Bumble Teams Up with Bollywood Icon Priyanka Chopra for India Launch

Bumble Targets Indian Market with Safety Focus and Star Power
(New York, CNN Business)

Bumble, the dating app where women initiate conversations, is entering India later this year. Backed by actress-investor Priyanka Chopra Jonas, the app aims to empower women in a country grappling with gender safety concerns. This move follows rival Tinder’s recent “My Move” feature in India, which similarly lets women restrict men from messaging first.

Chopra’s Role and Localization Challenges
Chopra, a global icon with deep Indian roots, will advise Bumble on tailoring the app to local needs. CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd highlighted the importance of making the platform culturally resonant. The Indian version will support Hindi and “Hinglish” (Hindi-English hybrid), and anonymize women’s full names to safeguard privacy. Safety is paramount: India was recently ranked the world’s most dangerous country for women.

Priyanka Chopra Jonas promotes Bumble’s India launch. (Image: Bumble)

Safety Upgrades
New safety features include enhanced reporting tools and photo verification. Bumble employs 4,000+ moderators to review profiles, addressing concerns about harassment. Wolfe Herd emphasized that India’s version will require only initials for women’s names, adding layers of anonymity.

Tinder vs. Bumble Legal Feud
Bumble’s expansion follows heightened rivalry with Tinder’s parent company, Match Group. In March 2018, Match sued Bumble for patent infringement, which Bumble called a “baseless” tactic to undermine competition