Disney is in our DNA
Many Gurugram residents reeling from recent floods and past dengue outbreaks have rolled their eyes at the idea. Sanjiv Kapoor, former CEO of Jet Airways, put up pictures of wandering cows in Gurugram and scoffed: 'And you want to build a Disneyland in Haryana? Ludicrous!'
Columnist Rajyasree Sen pointed at 'Manesar Hill Site' or 4,000 MT of untreated waste lying at the Sector 6 dumping site and wondered if instead of Disney's famous Big Thunder Mountain Railroad ride we would get the Big Trash Mountain ride.
And given Gurugram's recent floods, it seems more suited for Water World rather than Disney World anyway. An AI reel went viral with the caption 'Disneyland in India? Chaos, paan stains, and Mickey throwing hands! Watch this wild ride!' In it, a security guard chases a man running away with Minnie Mouse tucked under his arm. Entire families with stainless steel dabbas sit down for banana leaf picnic lunches on a ride. A man in a lungi spits out a volley of red paan juice on a 'No Spitting' sign.
Some would say these are unfair, just spoilsports who don't understand the spirit of Hakuna Matata because Gurugram just can't wait to be king.
But in truth, it's a great idea. With the recent immigration crackdown, U.S. visas are getting harder to come by. How wonderful it would be if we could get our Disneyland selfies in India itself. This would be our version of 'If Muhammad cannot go to the mountain, the mountain will come to Muhammad'.
Lending an Indian touch
Each Disneyland, whether in Paris or Shanghai, comes with some unique rides tailored to local sensitivities though the brand is unmistakably always Disney. Shanghai's version of Sleeping Beauty's castle shows Chinese influences. The Paris Disneyland avoids American flags. Maybe the Indian Disneyland can have Mickey Mouse doing yoga. But it's a great lesson in the projection of soft power, something India is deeply interested in these days. Disney can offer a masterclass on how to export the idea of Americana but make it so feel-good, it does not feel like cultural imperialism. This is Americana you are happy to take a selfie with.
Disney has not commented on whether this is really in the works and it's not clear whether this is Disneyland or just a Disney-like theme park. That's just a minor detail for those of us who grew up in India wearing 'Lavis' jeans because Levi's were not available. I live in Kolkata where a park has economy-version replicas of the wonders of the world from the Colosseum to Christ the Redeemer. The city is dotted with replicas of Big Ben. When the original Big Ben in London was closed for repairs, Kolkata's Little Bens tolled away merrily.
Meanwhile in America
No one can deny Disneyland's timeless appeal. I thought myself too cool for it in the years I lived in California. When my parents visited from India they had two requests — McDonald's burgers (that had not arrived in India yet) and Disneyland. I succumbed and took them to Disneyland and stopped for McDonald's on the way. They look so happy in the photographs, like children again, going on little boat rides for It's A Small World, and watching fireworks explode over the fairytale castle. Disney is in our DNA and there's no getting away from it. Its appeal spans generations. It is in many ways the American Dream supersized, super-sweet, candy-coloured and utterly unreal. Its motto 'Happiest place on earth' is sheer PR triumph.
But in these troubled times, even Disneyland in Anaheim, California, has not been spared. U.S. vice president J.D. Vance visited recently with his family. California governor Gavin Newsom wrote on X: 'Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you're tearing apart certainly won't.' Newsom was referring to aggressive immigration raids conducted by federal agents, especially in Southern California. '35% of Anaheim's residents are immigrants. Disneyland doesn't run without them,' Newsom's account reminded Vance.
Back to happy times
Gurugram, with its housing complexes with names like Palm Springs and Malibu Heights, was always aspiring to project Americana in Haryana. Disneyland would feel right at home in it.
It seems entirely fitting that in its Vishwaguru avatar, India too should claim Disneyland's tagline of being the happiest place on earth. America, torn apart by Donald Trump's culture wars and immigration raids, certainly doesn't feel like it anymore.
Sandip Roy, the author of Don't Let Him Know, likes to let everyone know about his opinions, whether asked or not.
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