I remember reading in a novel by Chetan Bhagat, that a South Indian home looks like a Punjabi home would, after a burglary (or a sentiment to that effect). This is of course a stereotypical generalisation, but it does point to some of the cultural differences we see in the different regions of India. Indian parents in particular are very mindful of these differences – real and imagined – when it comes to the life partner chosen by their offspring. So when a man tweeted about introducing his Punjabi girlfriend to his Andhra parents, we knew how that would’ve gone down. The whole thread about the parental reactions is funny and relatable – it really resonated.
The mother apparently is OK with this, the father has ‘gone completely silent’ indicating either shock or disapproval or heartbreak or all three.
This scene from Vicky Donor is a fairly accurate representation of some of the prejudices we harbour – if not overt than hidden.
What about the girl’s parents?
This is not a common Indian reaction, it has to be said.
Sometimes parents react to unwelcome news by going completely silent – rather than confront the proverbial elephant in the room.
The author of the post feels that Andhra is the Punjab of the South and that Punjab is the Andhra of the north.
The tweet thread created a lot of interest among the tweeple – it is a familiar but good story.
This is the story we've seen played out in many, many Indian homes.
The story of the Andhra-Punjabi union has a lot of people hooked and they what to know what happens next.
Most people are interested to know what happens next in the Andhra-Punjabi saga, and the tweeple sent out their good wishes.
Did the parents ‘meet’ the girlfriend over video chat or in person or what?
This family seems to be even more varied and interesting and diverse.
These are the things that you'll remember fondly later, said this guy.
This is a great story. Even with all our differences, there is a largeness of heart that transcends irrelevances, and creates happy endings. The tweeple hoped for a happy end for the Andhra Punjab romance – we all need some good news in life these days.
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