An Australian woman has captured the attention of the internet with her candid observations on India's dating culture. Bree Steele, a podcast producer, has been travelling across India since 2023, documenting her experiences and thoughts on how dating here differs from her home country, Australia.
In one of her viral Instagram videos, Ms Steele talks about the stark contrasts she has observed. “In Australia, men flirt through banter, which is really just being mean,” she explained. “But in India, everyone is so nice to you, and things move fast! I was at a party, and this guy suddenly held my hand while flirting. That would never happen in Australia!”
Ms Steele also attended a dating event in Mumbai, describing it as a unique experience. “It felt like a school disco,” she recalled. “For the first hour or so, women only spoke to other women, and men did the same. No one was mixing.” The awkward start aside, she found the experience reflective of how dating might still be a relatively new concept in India.
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Ms Steele noted the dating scene in India seems heavily influenced by Bollywood, with many people behaving as if they were following a script from the movies. “It feels like everyone here is acting based on what they've seen in films,” she remarked. “My understanding is that our generation of Indians are the first in history who can date casually. Until now, it seems to have been mostly arranged marriages.”
She went on to compare the cultural backdrop of dating between the two countries. “In the West, we've had dating stories passed down through generations, plus sex education in schools. In India, that doesn't seem to be the case, so people might be shaping their dating behaviour from what they see on screen.”
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"Your theory is spot on Bree!," a user commented.
Someone wrote, "I wanna know more about it, how about we discuss it over dinner *smirks*."
"You haven't tried old-school dating. It would change your perception! Glad to know that you're not disappointed at that dating event," a comment read.
Another user wrote, "One positive review of a dating event. I'll take it."
Bree Steele said the experience was definitely different, and that's what makes it exciting.
