Viral video of Gujarati actor eating khaman on Surat Airport floor triggers fierce discussion on "civic sense"

Time of India

28-04-2025

A video of a Gujarati man sitting on the floor and eating food at
Surat Airport
has taken the internet by storm.
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The man was identified as Gujarati actor Hitesh Thakkar by The Indian Express. In the now-viral video, Thakkar is seen sitting cross-legged on the airport floor with a newspaper spread out in front of him. On it, he and his friends enjoyed khaman, a soft, fluffy Gujarati snack loved by many.
In the video, Thakkar explained that he and his friends were flying from Surat to Pattaya, Thailand. His friends had brought khaman to the airport, so they decided to sit on the floor and eat before boarding their flight.
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"We don't look at the place when it comes to eating," Thakkar said in the video. "This is Surat Airport, and my friends got delicious khaman. We are sitting on the floor and eating before boarding our flight to Pattaya."
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The video was first shared on X (formerly Twitter) by a user who praised Thakkar for sticking to his "traditional diet and eating style." However, not everyone agreed.
Many social media users criticised the act, calling it a "civic lapse." Some pointed out that while it is important to respect one's culture and traditions, public spaces like airports demand a certain level of civic responsibility.
One user commented, 'Missing upright civic behaviour is one of the reasons India is still seen as a third world country. You want to use modern transport but act like rules do not apply.'
Another wrote, 'Not Indian culture, please stop promoting this. There is nothing to be proud about.'
Some also said that eating in public spaces like airports could cause inconvenience to others and set a bad example.
While many supported Thakkar for valuing his food and traditions, others stressed the need for maintaining proper behaviour in public places, especially airports where rules are stricter.
One X user summed it up by saying, 'You can eat anything however you want in your home, but in public, there must be some civic sense.'