Summary
The Big Bang Theory season 12 almost featured Raj’s Indian wedding, but writer Steve Molaro reveals the blunt reason why they scrapped the idea. Against all odds, CBS’s nerd-centric sitcom delivered a satisfying finale that left the Pasadena gang in a great place. However, The Big Bang Theory series finale wasn’t without any flaws. One of its biggest issues was Raj’s lackluster ending.
In Jessica Radloff’s The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story Of The Epic Hit Series, Molaro discusses their plans to include Raj and Anu’s Indian wedding during the show’s final year. However, they ultimately opted against it because they weren’t quite sold on their romantic pairing. Read his full quote below:
“We had talked about that relationship being a love story out of order where they got engaged, and then they got to know each other. Nothing against Rati Gupta, who was terrific as Anu, but it never quite clicked in the way that we wanted it to, and we never felt like we had to write to an ending. There were definitely times where we had on the board in the writers room: “Raj and Anu’s wedding in India.” That was something we were going to do, but it just didn’t feel right. “
Anu was a late addition to The Big Bang Theory, debuting during the show’s final year. She was introduced to Raj through his request for an arranged marriage. A successful concierge who was driven, Anu inhabited an entirely different field than the Pasadena gang. After an initial conflict with Raj during their first date due to their differing opinions about their situation, they were eventually able to patch things up and move forward with their relationship. Unfortunately, her appearance eventually became infrequent, resulting in their break-up.
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Molaro cites the lack of chemistry between Raj and Anu, but perhaps The Big Bang Theory was looking for something more immediate like Penny and Leonard’s and Sheldon and Amy’s. Had CBS spent more time developing their story, maybe they would have been able to eventually get them to a place where a relationship was sustainable in the long run. Anu was actually secretly perfect for Raj. He had always been bullied over being more in touch with his feminine side, but Anu didn’t seem to mind it, resulting in him being relaxed and happy with her.
Raj and Anu’s Indian wedding would have been great for The Big Bang Theory finale. However, CBS clearly wanted to focus on Sheldon during the final year of the series. Even if the event took place earlier in the year, it would have still taken a significant amount of time resulting in Sheldon and his Nobel arc being sidelined.
Source: The Big Bang Theory: The Definitive, Inside Story Of The Epic Hit Series