Baiza Bai - Kate Sharma's Inspiration
Unless you have been living under a rock for the last few months I’m sure you will have seen everyone falling in love with the amazing Kate and Edwina Sharma on Bridgerton ! While it is amazing to have such South Asian representation on Netflix’s biggest shows – did you know that Kate’s character is actually based on a real person? Bridgerton writers worked with Dr Priya Atwal, author of Royal Rebels to create an authentic eighteenth-century Indian heroine, based on real life shero, Baiza Bai. And her story is ( imo ) even more blockbuster worthy than the Sharma sisters’. (Credit to one of my favourite historians, Dr Priya Atwal, for this thread and for helping to create the character of Kathani Sharma and also to inspire me and others to delve into the history behind her! Baiza Bai ( also known as Baza Bai and Baeza Byee ; 1784 - 1863) was a Scindia maharani and banker, who ascended to the throne of the Scinidia kingdom after the death of her third husband...