[Mashable.com] Coldplay and Beyoncé face backlash over India-themed music video

[MadMax]

Coldplay and Beyoncé's new music video for "Hymn for the Weekend" is under scrutiny for appropriating Indian culture.

 

 

 

The video features the band and the singer in Mumbai, with Beyoncé dressed in traditional Indian clothes, which has already sparked heated debate on social media.

 

When Beyoncé gets in trouble for cultural appropriation...nobody is safe. Beyoncé never gets in trouble for anything!

https://twitter.com/RavenElyseTV/status/693169884927123456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

Though the video aims to portray India in a positive light, the various ways in which it does so are potentially problematic. For example, the video shows Holi (a colorful, religious festival), children dancing in the streets and other imagery that perpetuates a simplistic portrayal of India, many say.

 

Wanna depict #India, understand its rich & diverse culture first! Going with ago old stereotypes is not done! #HymnForTheWeekend #Coldplay

https://twitter.com/Fashionopolis/status/693101493277319168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

More overt is Beyoncé's role. The singer is dressed like a Bollywood star, wearing a bindi and henna and other immediate references to India, twirling her hands in mystic circles that have no actual root in Indian dance.

 

Additionally, there is a Bollywood actress, Sonam Kapoor, in the video, but she hardly gets any screen time.

 

Many voiced their opinions on Twitter, with some defending the video, and others calling it out for appropriation.

 

Stereogum ✔ @stereogum

See @Coldplay & @Beyonce team up for the sumptuous, ridiculous "Hymn For The Weekend" video http://bit.ly/1JLTbfL

johnny @scarfacebiebs

all of a sudden y'all forgot what cultural appropriation is when it comes to beyonce lmao

https://twitter.com/scarfacebiebs/status/693101334522937344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

 

jonathan @chnnelorange

There is a difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. Hymn For The Weekend = appreciation

https://twitter.com/chnnelorange/status/693101597870661634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

local miskeen @tuqueville

when you think the 12 tweet cultural appropriation threads were finally left in 2015 but beyonce comes thru

https://twitter.com/tuqueville/status/693099665940713473/photo/1?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

deep killer brown @vmochama

why are we mad at Beyonce for cultural appropriation when we could be mad that she made us listen to a Coldplay song?

https://twitter.com/vmochama/status/693104218656346112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

blxk @willfinty

can we talk about cultural appropriation?? or does she get a pass cuz she's "beyonce" 🤔 https://twitter.com/bey_legion/status/693095955030282240 …

https://twitter.com/willfinty/status/693124315655577600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

Atiya Hasan, MD @AtiyaHasan05

So upset by @coldplay using my culture as a prop for their music video. India isn't just street kids and exotic women. #HymnForTheWeekend

https://twitter.com/AtiyaHasan05/status/693121516897198083?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

 

http://mashable.com/2016/01/29/beyonce-coldplay-india/#pXou1GaDcPqs

 

Oh no, queen Beyonce I-have-no-clothes can't do wrong!

[MzKittyKath]

[STORM]

Oh no, queen Beyonce I-have-no-clothes can't do wrong!

 

Dead/

[Susu]

in this pic she looks like she is wearing darker makeup, darker then her skin tone

 

[ETB5]

Oh no, queen Beyonce I-have-no-clothes can't do wrong!

 

Dead/

I don't get it, can you explain??

[Ethnic Pop]

I don't get it, can you explain??

 

 

OMG THIS SONG IS SO GOOD OMG OMG OGMO MG MGO

[sebbula]

I'm reading the comments on the video and it's a lot of "I'm Indian and I'm not offended" and it can go both ways people have the right to not like it if they feel it is a wrong portrayal of their culture. I'm Indian as well and honestly I'm not one to get too involved in the whole cultural appropriation thing tbh what I'm more "offended" about in this pic

is that Indian clothes and the traditional accessories like tikkas (head piece) can be soooo pretty and she looks like a mess here with the overdone makeup it doesn't do justice to the true beauty of it lmao

[TIM£]

She looks good who cares, nobody owns culture 

[DocumentaLy]

Honestly nobody cares about cultural appropriation except teens on the internet.

[Witch Nose]

in this pic she looks like she is wearing darker makeup, darker then her skin tone

 

This is too much

 

Eew Beyonce

[MadMax]

She looks good who cares, nobody owns culture

Honestly she looks ugly. Especially that blackface when she has a black face herself.

 

 

Honestly nobody cares about cultural appropriation except teens on the internet.

Honestly people care a lot. Those whiny #Blacksforsocar bullshit

[DocumentaLy]

Honestly she looks ugly. Especially that blackface when she has a black face herself.

 

 

 

Honestly people care a lot. Those whiny #Blacksforsocar bullshit

 

But that's not cultural appropriation...

[Tadpole.]

I'm Indian and I do not quite like this stereotyping and exoticising bs going on in this video but whatever. I don't think the video was meant as a mockery, but the one note potrayal just feels irksome. The Beyoncé pic though...I think they should've just made Sonam do the traditional clothing and dancing aspect since she was already in the video.

[bluecottoncandy]

People get offended over anything, let them live geez. 

[SoulStealer]

jawn more people crying over nothing good song and video 

[wiz109]

Ugh, honestly, I wish people would get over this.  

 

I don't see how what they were trying to do is offensive, they tried to show India in a positive light.  I've seen how people go on about how it's a simplistic stereotypical view but how the hell were they supposed to show everything India encompasses in a few minutes?  Every part of India is different in culture, that's where the beauty lies.  

 

People were mad about the clothes? I'm sure if you go to Japan, or Korea, they give foreigners traditional clothes to wear as well.  I think Beyonce was a little over done and awkward to watch but meh.

 

People are going on about Sonam Kapoor being in it for a blip, whereas Beyonce is featured more, well fricking duh, Sonam had a cameo, Beyonce sings on the song, what did you expect? Would ya'll have been happy if Sonam had a starring role and made it like a stereotypical Bollywood film where she lip syncs everything,  would that have shown India in a better not to stereotypical light? I don't think so.

 

 

I know different people have different opinions, but to me, this isn't offensive, this was clearly shot with care.