Meghalaya: Cherrapunji’s Diwali? Netflix ad criticized for ‘cultural appropriation’

Cherrapunji’s Diwali

Shillong: The newly released Netflix India ad showing what the makers believe to be Cherrapunji’s Diwali has invited widespread criticism across Meghalaya.
Netizens, student organizations and other civil society organizations in Meghalaya have criticized OTT platform Netflix for “false and misleading representation of the community” in the ad.
The video, which has been doing the rounds on social media since it was released on October 21, has been criticized for misrepresenting how Diwali is celebrated in this village in Meghalaya.

Many have opined that the ad once again portrays the state, its people and especially the Sohra (as the locals call it) and that the makers understand the Northeast as a whole.

Twitter user Gertrude De Lamare slammed Netflix India, saying: “Your ad doesn’t really have credit. Cheers to getting it wrong again!”
Shillong Times editor Patricia Mukhim said in her Facebook post, “Not sure why this weather wants to cooperate with this disgusting #Netflix ad but it’s raining in Shillong. Usually it’s autumn and rains. Should be less. This ad aims to once again portray all tribals as Hindus who celebrate Diwali. Never has an attempt to assimilate tribals into a monolithic culture been so openly and brilliantly attempted. This is sad. May our people also agree to become co-opted lock, stock and barrel for a few rupees.
He also emphasized how he had never heard of tribals making rangolis. “Of course we lit candles and lamps because we liked the idea of ​​”light” somehow. The young man would burst crackers because everyone else did. There was no religion involved,” Mukhim added. He urged Netflix to withdraw the ad.

A Facebook post by Porcupine co-founder Mike Sangma criticized the ad, calling it “disgusting”.
“Found this Netflix Diwali commercial method strange and inconsistent with the current trend of encouraging local languages ​​in the country! Or does the definition of mother tongue mean only Hindi????” asked Sangma.
CherrapunjiHe also questioned when a Bah from or a certain man from Meghalaya started speaking such ‘sudh’ (fluent) pure Hindi.

Filmmaker Tarun Bhartiya tweeted: “<Hindu Corporate India> Khasi Hills just a backdrop – with wrong festival, wrong name, wrong dress, wrong accent, wrong language – (everything is wrong) @netflixindia dance to Hindu India tune does.