Ranveer Allahabadia became famous by doling out dating advice and mocking Hindu culture. Then, all of a sudden, we saw him transition to “spirituality“. He started inviting different types of people on his podcast, ranging from movie stars to influencers to monks and whatnot.

After seeing him on back-to-back episodes with politicians from the BJP government, the liberals had an epic meltdown, claiming Ranveer had fully become a “right-wing” influencer. While Bharat has no “right wing”, let us call it the Indic wing for convenience for now. Members who align themselves with the Indic wing vehemently deny that Ranveer is not a part of their wing either. So who or what is he?

In a recent statement on his podcast with another “influencer” Think School‘s Ganesh Prasad, Ranveer made a baffling assertion that Hindus are the “white boys of this country.” This comparison, drawing a parallel between Hindus in India and the historical context of white settlers in America, blatantly reflects a lack of historical awareness and sensitivity. The remark overlooks the minute history of Native Americans who were ill-treated, fooled and ruled over by the occupier Whites; Ranveer also displays a tone-deaf perspective on the struggles and atrocities faced by Hindus throughout history.

Firstly, likening Hindus to the “white boys” disregards the significant challenges and adversities that Hindus have endured over centuries. Just because he assumes that Hindus are a majority in the country today, it does not make us “White boys” by any measure. Do we have to remind him of the numerous invasions and brutalities Hindus have faced? These historical injustices cannot be simplified or equated to the experiences of any other group, nor are Hindus culturally or racially or in any way similar to the “Whites”. The assertion lacks a thorough understanding of the rich and diverse history of the Hindu Samaj.

Moreover, the comparison fails to acknowledge the resilience and cultural vibrancy of Hindu civilisation, which has stood the test of time despite numerous invasions and brutalities faced by our ancestors. Unlike the settlers, the “white boys” of America, Ranveer seems to be oblivious to the fact that Hindus are the indigenous people of Bharat. Despite bringing in historians, temple activists, and cultural connoisseurs, Ranveer does not seem to have any basic idea of our history, heritage and civilisation. Just making weird faces, pretending to concentrate, and asking questions that even a 10-year-old today can answer, makes his podcasts all the more boring.

Attempting to draw a parallel with Hindus oversimplifies and overlooks the unique struggles of each community. It is crucial to recognise the distinct historical trajectories and complexities that shape the narratives of different groups. Ranveer, in that podcast with Ganesh of Think School, also mentions that his conversations (Kaushik Basu type maybe) with people/friends from “minority” communities indicate to him that they are living a life of fear. Ranveer, please sell these wares elsewhere.

Ranveer Allahabadia’s statement comparing himself to White Boys because of his privilege only reflects the broader trend of aping Americanised perspectives without a critical examination of their appropriateness in an Indian context. All this only risks perpetuating a skewed understanding of history and culture, leading to misguided comparisons and generalisations.

Ranveer frequently encourages the promotion of pseudoscience and misinformation on his podcasts. He simply listens to everything without questioning the credibility of the claims – making him a passive observer rather than an active interviewer.

So, Ranveer, you are wrong in calling Hindus White Boys. You are wrong in saying we Hindus are the majority and hence privileged. You are wrong in saying minorities are living a life of fear.

Friends, Ranveer, by making such a statement, has made it clear that he is nowhere close to this so-called “right-wing” or what we call the Indic wing. He is through and through a liberal who, probably, for engagement and views, has been venturing into “spirituality”. His formula to rake in viewership and engagement is to feature lesser-known pro-BJP or conservative influencers to attract the Indic wing audience, thereby leading to substantial channel growth and providing a platform for validating questionable content from these obscure influencers. People like Ranveer are HINOs (Hindus In Name Only) who do more harm to the Hindu Samaj than anyone else.