10 things Coldplay's Hymn for the Weekend can teach Indians about India

In case you were caught napping last year, Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin came to Delhi where he delighted fans with a surprise gig at Summer House Cafe. The AIB gang, Vishal Dadlani were some of the lucky few in attendance. Martin then made another visit, this time with his band members to shoot a music video. Mumbaikars knew that kids would play Holi and a Bollywood actress would make an appearance.

Then on January 28, Coldplay released Hymn for the Weekend, the second single from their album, A Head Full of Dreams. With lyrics that go, “Now I'm feeling drunk and high, So high, so high, Woo!”, it’s not much of a surprise that Coldplay decided to set the song in India.

The video also features Beyonce, who shot her portions as an actress named Rani against a green screen in a studio in US somewhere. Of course, she has henna on her hands, a bindi on her forehead and wears lots of jewellery. The backlash has begun with many disappointed with its abundance of clichés and stereotypes. It has also stirred a debate on the fine line between cultural appropriation and cultural appreciation. At best, “Hymn for the Weekend” is like a series of pretty postcards from India or a commercial that the guys down at Incredible India! wish they had made.

Here’s what you learn about India after watching the video.

1. India’s got a gorgeous bird in peacock.

2. It is the land of saffron-clad sadhus. A few of them can balance themselves on a stick.

3. Kids love to dress up as Shiva and Hanuman.

4. Holi! Such a fun festival of colours!

5. It perhaps has the best taxi interiors in the world.

6. Puppeteers on streets, fire-breathers, Indian classical dancers, marigold flowers, fireworks... there is no land as exotic as India!

7. Did you say Bollywood dance? Excuse me, it also has b-boying.

8. It hasn’t given up on film and still has single-screen theatres with projectionists.

9. Indians idea of fun is to take a back flip into a stream.

10. Sonam Kapoor is a Bollywood actress. But it’s stupid to cast her as the actress when you have Beyonce.