“Shorts Not Allowed In Bengaluru?”: Influencer’s Video Stirs Debate On Women’s Freedom

A video shared by an Instagram influencer, depicting an elderly woman publicly shaming her for wearing shorts in Bengaluru, has ignited a heated debate on social media. The clip shows the elderly woman shouting in her native language.

The caption of the video reads, “Woman against Woman.” It also questions the woman’s behaviour with the phrase, “Shorts not allowed in Bengaluru?” and criticizes society as a dictating force over women.

In the video, Tanny Bhattacharjee, a yoga instructor with over 1.2 lakh Instagram followers, questions the reaction she received: “What do you think is the problem? I don’t know what’s happening.” The footage has sparked polarised opinions, with some condemning the elderly woman’s behaviour and others supporting her stance.

Comments on Instagram reflect this divide. One user argued, “Shorts have nothing to do with society. It’s your mentality. By the way, why is the aunty wearing a saree with a crop top showing her stomach?” Another commenter criticized the city’s progress, saying, “Bengaluru is going backwards.”

Support for the elderly woman was also evident, though some advised Bhattacharjee to ignore the situation. In response, Bhattacharjee clarified, “I totally agree about ignoring her, and we did ignore her and started walking towards the car park. Then she started following us, shouting in public and stopping other vehicles to show me in my shorts to other men. FYI, I was not creating any content there. I was on my way back to the car, and she kept doing this just because I wore shorts?”

The video highlights ongoing tensions over dress codes and personal freedoms, illustrating the clash between traditional and modern values.