Zarna Garg discusses her life in India and her experiences becoming an American in her new book, "This American Woman: A One in a Billion Memoir."NJPAC
After her three-day Indian wedding, Zarna Garg arrived at her new husband’s home where his grandmother took charge, ordering Garg and the other six daughters-in-law to line up. Then, she and other family members began shouting directions: “You go down one!” “She goes up one!” — it was a beauty lineup.
“Zarna!” screeched the grandmother. “You’re not the ugliest one! You’re the second ugliest!” Garg said everyone cheered after the lineup and added that this type of comparison and evaluation of women’s looks is not unusual in Indian culture.
The beauty lineup is just one of many details Garg reveals in “This American Woman: A One-in-a-Billion Memoir,” her New York Times bestselling book about growing up in India, moving to the United States, and navigating life as a wife, mother, and as an American.
At 50, the stay-at-home mom who began honing her stand-up routine in her mid-40s, is hitting her stride. Earlier this year, she made her film debut in “A Nice Indian Boy,” a movie that explores queerness and tradition in the Indian American community, starring opposite Tony Award-winner Jonathan Groff.
Her second Hulu special, “Practical People Win,” is set to air in July – the exact date has yet to be announced – and she’s currently developing a sitcom with comedy heavyweights Mindy Kaling and Kevin Hart.
Mosaic sat down with Garg to discuss her life, family, career and her future. Here’s what she had to say.
Mosaic: When you were 14, you left home because you didn’t want to enter an arranged marriage after your mother died. Why did you make that decision?
Garg: I was a kid who loved to read, loved going to school, and had endless curiosity - this is the worst thing you can have in an arranged marriage. It’s absolutely the number one way to kill any prospects, because what they want is someone who’s subservient, who’s docile. The last thing they want is a girl who’s going to talk back, ask questions, and — God forbid — have opinions.
Mosaic: You have an insightful chapter on private schools in New York. Tell us about your experience.
Garg: I realized that private school in New York is like a country club. You go there because other famous people and rich people are there, and then their kid is going to be friends with your kid, and you’re going to summer with them and vacation with them. This is not my life, that’s not anything I ever wanted for myself or my kids.
Mosaic: Your kids now have a certain amount of privilege—going to that fancy private school. So, what are your goals for your kids?
Garg: My daughter is graduating from Stanford this weekend. She had a lot of job offers, but she’s decided to work with me.
She’s not getting a degree in ceramics, which I’ve joked about plenty. She’s graduating with a degree in Classics and Computer Science—because I insisted on it. I told her I’d kill myself if she didn’t do something in STEM, so we compromised.
In the end, what we realized is that I’m building something real: a true comedy hub, a platform that celebrates working people—people who are nerdy, don’t take fancy vacations, but love to work. We’re reaching them through my podcast, my book—people who relate to the idea that marriage is more like a partnership during wartime than a nonstop romantic movie.
So, when I told my daughter, “I feel like I’m tapping into a global consciousness,” she got it. People like us—quiet, hard-working, proud—aren’t shown in mainstream media. What are they going to show—five people hunched over laptops?
She’s already jumped in — she ran my book preorder campaign to great success.
Mosaic: What advice would you give to your 14-year-old self?
Garg: When I walked out of my house at 14, I had no plan. I just thought, I’ll land on my feet. And looking back, I think: Zarna, baby. Keep that courage for your whole life. You’re going to need it.
Garg’s upcoming shows are at the West Side Comedy Club, 201 W. 75th St. on July 3, and July 4. For tickets, go to ZarnaGarg.com.
Stories by Ande Richards
Ande Richards may be reached at arichards@njadvancemedia.com.
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