Hindu leader Rajan Zed has criticised Coldplay's 'Hymns For The Weekend' video for appropriating Hindu culture "with no linkage to the lyrics or storyline."
The video, which was released on Friday and features guest appearances from Beyonce and Hollywood actress Sonam Kapoor (the latter of whom only appears for three seconds, despite being a huge star in India), shows the band performing as a Holi festival (where participant cover each other in dry colourful powder) takes place around them.
It's most certainly visually arresting, but it bears no relevance to the song itself, nor is there a storyline within the video. In a statement to WENN, Raj Zed said, "This party anthem and club song music video unnecessarily features sacred Hindu concepts and symbols with no linkage to the lyrics or storyline."
He continued, "What is the connection of depicting one person dressed as Lord Shiva holding a trishul and sitting on the pavement; three persons dressed as Lord Hanuman and standing with gadas leaning against their shoulders; two saffron-clad sadhus (ascetics) sitting on the roadside, as if meditating with the lyrics in the video like 'drink from me'?"
the good thing about culturally appropriative videos is that they're usually incredibly subtle pic.twitter.com/BkoKQkdjtU
— jessica wokefield (@hummusandpizza) January 30, 2016
never before has one photo said so much pic.twitter.com/oUeFNMRMHs
— jessica wokefield (@hummusandpizza) January 30, 2016
Zed added that Coldplay and Beyonce were not trying to "denigrate Hinduism" with the video, but that "casual flirting sometimes results in pillaging serious spiritual doctrines and revered symbols and hurting the devotees."
He concluded, "It was quite discomforting for the faithful to see the deities, concepts and symbols they revered thrown around loosely and meaninglessly."
Neither Coldplay nor Beyonce have responded to the criticism.
See Coldplay's full tour tour dates below. Get tickets and more information here.
Thursday, March 31 Estadio Unico de La Plata, Buenos Aires, AR
Sunday, April 3 Estadio Nacional, Santiago, CL
Tuesday, April 5 Estadio Nacional, Lima, PE
Thursday, April 7 Allianz Parque, Sao Paulo, BR
Sunday, April 10 Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, BR
Wednesday, April 13 Estadio El Campin, Bogota, CO
Saturday, April 16 Foro Sol, Mexico City, MX
Tuesday, May 24 Stade Charles-Ehrmann, Nice, FR
Thursday, May 26 Estadi Olimpic, Barcelona, ES
Wednesday, June 1 Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen, DE
Saturday, June 4 Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK
Tuesday, June 7 Hampden Park, Glasgow, UK
Saturday, June 11 Stadion Letzigrund, Zurich CH
Wednesday, June 15 Wembley Stadium, London, UK *NEW DATE*
Thursday, June 16 Wembley Stadium, London, UK
Saturday, June 18 Wembley Stadium, London, UK
Sunday, June 19 Wembley Stadium, London, UK
Thursday, June 23 Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam, NL
Wednesday, June 29 Olympiastadion, Berlin, DE
Friday, July 1 Volksparkstadion, Hamburg, DE
Sunday, July 3 Friends Arena, Stockholm, SE
Tuesday, July 5 Telia Parken, Copenhagen, DK
