‘Gori pakori privilege': Russian woman's video on ‘normal Indian life' goes viral, but one point divides the Internet

Indian Express

12 hours ago

A reel by a Russian woman living in Bengaluru has struck a chord online, sparking conversations about cultural adaptation, privilege, and everyday Indian habits. The video, posted by content creator Iuliia Aslamova, has gone viral with over five million views, offering a glimpse into what she calls her 'absolutely normal' Indian lifestyle, though not everyone agrees with her take.
Captioned 'Here's my list of absolutely normal things for yours #russianindian,' the reel walks viewers through a series of habits she's picked up while living in India – many of which might raise eyebrows outside the country, but feel perfectly natural to her now.
She starts with a big one: living with her in-laws. Far from dreading it, she calls it a 'blessing,' explaining that she's grateful not to have to run the household alone. She also praises the Indian style of eating with hands – something she admits she never used to do, but now believes actually enhances the flavour of food.
Punctuality, too, has taken on a different meaning for her. A delay of 15 to 20 minutes is no longer a source of stress – she's simply adapted and works around it. What once felt strange — like having multiple domestic helpers — now feels like a clever and practical part of Indian life.
She's also found herself casually slipping into Hinglish and says she hopes to learn Hindi properly in the next year or two. Another habit she's come to embrace is bargaining – a skill she calls a 'superpower' and one of the most unexpected lessons she's picked up here. Rounding off her list, she mentions her love for masala chai and observes how so much in India – from movies to everyday chats – seems to orbit around the theme of love.
A post shared by Iuliia Aslamova (@yulia_bangalore)
While many praised her for how well she's adjusted, the comments section quickly became a space for more complex discussions. Some lauded her for embracing the culture so fully, especially the acceptance of lateness and eating with hands. One user wrote, 'Amazing how you have adapted to Indian culture including acceptance of people being late.'
But not everyone was as impressed. A commenter pointed out the layers of privilege that might be at play, writing, 'See mam, you are a foreigner daughter-in-law because you get special treatment… Indian daughter-in-laws are always getting third class treatment. This is just NRI syndrome.' Another said, 'Eating with hands is okay. But why are you glorifying toxic things? Living with in-laws is a curse for most women… You are a gori pakori so you have 'privileges'.'
Others offered a more balanced take, acknowledging her experience while underlining that it doesn't reflect everyone's reality. 'I support all of them, except the first one. I think it's up to the couple and whom they choose to be with,' one user wrote.