Janhvi Kapoor Defends Indian Stars at Met Gala: ‘Proud of Our Heritage’
Janhvi Kapoor Fires Back at Met Gala Trolls
The 2025 Met Gala saw a wave of Indian stars grace the red carpet, including Shah Rukh Khan, Diljit Dosanjh, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. While many celebrated this representation, some social media users took aim, using the phrase ‘Chandivalification of MET’ to criticize the Indian celebrities’ style and suggest it somehow diminished the event’s prestige.
Colonial Trauma, Not Classism
Actress Janhvi Kapoor wasn’t having it. She vehemently defended her fellow Indian stars, calling out the underlying issues that fueled these criticisms. In a post shared by DietSabya on Instagram, she pointed out the irony of Indians judging their own culture harshly, suggesting it stems from lingering colonial attitudes.
“Amusing how we’re being almost classist towards ourselves, clearly colonial trauma hasn’t left us,” she wrote.
Celebrating Indian Talent
Janhvi went on to highlight the incredible talent of Indian artisans and designers, who have long been creating exquisite work but often without proper recognition. She emphasized how their designs have been exported and appropriated by others without credit.
“For decades the work of our artisans has been exported from our country and put on global platforms without credit, for decades they have borrowed our fabrics, our embroidery, our textiles, our jewellery and presented it as a creation of which they are the rightful owners,” she stated.
A Chance to Shine
Janhvi saw the Met Gala as a platform for India’s rich heritage to shine on a global stage. She expressed her joy that Indian stars were finally getting the opportunity to represent their culture and artistry on such a prestigious platform.
“Shouldn’t we be happy we’re finally getting our due instead of salty about how seeing our own people on this platform is making it seem a little less aspirational? Might I say our garments were amongst the most spectacular,” she added.
