Internet is full of all kinds of outlandish things that keep going viral every other day. This time it is a bizarre song about the Indian flatbread Papadum or papad that has sent the netizens in a frenzy. The video of the song named ‘papadam’ features an Indian woman and four foreigners singing and dancing to the weird song holding papads in their hands. Take a look at the song here:
What is happening pic.twitter.com/o0Y8DnERwS
— Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites) October 22, 2020
The song has triggered negative reactions from people on social media who criticised the song. Social media users have accused the song of being insensitive towards Indian culture, racist, and cultural stereotyping. One of the Twitter users condemned the song saying this was not the representation she wanted.
to be clear, this was not the representation i wanted pic.twitter.com/vNswTi0E16
— Ashmi (@_ashmip) October 22, 2020
Apart from the bizarre lyrics of the song that had just one word, ‘papadum’, what drew the attention of people was the Indian lady in the video of the song who was not lip-syncing at all and kept grinning all through the video without blinking her eyes.
I’m a tiny bit confused as to why the Indian lady doesn’t sing? That’s the part that’s throwing me.
— Kia “Viral Pangolin” 🙃 (@whodreamedit) October 22, 2020
People wondered whether she was uncomfortable doing the video or the expressions were deliberate to make her look ‘funny’.
Thanks @AnandWrites. I now have to spend my day trying to figure out why the only South Asian in the video is also the only person not singing along while also trying to figure out whether I’m being made fun or or awkwardly embraced. All while I’m trying to unsee this video.
— Aneesh Raman (@AneeshRaman) October 22, 2020
The songwriter later clarified that the Indian was woman was indeed not comfortable singing the song. He said that in the intro of the song, lady brings the papadum and then the they all dance.
</scriptShe wasn’t comfortable singing,but there was an intro where she brought us food and talked of dance.
— Anthony Field (@Anthony_Wiggle) October 22, 2020
The song was apparently created in 2014 by an Australian musician named Anthony Donald Joseph Field who is a member of a children’s music group called the Wiggles.
Al, I wrote the song, and directed the clip in 2014 (which was meant as a celebration). It was not my intention to be culturally insensitive to the Indian community, or to add value to ethnic stereotyping. Apologies .
— Anthony Field (@Anthony_Wiggle) October 22, 2020
After the backlash from the people on the song, Field apologised saying that he did not intend to be culturally insensitive to the Indian community or add value to ethnic stereotyping. He said that the song was meant as a celebration.
