If you’ve recently been on the internet for the last few weeks, you must’ve come across the uproar over Tyla’s (a South African singer song-writer) very first concert in Mumbai. As a post concert effect, one would typically expect a few songs to blow up and go viral. However, this time around, it was surprisingly not the concert, but a reel featuring young female Indian influencers lip-syncing to one of Tyla’s hit songs.
Following this were a slew of comments and widespread discussions all over the internet, along the lines of “damn, I didn’t know India had baddies”. The internet has suddenly woken up to the conclusion (after a massive hate train just a few months ago) that Indian women are attractive, but is this meant to be taken as a compliment?
THE RISE OF THE INDIAN BADDIE
‘Baddie‘, a term coined and popularised by Gen Z, is used by people on the internet to describe a pretty, extremely stylish woman. It seems that Indian women are finally a part of this conversation, after spending a good chunk of our lives hearing – “you’re so pretty for a brown girl”! I wish I could say I’m happy India is being recognised on a global scale, but no. Moreover, I’m quite upset over the fact that it took a singular concert for the internet to “discover” Indian women (We’re the most populous country in the world by the way).
Another phenomenon I’ve noticed that massively diminishes our diversity and rich culture is the trend of calling every dark skinned woman ‘Lara Raj’ or ‘Simone Ashley’. I’m also very well aware of the fact that there’s only one brown skinned Disney princess, but no, I’m not Jasmine, I’m just Indian. In fact this very scenario was depicted in a scene of ‘Never Have I Ever’ the Netflix show starring ‘Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’. These beautiful, fierce women have been pivotal in the revolution of the western world treating us as individuals and not stereotypes. They are amazing role models for young Indian women today and are a great representation of us. However, there’s still a long way to go. Indian beauty is incredibly diverse with different colours, shapes and sizes, encompassing who we are. Reducing this to a one dimensional concept is inaccurate and disrespectful.
EVERYTHING IS A TREND, BUT WHERE IS THE CREDIT?
Not to state the obvious, but Indian culture serves as the blueprint for many current pop culture moments, from waist chains to slick back buns. Dupattas as “Scandinavian” scarfs, Prada manufacturing Kolhapuri slippers, hair oiling becoming a trend, bracelet stacks, piercings, lehengas – all of them have been appropriated in some form or the other. Repackaging our culture to appease a western audience while mocking us for the very same things seems to the internet’s way of telling us that we aren’t allowed to shine in our own elements that we’ve curated and practised for thousands of years.
Cultural appreciation is very different from cultural appropriation. Nobody is bothered if you want to wear henna or don a lehenga to a party – in fact, we are more than happy and proud if you do. One must acknowledge its roots and wear it in a respectful manner, because Indian culture is here to stay and no amount of reinventions and recycling changes where it originated from.
TAKEAWAY
It’s time to give India the credit it deserves. We shouldn’t need external approval to validate us – the fact that our beauty and culture is the very fabric of so many trends and cultures today speaks for itself. Indian women are baddies – always have been and always will be and it’s time for the internet to wake up and acknowledge the other side of the world.