How to Be Indie is a Canadian drama centring on the life of a teenage brown girl Indira Indie Mehta who lives in Canada with her family. This female-centric tween comedy, despite its comedy genre, addresses some of the major issues. Indie’s super funny family has also played a role in the show’s popularity among viewers.

Unconventional, independent, youthful, cheeky, responsible, and Free spirit are certain keywords related to Indie. This article takes you on an indie break and discusses the popular female-centric tween comedy show How to be Indie telecasted on YTV cable tv from October 2nd, 2019, till October 24th, 2011.

1. Characters: Who Is Who

• Indira Indie Mehta’s character is portrayed by Melinda Shankar the main character in How to Be Indie. She is a thirteen-year-old Indian living in Canada has supportive Indian parents and is the friend of Abi and Marlon.
• Abi played by Marline Yan is best friends with Indie. Abi is the bestie that everyone needs; supportive, funny, and smart.
• Marlon played by Dylan Everett is Abi and Indie’s friend. He attempts to sell a box of candy bars as a school fundraiser.
• Jyoti Mehta played by Ellora Patnaik is Indie’s mother.
• Vikram Mehta played by Vijay Mehta is Indie’s father.
• Indie’s older brother Arun (also called AJ in the show) is played by Varun.
• Chandra Mehta super talented sister of Indie. Chandra’s character is played by Sarena Parmar. Throughout the show “How to be indie” Chandra’s character is shown to be an intelligent, person who is loved by all.
• Indie’s grandfather Prakash Mehta played by Errol Sitahal.
• Chad Tash is played by Jordan. Chad is initially portrayed as the first love of Indie.
• Shainu Bala plays Ram Ramachandran. Ram is an Indian like Indie but fails to share a positive connection with Indie.
• Aiden is played by Timothy. Overcoming her initial love Indie falls for Aiden’s charm while acting as a fake cast.
• Dre’s role is played by Cassius. Dre is a worker for the Happy breezy food hut association.
• Carlos Martinelli is played by Atticus Mitchell.

The cast of How to be indie displays diversity where each character as well as actor belongs to different nationality.

2. Context of How to Be Indie

The show has two seasons and a total of 52 episodes centred on Indie and her friends Abi and Marlon. Indie lives her teenage years going through new adventures and portrays an ordinary life of an immigrant.

Her adventures include showcasing her love for traditional food and displaying it to everyone. Getting her sisters and friends out of trouble.

Essentially the show initially had two seasons up to 52 episodes; it has been said to have a third season from Episode 41 to 52 momentarily due to the time lapse between the telecast.

2.1 Sisterhood between Indie and Chandra

Though Indie tries to outshine Chandra sometimes by joining flamenco dancing lessons and proving herself to her family especially her mom who compares her with everyone and finds faults in her. She comes to the rescue when Chandra is unable to be at the high school masquerade formal due to her injured ankle. Trying to fool Chandra’s dreamy boyfriend and save the day.

2.2 Attachment to Roots

Indie’s love for her culture is displayed many times in the show through her love for Samosa and dance from episodes two and eleven. These characteristics of Indie keep her spirit alive. Being in a foreign land is sweetly acceptable to her as she has understanding friends and family.

2.3 Enthusiast Indie

Indie is daring and competitive as she challenges her sister Chandra to prank Queen. She is quick-witted, sarcastic, and studious. Despite it being her summer holidays Indie spends her time learning Mandarin in her basement.

2.4 Dreams and Goals

Indie dreams of making a Stereos play band. She also participates in school dances and quizzes along with Abi and Marlon. During summer she manages to secure herself the best summer job, an exciting and helpful post of a lifeguard. She uniquely makes use of her network and connections to become the volleyball captain.

2.5 Typical Canadian Teenager

The story follows how Indie realizes she’s crushing on Chad Tash and couldn’t face him off in Karate class and is too shy to speak in front of him. While Marlon like many of his age worships his superhero the procrastinator guy and dreams of meeting him. Will Indie be ever able to confess her feelings? Will Marlon meet his superhero? Watch the series to know.

