Before I begin, let me clarify: I am not a killjoy. I love dancing. If music starts playing at a wedding, chances are I will be on the dance floor too. But as Jaya ji would say, 'Yeh koi jagah hai?' Two videos of Indian tourists are trending on social media. One shows a family performing garba at an airport in Vietnam, seemingly joyful for reasons unknown. The second captures a group of friends dancing to Chaiyya Chaiyya on Hanoi's narrow Train Street. I understand the excitement: seeing a train pass through a tight alley naturally evokes memories of Shah Rukh Khan and Malaika Arora dancing atop a moving train.
Why Are We Doing This?
But why are we behaving this way? Is it for Reels? For traction? Or have we reached a point where every trip demands a performance, and every memory requires an audience? The issue is not dancing itself; it is context.
I am not saying do not have fun. Go ahead—dance, make Reels, take photos, and celebrate. We have plenty of reasons to. If nothing else, call a dholwala home and celebrate a random Tuesday, or the fact that you survived another day at work.
Respecting Shared Spaces
But why must we do it in restricted places? Why at airports, where people are rushing to catch flights? Why on a train street, of all locations? Somewhere along the way, travel stopped being about experiencing a place and started becoming about being seen experiencing it. Every holiday now comes with an invisible assignment: return with content. But for whom? A handful of followers? Whether it is Vietnam, Switzerland, or the United States, we should absolutely travel and appreciate the beauty of these places. But do we really need to blast music, gather a crowd, and turn every public space into our personal set? Other tourists have also spent money to be there. They are trying to enjoy the view and atmosphere—not necessarily become unwilling extras in someone else's video.
Cultural Expression vs. Appropriate Behavior
And before someone says, 'We are just expressing our culture,' let us remember there is a time and a place for everything. The world is full of carnivals, parades, and flash mobs. Dance there. Show us your moves, and we will cheer for you.
The problem is not just about Indians dancing abroad; it is that too many travelers everywhere now treat airports, heritage sites, scenic viewpoints, and even dangerous locations as content studios rather than shared spaces.
Travel Is Not a Talent Show
Travel is not a talent show. Not every airport is a stage, not every street is a film set, and not every holiday needs choreography.
The next time I see tourists dancing around me abroad, I am reporting them to Farah Khan, Geeta Kapur, and Vaibhavi Merchant. Apparently, nobody taught them the first rule of performance: know your audience—and your venue.
