A video of an Indian office celebrating Diwali has gone viral and is currently the subject of a fierce online debate as to whether it’s just a bit of festive fun or a rather calculated effort to impress foreign visitors. What started as a simple office Diwali celebration has now become a major talking point in terms of professional boundaries, cultural pride, and how Indian staff go about dealing with international guests.

What Happened In The Viral Video?

As per an India Today report, the video shows a female employee in a yellow saree dancing to the Bollywood number ‘Shakira’ from the 2015 film Welcome 2 Karachi. Her colleagues, in full festive regalia, can be seen standing behind her, clapping and cheering.

A foreign woman is also seen sitting in front of the dancer being filmed. A number of social media users have claimed that she was the employee’s American boss. That said, her identity and her employment relationship with the employee have not been independently verified.

Internet Divided Over The Performance

The video attracted criticism from users who were questioning the rationale for having song and dance when foreign visitors come to Indian workplaces. Some people found it unprofessional, others thought it was just a normal Diwali celebration and therefore not something to be in any way negative about.

One user questioned whether the staff were going overboard in an attempt to please the foreign visitors. Others were defending the woman, pointing out that it’s absolutely the norm in a multinational environment to have people from all over the world and that celebrating an Indian festival in that context is by no means out of the ordinary.

The claim that people were working for small treats like soan papdi has not been independently verified. At its heart it’s just a reflection of the wider dispute about where workplace hospitality ends and professional expectations begin.