Sanskari overload?
By Sreekanth A. Nair
Dating app Tinder launched its first overseas operations outside the US, in India in January this year. The casual dating app works in 196 countries and is the top lifestyle app in more than 70 countries. But, now it seems like Tinder is trying to create a new identity in India.
A new advertisement posted on the Facebook page of Tinder features a mother and a daughter that hints that the app is going ‘sanskari’ way, or the traditional way.
In the advertisement, the young daughter is getting ready to go for a date. But instead of being skeptical about her date – like a typical Indian mother – the mother is ok with her daughter’s meeting.
The girl is asking her mother whether her necklace is matching with her dressing style.
Though the mother saw a Tinder message on the mobile phone of her daughter, she says she would ‘swipe right’ on it.
“The people we meet and the connections we forge change our lives. Tinder is how everyone today meets new, like-minded people around them – people who become friends, lovers, mentors, acquaintances, partners, movie-buddies or soulmates. ‪#‎SwipeRight to a world of possibilities,†Tinder posted on Facebook.
“India has seen a cultural evolution that has been shaping up over the years. This evolution is being led by the youth, who are today more aware, connected and expressive than ever before. Like every generation, the youth today have adopted strong Indian values while at the same time creating new norms and rejecting the ones that do not fit anymore in a shifting world order. As a result, some of the conventional structural barriers that have long existed in our society are slowly becoming less rigid,†Tinder India Head, Taru Kapoor was quoted saying.
The reactions of the user community also show that they also don’t like the way Tinder is trying to make a new image.
“It’s either super progressive or unbelievably backward,” commented a Facebook user.
“Sanskar overload,” wrote another.
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