Happy Deepavali: TikTokers win praise for recreating iconic Bollywood dance at HDB void deck

A group of youths in Singapore recreated the iconic scene of a Bollywood blockbuster to wish others Happy Deepavali, and their video became an online hit.

TikTok user Simplejeee posted the video on Nov 4, amassing 480,000 views and 3,200 comments.

With nifty footwork and void deck setting, the youths channelled Kareena Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan as they danced to Bole Chudiyan — a popular tune from the 2001 Hindi film Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.

Even if you’ve not seen the movie, it’s apparent that the dancers were really vibing with the music in this dance cover.

From the impressive camerawork to the choreography and on-point facial expressions, the TikTok video that they’ve created is winning hearts in Singapore and beyond.

In the comments section, the dancer wearing white received praise for capturing the audience’s attention.

Other netizens said they were in awe at the accuracy of the rendition of the Bollywood dance, with one mentioning that this is the type of content they want to see during the Festival of Lights.

Deepavali greetings gone wrong

While people appreciated the Bollywood dance cover in celebration of the festival, two businesses in Singapore were called out for their racial insensitivity in their Deepavali videos.

On Nov 4, fitness company F45 got flak for posting a video showing two Chinese women laughing while bobbling their heads and wishing viewers a happy Deepavali.

A similar video surfaced on Nov 7, showing three Chinese women bobbing their heads as they danced along to a Hindi prayer song.

The people behind the clip — social media manager Wendy Tong and local retailer Dear19.co — have since apologised.

“I am insensitive and did not understand the culture well before using it as an example,” Tong said.