WATCH: Justin Trudeau breaks out Bollywood dance moves on India visit
Canadian PM has faced accusations of ‘cringeworthy’ cultural appropriation

Charming or cringeworthy? Justin Trudeau’s decision to break out the bhangra moves during his state visit to India has divided commentators at home and abroad.
On the penultimate night of a visit that has been mired in controversy over his party’s alleged links to Sikh extremists, the Canadian prime minister “tried to take back the narrative” with some eye-grabbing Bollywood steps at New Delhi’s Canada House, the Huffington Post reports.
Some Indians were impressed by Trudeau's moves, which even put members of the diaspora to shame.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
But others were less impressed Trudeau’s attempts to “get down” with his hosts.
Back home, Trudeau’s performance generally inspired horror rather than pride.
Trudeau’s attempts to connect with the local culture on his Indian odyssey have already raised numerous eyebrows.
The Prime Minister’s frequents appearances in Indian-style clothing on the tour have drawn both good-humoured mockery and criticism that the Canadian leader appears more interested in “fancy dress” than statesmanship.
“It’s a little over the top, Ottawa-based economist Vivek Dehejia told Canada’s Global News. “I understand on day one having to wear the traditional clothes, but now it’s getting too much.”
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Flying into danger
Feature America's air traffic control system is in crisis. Can it be fixed?
-
Pocket change: The demise of the penny
Feature The penny is being phased out as the Treasury plans to halt production by 2026
-
Time's up: The Democratic gerontocracy
Feature The Democratic party is losing key seats as they refuse to retire aging leaders
-
China looms large over India and Pakistan's latest violence
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Beijing may not have had troops on the ground, but as South Asia's two nuclear powers bared their teeth over Kashmir, China eyed an opportunity
-
Kashmir: India and Pakistan's conflict explained
The Explainer Tensions at boiling point in the disputed region after India launched retaliatory air strikes on its neighbour
-
India strikes Pakistan as tensions mount in Kashmir
speed read Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called it an 'act of war'
-
Kashmir: on the brink of a 'catastrophic' war
Talking Point Relations between India and Pakistan are 'cratering' in the aftermath of a shocking terror attack in the disputed border region
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Dozens dead in Kashmir as terrorists target tourists
Speed Read Visitors were taking pictures and riding ponies in a popular mountain town when assailants open fired, killing at least 26
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations