Final week’s Met Gala was tremendous Black! The theme, Black Dandyism, opened the door for non-white figures and new international stars to be celebrated on the refreshingly numerous carpet. Bollywood famous person Shah Rukh Khan made historical past by being the primary Bollywood male actor to stroll the Met carpet, however his introduction to the American popular culture scene has left some South Asian of us feeling bitter. This is the reason:
In case you don’t know, Shah Rukh Khan is a Bollywood legend. In 2015, Forbes topped him the “greatest film star on this planet.” Esquire ranked Khan the fourth richest actor on this planet in 2025 after Arnold Schwarzenegger, Dwayne Johnson, and Tom Cruise. Actually, in line with the Nashville Movie Institute, Bollywood is the biggest international movie trade, producing round 1000 movies per yr, pulling in $2 billion in revenue. However that doesn’t imply he’s huge in America.
Throughout Vogue’s Met Gala livestream, Teyana Taylor and Ego Nwodim interviewed “SRK, “and the interview (whereas a tiny bit awkward) had some customary questions and well mannered interactions. Then the star’s stylist (who’s outfit was extra becoming for the event) jumped in explaining these celebs have been standing earlier than probably the most well-known man. on this planet.
The dearth of acknowledgement of Khan’s international fame additionally left a few of his followers feeling just like the actor was disrespected.
“This man doesn’t simply present as much as occasions. He’s the occasion. The carpet was fortunate he walked on it,” one TikTok creator expressed their frustration.
“He’s extra well-known than the Met Gala itself,” one viewer wrote within the feedback.
“People simply have zero hospitality and visitor manners they wouldn’t even do analysis earlier than interviewing somebody,” wrote one other commenter.
“We [Indian’s] have a proper to be disenchanted… when it’s such a historic second like having the primary male Bollywood actor to stroll the purple carpet, I really feel like they need to’ve had some higher questions and much more preparation. I might additionally argue that their tone felt just a little condescending and it’s virtually like they have been speaking all the way down to him,” one other TikTok creator mentioned.
Whereas some creators expressed their frustration with the interview, different South Asian creators are defending Taylor and Nwodim. TikTok creator @Nad, who highlighted that it was no coincidence the theme Black dandyism led to extra range on the carpet:
“It’s no coincidence that the focus of Indian celebrities current on the Met Gala elevated when the theme was about Black dandyism. Why ought to Indian’s and South Asian’s care that it was a theme about Black liberation that led to their inflow on the Met Gala? As a result of we owe our existence in America to Black individuals,” Nad says within the video.
Quite a lot of the feedback underneath his video have been in settlement with what he mentioned. One consumer wrote, “Amen please educate your individuals. Black individuals have opened the door for all individuals of colour! We’ve taken the entire warmth however given not one of the credit score!!!”
“The Black board members, together with Teyana Taylor, invited him. His followers are dogpiling on the very individuals who requested him to come back,” wrote one other viewer.
Different TikTok creators had smoke for designer Sabyasachi, who dressed Khan for the occasion, feeling that he disrespected Black People by not following the night time’s theme.
“That man (Sabyasachi) actually bought up there and mentioned, ‘yeah I’m not doing that theme.’ Black dandyism we’re not doing it… that’s the disrespect. Y’all are utterly lacking the purpose,” mentioned creator @secretdarlenne.
A reference to a degree within the Vogue interview the place Sabyasachi mentioned, “illustration is crucial factor, and we needed to signify Shah Rukh Khan as Shah Rukh Khan and no person else.”
One TikTok consumer wrote that Teyana Taylor and Ego Nwodim have been truly too good: “SRK solely got here as a result of his children mentioned it was cool and Sabyasachi not solely saying f*ck the theme however one of the best ways to do the theme was to honor a non-black man. Teyana and Ego have been too good truly.”