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Journalism of Courage
The United States Senate has confirmed Indian-origin American Kash Patel as the new director of the FBI, sparking a wave of reactions across social media. Among the many congratulatory messages, one that stood out came from Donald Trump’s close aide, Dan Scavino.
Taking to X, Scavino put a Bollywood twist on his message by sharing a clip from the Malhari song from Bajirao Mastani. And he didn’t stop there—he went the extra mile by superimposing Patel’s face onto Ranveer Singh’s in the video. Alongside it, he wrote, “Congratulations to the new Director of the FBI, Kash Patel.”
Watch the video:
https://twitter.com/Scavino47/status/1892658921409515569
The video went viral with over five million views.
Responding to the video, one user tried to break down the song’s lyrics for non-Indian audiences.
https://twitter.com/TruSwedeman/status/1892719240416829760
Another user commented, “Is it just me who finds it funny every time Americans (OR the West world at large) use this video/gif. Do you guys even know which Bollywood movie is this from? And what is it about?”
A third user wrote, “Malhari song is getting abused by Americans.”
Malhari-song meme template
This isn’t the first time the song has been turned into a meme. Since its release in 2015, Malhari has become a go-to template for celebrating victories—whether it’s sports wins, political triumphs, or viral moments. Even Donald Trump wasn’t spared; after his 2016 presidential win, the same clip was edited with his face.
Who is Kash Patel?
Kash Patel was born in New York in 1980 to Gujarati parents and spent part of his childhood in East Africa. He attended Garden City High School in Long Island before heading to the University of Richmond for his undergraduate studies. Later, he returned to New York to pursue a law degree, also earning a certificate in International Law from University College London. Over the years, Patel has held key roles in national security, including serving as the National Security Advisor and Senior Counsel for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI).
