Simone Ashley and Charithra Chandran of ‘Bridgerton’ on the power of South Asian representation

“Bridgerton” fans should expect “a wild, wild ride” in the second season of the Netflix series, says Chris Van Dusen, the creator and showrunner of the period romance.

It became a global phenomenon when it dropped in December 2020 and the new season makes its highly anticipated debut Friday.

“We worked really hard to bring everything that fans fell in love with about Season 1 into Season 2,” Van Dusen said in a news conference. “I think we did it. It’s amazing, it’s emotional and romantic, and sexy and scandalous. I think we’re back for an even greater escape into 19th-century Regency London.”

The series, based on the books by Julia Quinn and executive produced by Shonda Rhimes for her Shondaland production company, follows the powerful Bridgerton family as they attempt to find love in London during the early part of the 19th century.

While Season 1 followed the steamy courtship between Daphne Bridgerton (Phoebe Dynevor) and Simon Basset, Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page), Season 2 has a new couple: Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the eldest son in the family, and Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley), who has come to London to help her sister, Edwina (Charithra Chandran), find a husband.

What’s particularly important this season is the addition of the Sharma family, highlighting South Asian representation onscreen.

British-born Ashley, who is of Indian heritage and co-stars in the Netflix hit “Sex Education,” said the show is incredibly important for depicting South Asians.

“We are representing a minority of women in particular seen on television screens and I think it’s wonderful that more South Asian women can identify themselves within these characters.

“I remember filming the Haldi scene so well, with Charithra and Shelley (Conn, who plays their mother, Lady Mary Sharma), it was so much fun,” said Ashley, referring to a traditional Indian ceremony involving the application of turmeric paste. “It was so special for me to kind of even have that creative conversation together. I never really imagined we’d ever be on a set one day performing a scene like that. I learned so much as well, especially from Charithra. There was so much of our own personal experience that we kind of brought to those moments as well.”

Indian-British actor Chandran said it was important to depict the Sharma family’s story. “I think what’s really fascinating about the Sharmas is that essentially they’re immigrants. They’re different, not because of their skin colour but because they come from a different background, they have different customs. So then they are sort of transplanted into London, and they’re trying to fit in and be as successful as possible within that community.

“What I love about the show is that in moments of deep sadness and in moments of jubilation, you see them reverting back to their culture. So when Edwina is particularly upset, what Kate does to make her feel better is very traditional Indian things like oiling your hair and, in moments of jubilation, like it’s the Haldi scene,” she said.

She added that “often, with people of colour, the stories that are told are that of trauma, but what you see here is something that they’re owning, and you’re seeing joy and pride in their culture. I think we’re from a particular generation where like there was often a lot of shame attached to being different and you would want to assimilate to whatever the popular culture was at the time. By having this representation, I hope that young girls and everyone that looks like us, feels like they don’t need to do that. They can own that part of themselves.”

Season 2 also explores the bonds of sisterhood and it’s female energy that lies at the heart of the show.

“I think it’s really interesting because it’s created by a woman,” said Golda Rosheuvel, the Guyanese-British actor who plays Queen Charlotte. “The books are created by a woman, Shonda Rhimes is a woman, a very powerful woman. I think the female energy and drive through the books then leading into the show is a really important thing to be celebrated.

“All these women in the show have their own kind of identity, but also their own driven aspects emotionally, physically and intellectually, but love, humanity and connection is at the core of each of these women, who kind of structure the storylines,” she said.