2.6 Magic of Bollywood Musical

Later Indie develops an interest in Aiden and makes plans to meet him during the musical, but her dad discovers his daughter’s plan. Leaving the fate of Indie’s perfect date on a Bollywood musical.

As Indie is all set to sail her boat of love the zombie walk comes in between her boat of love. Will the tough times bring them closer or set them apart? How did this romantic comedy turn into a thriller? To learn more watch season 3 Episode 12: How to Make the Perfect Moment?

i. Series of bad luck

It seems like the world is against Indie’s love story as things take sharp turns crashing her field trip to a local amusement park with Andie. Will Aiden’s relationship status be able to overcome these twists and turns? Or will Indie be stuck to square zero forever?

ii. End of Movie Magic Vacation

Once the magic disappears and her date has been fulfilled. Indie discovers Aiden’s family, a situation of crisis for anyone. Will Indie lighten things or make them more awkward?

The series also focuses on Abi who accidentally confesses she likes AJ (Arun), Indie’s elder brother making things awkward. Indie’s attempt at Abi’s makeover yields takes quick turns moreover this isn’t the end of her problems as she also later finds herself to be stuck with World’s clumsiest shop teacher.

2.7 Torment Indie

Hyde, a cousin of Indie and Baldev makes Indie’s life miserable as their existence in Indie’s life forces her to forget her own unique identity. On the other hand, Carlos Martinelli not up to anything good is all set to make cruel jokes.

Moreover, her futile attempts of overcoming the initial interview with the clueless reporter and showcasing the ordinary Thanksgiving celebration with her family members have already pressed Indie’s soul out of her body. Conversely not letting things end on a good note. Indie’s competitiveness comes to bite her neck as a result of her decision to build the World’s biggest recycling sculpture.

2.8 Parents’ Traditional Indian Values

How to be indie? Well, the answer is simple to live each day of your life going through extraordinary events. The harder life pushes, the harder indie pushes. Regardless of the universal belief that Indian parents ‘cannot have fun for consequently two days’ and for unknown reasons Indie is grounded by her parents at present.

Not Risking missing the local play Indie has to break the chains of traditional value andpass-throughh this challenge, Will her soul-crushing ways be able to overcome the trial?

2.9 Christmas Miracle

It’s Christmas, everyone’s favourite time of the year. Indie wishes to fill this day with Indie tunes where her friends sing and dance. But her expectations were crushed. Unlike the normal happy Christmas filled with everybody dancing and giggling. Indie takes it upon herself to spread the miracle of Christmas by all means possible.

2.10 Marlon’s Past

Marlon’s mom enrols Marlon in a mentoring program, from where his worst fears begin. Marlon’s happy modern life is cracked open when Dre is found to be the mentor of the Mentoring Program. Will Abi who has a history of saving Marlon from trouble be able to save him this time? Is she going to kick Dre’s butt if things take a sour turn? Or will Marlon continue to be trapped inside his fears? As the season proceeds the characters go through twists and turns. In either case, the viewers re-live their teenage years through the characters of Abi, Marlon, Indie, and Chandra.

2.11 The setting of How to Be Indie

The story takes place in a Canadian Junior High School. Most of the scenes of How to Be Indie are either shot at school or Indie’s house.

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3. List of Episodes

i. Season 1 (How to Be Indie)

Season 1 consists of twenty-six (26) episodes aired from October 2nd, 2009 to May 13th, 2010 having a runtime of twenty-two minutes approx. once a week.

