Coldplay’s video for their new song Hymn for the Weekend is being criticised by some for ‘misusing’ Indian culture.
Parts of the video were filmed in India during the Holi Festival which is characterised by people throwing brightly coloured powders at each other.
In the video Chris Martin can be seen travelling past some of India’s ancient sites and crowded streets in a tuk tuk.
However the ‘controversial’ video also features Beyonce, who appears wearing traditional Indian dress and this is what seems to be rubbing critics up the wrong way, reports the BBC.
It is raising questions about whether Beyonce, as a black American woman, should be dressing up as a Bollywood star leading some to complaini that the video represents cultural appropriation:
Other commenters have pointed out similar that other videos – including Coldplay’s own Princess of China which featured Rihanna wearing traditional Chinese dress have not come in for the same criticism…
Another popular opinion is that the whole thing is nonsense, adding that Coldplay have actually spent quite a lot of time in India and have immersed themselves in the culture.
Others have been annoyed on a completely different level:
Coldplay, controversial? Never thought those two words would appear in the same sentence.
