The Met Gala 2025 took place on May 5, in New York City. The year's biggest fashion event saw a star-studded line-up of Indian celebrities, including Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Kiara Advani, and Diljit Dosanjh, walking the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
While most Desi fans were happy about the momentous Indian representation at the international event, some labelled it as the “Chandivalification of Met”. The comment did not sit well with actress Janhvi Kapoor, who slammed the trolls for their "colonial mindset."
It all started with popular Instagram handle Diet Sabya's latest post, which featured a comment from a user.
It read, "DSji, how come we have a sudden influx of Indians at the Met? Is this the Chandivalification of the Met?"
Reacting to the post in the comments section, Janhvi Kapoor wrote, "It was high time. Our artisans and designers are the best in the world, they deserve the spotlight on a global stage like the Met. As do our icons. 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? Amusing how we're being almost classist towards ourselves, clearly colonial trauma hasn't left us."
Talking about Indian artisans and designers who often get overlooked on the global stage, the actress added, "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."
"I'm glad our people are finally getting the chance to represent so much of our work and heritage. If anything, the sense of pride I felt seeing our artists and garments at the Met made the whole affair seem even more magical," Janhvi Kapoor concluded.
On the work front, Janhvi Kapoor will next be seen in Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari alongside Varun Dhawan. The actress also has Param Sundari with Sidharth Malhotra in the lineup.
