Coldplay’s newest video ‘Hymn For The Weekend‘ is receiving backlash after some have decided that Beyonce’s costume is an act of cultural appropriation. Others who have seen the video love it and say it was an act of paying homage.

Learn more after the jump!

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In the video Beyonce portrays a Bollywood star as we see from her photos plastered on billboards and her video on a television. In one scene she dresses in a Sari causing meaning to claim that she is appropriating India culture.

Appropriation is the action of taking something for one’s own use, typically without the owner’s permission.

Take a look at the video yourself and decide if that’s what’s going on here.

Many India viewers are upset by the portrayal of India as a whole, feeling as though the video depicts age-old stereotypes.

I love bey but that IS culture appropriation cold play immersed themselves in the culture and paid homage without putting on a “costume”.

Wanna depict #India, understand its rich & diverse culture first! Going with ago old stereotypes is not done!

No thanks for the bundle of stereotypes @coldplay. No wonder then that #India will be known as the country of snake charmers & sadhus.

Although Beyonce was not actually in India for the video shoot, Coldplay DID fly to India and “immerse themselves” in the culture, hiring an Indian director, cast and crew for the project. So in that case, does that mean that their own people sensationalized the stereotypes?

This controversy has two sides, because others view it as cultural APPRECIATION, not appropriation.

I adore Beyoncé for embracing my culture. In a country where I’m a “terrorist” I have never felt more accepted. ❤?

Beyoncé showed India in many ways and made it look beautiful and lovely. She portrayed India excellently. As an Indian, I loved it.

In this particular instance, Beyonce can’t be blamed since the video is not hers. Beyonce is a performer, performers wear costumes; she portrayed a Bollywood superstar so she wore a Bollywood costume.

This is not the same as when pop culture hailed Miley Cyrus as the inventor of twerking, or when Chanel invented the Durag, OR when North West “started” the natural hair trend. THAT is cultural appropriation because one culture not only adopted, but claimed ownership of ancient forms of expression from another culture.

Although elements of Indian culture were used in this video, there was no adaptation done nor did Beyonce and Coldplay claim any of the cultural elements as their own.

What do you think? Is this a case of cultural appropriation or is it a case of misinterpretation?

Source: Billboard