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Journalism of Courage
A light-hearted video featuring an Australian man’s candid take on slang terms used in Bengaluru has evoked a debate on social media. What began as a casual conversation has now evolved into a humorous yet passionate discussion about the quirks and charm of local expressions.
The now-viral reel video was shared on Instagram by Aashmika Varma, and shows her chatting with the Australian man inside what appears to be an eatery in Bengaluru. During their conversation, she asked, “What are your thoughts on Bengaluru slang (lingos)?”
“They are arbitrary, pointless, and made up. It doesn’t come from anywhere,” he responded bluntly.
Amused, Varma pressed him to elaborate. The exchange took a playful turn when another woman brought up Australian slang, prompting the man to defend it. “Australian slang derives from somewhere,” he said.
Refusing to let her hometown slang be dismissed so easily, Varma challenged him with a popular local phrase: “Yaa, Enthu Cutlet,” referring to an enthusiastic person. The man asked, “Why cutlet?” She then followed up with another common saying, “Let’s put scene,” which is used when people wish to hang out for a drink or smoke. His reaction was immediate and sharp. “Yaa, that doesn’t make any sense. This is so dumb,” he said.
When Varma jokingly called him a hater, he doubled down with a mix of affection and criticism. “Nah, I love Bengaluru, but it’s stupid,” he said in the video.
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The video quickly gained traction on social media, sparking a wave of reactions from Bengaluru residents who took to the comments to defend and explain the meaning and origins of various slang words. Many highlighted that the phrases reflect the city’s diverse cultural influences and evolving youth identity.
“‘Enthu Cutlet’ came out of Indian Coffee House (originally on MG Road), which served the best cutlets, and people were enthusiastic about eating one. This eagerness to visit ICH again and again gave rise to Enthu cutlet. The other is a translation,” a user wrote.
“Pro tip – do not use chumma in any hindi speaking state – consequences are not fun,” another netizen commented. “Feeling attacked,” a third user reacted.
