‘Is it a joke?’: NIT professor halts students’ ‘Chikni Chameli’ performance

“Where is the approval? Have you taken approval before showing such kind of dance here? Is it a joke? Is it an introduction? Is it a fest?” she is heard asking the students.

The professor then raised concerns about the performance taking place in front of junior students and asked why their faculty adviser was not present. “In front of juniors, you are dancing on such songs. Where is your faculty advisor? Why are they not present? Have you shown dances to them? Was it approved?” she said.

The students were forced to stop as the exchange unfolded, and the auditorium fell quiet while some of them tried to answer the professor.

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The video has since led to divided reactions online. While some users backed the professor’s concerns about maintaining decorum during an induction programme, others felt the students were unnecessarily singled out and criticised the manner in which the performance was stopped.

“Moral policing is becoming the norm everywhere,” one user wrote.

Another defended the professor, saying, “Agree with the professor here. Every space has its own decorum a college induction stage isn’t the same as a night club or your brother’s wedding sangeet. That’s not prudishness, it’s basic self-awareness about audience and setting.”

A third user took a more nuanced view: “i wish they had this much courage to police the government this way. but yes, wrong choice of song but also wrong way of correcting.”

Another commenter agreed with the professor’s objection while distinguishing between the dance itself and the setting. “Finally someone is saying this out loud, I personally find these kinda performances a bit unfit for an educational institution….. nothing wrong with the song or dance form….just the wrong place…..no hate…but it is what it is. And she is kinda right though,” they wrote.