“Kiss me here, kiss me.”A few words shouted on a Kolkata street were enough to turn a routine travel video into a viral storm online – sparking outrage, discomfort, and a sharply divided debate across social media.What started as a brief street interaction between an Australian tourist and a young local man has now snowballed into something much bigger, with viewers split between calling the behaviour unacceptable and questioning how the entire incident is being portrayed online.As the clip continues to spread, it has shifted far beyond the streets of Kolkata, becoming part of a larger and more heated conversation about conduct, context, and viral narratives on social media.
What happened in the video?
The video was posted by Instagram user Marco Roams.In the clip, the Australian tourist is seen walking along a street in Kolkata when a young man sitting in a rickshaw begins speaking to him.The young man repeatedly asks him for a kiss and can be heard saying, “Kiss me here, kiss me.”The tourist declines and responds, “Kiss you? No, sorry, I’m straight.”However, the interaction does not end there. The young man continues to insist and is also seen holding the tourist’s hand while he attempts to move away.After creating some distance from the situation, the tourist says, “Wow! Getting bloody molested by people younger than me.”The video also includes a text overlay that reads, “Why do Indian guys always want you to kiss them?”
Social media users express concern
The clip soon gained traction online and attracted a large number of reactions.Several users criticized the behaviour shown in the video and said the tourist should not have been put in such an uncomfortable position.“I think you landed in the wrong India,” wrote one user.Another commented, “@kolkatapolice, kindly teach these boys a good lesson.”Many others echoed similar sentiments and described the interaction as inappropriate.
Debate shifts to the caption
As the discussion grew, some users focused less on the incident and more on the wording used in the video’s text overlay.One commenter wrote, “If you’re so broke that you can’t visit actual tourist places, don’t blame India after wandering into random slums for content.”Another said, “Instead of going to good places in India u guys intentionally go to these kinds of sketchy areas just for content views and then upload reels with weird captions.”
Reactions remain divided
The comments section eventually became a mix of criticism, apology, and debate.Several users apologized to the tourist and said the behaviour shown in the video was unacceptable. At the same time, many argued that a single encounter should not be used to make sweeping statements about an entire country or its people.As the video continues to circulate online, it remains at the center of a discussion that has gone far beyond the original interaction captured on camera.Disclaimer: This article is based on a video shared on social media. The views expressed are those of the individuals concerned and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Times of India.Thumb image: Instagram
