Viral reel shows what happens when you speak Hindi in Bengaluru

Time of India

07-07-2025

Bengaluru, India's tech powerhouse, is more than just a city of startups and IT parks; it's also a space where numerous people with diverse languages, cultures, and identities live together.
As people from all corners of the country move in for work and opportunity, the city finds itself at the center of growing conversations around language, belonging, and identity.
Amid this environment, one of the most emotionally charged debates continues to revolve around the relationship between native Kannada speakers and migrants from predominantly Hindi-speaking regions. While many residents live together in harmony, tensions sometimes emerge, particularly when language becomes a visible barrier or symbol of a deeper social divide.
Recently, a humorous video shared on Reddit has reignited this debate with surprising intensity. Though comedic, the video has become a lightning rod for a much broader cultural reflection in Bengaluru.
In the viral clip titled 'What North Indians Think Bangaloreans Do Every Day', content creator Deesha Umesh satirically portrays the exaggerated behaviour of a fictional local who shows hostility toward anyone speaking in Hindi.
by Taboola
by Taboola
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The character, played by Deesha herself, appears to go out of her way to be unkind when addressed in Hindi, but immediately softens when spoken to in Kannada.
One scene shows her pretending to be a fruit seller offering mangoes at Rs 50, only to hike the price to Rs 500 when a Hindi-speaking customer shows interest. Another moment shows her unhelpful and cold when a stranger asks for directions in Hindi. Yet when another woman bumps into her and apologises in Kannada, she warmly accepts it and embraces her.
The video closes with the simple yet sharp message that language can influence the way people treat one another, especially in a linguistically diverse city like Bengaluru.
The video, which went viral on Reddit and Instagram with over 380,000 likes, was praised for its relatable humour and smart social message. Users appreciated Deeha's uninterrupted Kannada. Interestingly, Deesha is a Gujarati-born doctor who grew up entirely in Bengaluru and now works full-time as a content creator, with over 230,000 Instagram followers.
Social media reactions
Viewers flooded the comments section with personal stories. One user wrote, 'Many Hindi-speaking people born in Bengaluru still avoid learning the local language.' Others said they'd never experienced such discrimination and that these issues are often exaggerated. Some, however, shared disturbing incidents where they felt unwelcome for speaking Hindi.