A man from Tamil Nadu recently claimed that he faced rejection at Virat Kohli’s upscale restaurant, ‘One8 Commune,’ located in Juhu, Mumbai. The viral video depicts the individual, dressed in a white shirt and veshti (a traditional white unstitched cloth wrap for the lower body in Tamil Nadu), standing outside the restaurant and expressing his disappointment at being denied entry due to his attire.
“I am not just disappointed but hurt,” expressed the unidentified man in the video, garnering up to 1 million views on the micro-blogging site ‘X.’ He went on to narrate his arrival in Mumbai, checking into his hotel (JW Marriott), and promptly heading to One8 Commune’s Juhu branch as a dedicated Kohli fan. To his dismay, the management refused him entry, citing that his attire was against their dress code. Disheartened, he lamented about having to return to his hotel on an empty stomach.Expressing hope for corrective action, the man disclosed his primary shock: “I’m wearing a proper, dignified Tamil cultural attire. In case I was wearing a colored dhoti, ¾ or any kind of casual attire…if they had rejected me for entry, I would have honestly obliged. But what made me publish this (the video) is that the management insulted the entire Tamils and our culture.”
The viral video prompted mixed reactions from the public. One user defended dress codes, stating, “There is some dress code for resto cafes and restaurants. If there are any such, one doesn’t have to visit it and create this unnecessary nuisance.” Another questioned the man’s intentions, saying, “Does this gentleman carry a camera with a collar mic along with a cameraman to have food always….. Surprising.”
Supportive comments also emerged, with one expressing shock at the incident, “I am shocked this is happening in india. Vesti is tamil nadu traditional dress. We are so.proud of it. How come this has happend. Totally disappointed. Hope some action must be taken. This should never happen again in india” Another criticised the perceived discrimination, asserting, “This isn’t against law? this is discrimination. People are like this is private! Grow up kit, this is democratic country.”
