking-meets-reality TV continues to careen through the streets of Mumbai, leaving a trail of awkward silences, celebrity wisdom, and the faint smell of desperation in its wake.

At the wheel once again is Kusha Kapila, social media darling and self-appointed cupid, who seems determined to solve India’s romantic woes one rideshare at a time. With a rotating cast of Bollywood starlets and comedians crammed into the backseat, Kusha plays chauffeur to hopeful Tinder users on their way to first dates that are sure to be anything but ordinary.

Swipe Ride Season 4 kicks off with Vaani Kapoor talking about finding the one and Shah Rukh Khan

This season kicked off with a bang (or perhaps more accurately, a gentle tap) as Bollywood beauty Vaani Kapoor squeezed into the car, ready to dispense dating advice that only someone who’s never had to swipe right could give. As they picked up Panthi Shah, a 23-year-old marketing manager with dreams of love and Instagram followers dancing in her eyes, the conversation quickly turned to the eternal struggle of finding “the one” – or at least “the one for right now.”

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Vaani, ever the voice of reason, shared her own dating woes: “As someone in the spotlight, it’s hard to know if people like me for me or for my IMDb page.” One can only imagine the struggles of having to sort through admirers who might be more interested in your box office numbers than your boxer brief preferences.

But the real star of the show was Panthi, who proudly proclaimed her achievement of going on 50 first dates in a year. One can’t help but wonder if Tinder should be paying her a commission at this point. Her bio, “Pasta, puppies, and looking for a potential partner in crime,” reads like a Mad Lib filled out by a rom-com algorithm.

As the car weaved through Mumbai traffic, the conversation took more turns than Kusha’s driving. From spontaneous first dates (because nothing says romance like a surprise pottery class) to setting healthy boundaries (no, your date doesn’t need to know your blood type on the first meeting), the trio covered it all. And of course, no discussion of Indian romance would be complete without a nod to the king of Bollywood himself, Shah Rukh Khan, who apparently remains the gold standard of dreamboats across generations.

And it gets better with Neena Gupta in the backseat with her comebacks!

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Episode 2 would make even the most seasoned dating show producer blush, as it featured none other than Neena Gupta, the veteran actress who’s been breaking stereotypes since before most Tinder users were born. With her trademark wit sharper than ever, Neena didn’t hold back.

When Kusha attempted to flatter her with some light flirtation, Neena shot back, “Why would I flirt with you? I don’t have anyone better?” Ouch. Someone call the burn unit.

Not content with just one zinger, Neena went on to declare sapiosexuals “very boring,” presumably causing a collective existential crisis among Tinder users everywhere who thought listing “sapiosexual” in their bio made them seem deep.

As comedian Vrinda Bhagchandani was dropped off for her Tinder date, the car ride devolved into a masterclass on comebacks and the do’s and don’ts of pickup lines. One can only hope Vrinda was taking notes – she might need them for her next stand-up set if the date goes poorly.

In the end, “Swipe Ride” continues to be a delightful trainwreck of a show, equal parts cringe-worthy and endearing. It’s a reminder that no matter how many algorithms or celebrities we throw at the problem, dating remains as awkward, unpredictable, and occasionally wonderful as ever. And if all else fails, there’s always Shah Rukh Khan movies to fall back on. Are you tuning in to watch the latest episodes on Jio Cinema?