• Episode 1: How to make your Rep?
• Episode 2: How to Have Your Samosa and Eat It Too?
• Episode 3: How to Get on Carlos Martinelli’s Capital “L” List, and Live?
• Episode 4: How to Trick Your Parents Into Treating You Like A Grown-Up?
• Episode 5: How to Strike a Balance?
• Episode 6: How to Be a Mehta?
• Episode 7: How to Make a Comeback?
• Episode 8: How to Be Ridonkulous?
• Episode 9: How to Get a Pet?
• Episode 10: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Lying?
• Episode 11: How to Get Some Cred?
• Episode 12: How to Prove You’re a Nice Person?
• Episode 13: How to Make a Good Impression?
• Episode 14: How to Keep Your Cool in a Heat Wave?
• Episode 15: How to Party Like Chandra?
• Episode 16: How to Make the Most Out of Being a Host?
• Episode 17: How to Get Gotten?
• Episode 18: How to be a Hit on TV?
• Episode 19: How to Pass the Smell Test?
• Episode 20: How to Cement the Win?
• Episode 21: How to Not Get Crushed by Your Crush?
• Episode 22: How to Fight For Your Rights?
• Episode 23: How to Manage Your Mom?
• Episode 24: How to Have the Last Laugh?
• Episode 25: How to be Mum’s Number One?
• Episode 26: How to Beat Father Time?

ii. Season 2 (How to Be Indie)

The second season consists of fourteen (14) episodes aired from October 11th, 2010 to May 12th, 2011 having a runtime of approx. twenty-two minutes. once a week.

• Episode 1: How to Put Your Best Foot Forward?
• Episode 2: How to Be Thankful?
• Episode 3: How to Beat the Lie and Win the Guy?
• Episode 4: How to Make the Most Out of the Most Likely List?
• Episode 5: How to Make Your Studies Social?
• Episode 6: How to Save the Day?
• Episode 7: How to Show Your Spirit?
• Episode 8: How-to Live-in Stereo?
• Episode 9: How to Double Your Fun?
• Episode 10: How to Fool a Fooling Fooler?
• Episode 11: How to Fix a Friendship Fail?
• Episode 12: How to Make the Perfect Moment?
• Episode 13: How to Tame the Beast?
• Episode 14: How to Be the Hero?

iii. Season 3 (How to Be Indie)

Season three consists of a total of twelve (12) episodes aired from September 8th, 2011 to October 24th, 2011. Unlike the previous two seasons, season three did not premiere only once a week.

• Episode 1: How to Break a Record?
• Episode 2: How to Make a Christmas Miracle?
• Episode 3: How to Get Plugged In?
• Episode 4: How to Be Better Than Chandra?
• Episode 5: How to Get Out of Big, Big Trouble?
• Episode 6: How to Be a Leader?
• Episode 7: How to Update Your Relationship Status?
• Episode 8: How to Bend the Rules?
• Episode 9: How to Fake Your Way Through a Freaky Formal?
• Episode 10: How to Clean Up at Stand Up?
• Episode 11: How to Have a Movie Magic Vacation?
• Episode 12: How to Get Smooched?

4. Fun Facts About Characters and Actors of How to Be Indie

Melinda Shankar won a Gemini (2011) and Canadian Screen Award (2013) for her lead role in How to Be Indie.

Indie’s best friend Abi’s full name is Abigail, a Filipino- Canadian.

Marlon (Dylan Everett) and Abi (Marline Yan) worked together on another series called Wingin’ It.

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5. How, How to Be Indie Came to Be?

The writer of “How to be Indie” is Vera Santamaria an Indian Canadian. She comes from a Traditional South Indian family. As a child, Vera had an innocent query as to why there are not many people like her on television or near her.

The Young Child’s curiosity turned out to be the Adult Vera’s aim. Vera started working on how to be indie; a showcentringg on an Indian like her. Vera’s attempt has particularly brought a new wave of distinction in Canadian entertainment.

Such steps towards a positive evolution and equal presentation of Varied races, colours, and gender have not only sparked a positive influence on the upcoming shows or movies but have also made Vera Santamaria a pioneer. Significantly enriching the experience of viewers.

Some of her well-known works include How to Be Indie (2009), Outsourced (2011), Up all night (2012), BoJack Horseman (2015), Playing House (2017), and PEN15 (2020).

Overall, how to be indie can be said to be one of Vera’s best works.

Last Updated on January 15, 2024 by kalidaspandian