‘I feel like Beyoncé’: Woman’s viral post on photo requests in India triggers talk on curiosity and colour

A foreign traveller’s video describing how she felt like a “celebrity” while visiting India has gone viral, sparking an online debate about fascination, curiosity, and boundaries.

In the short clip, the woman — a tourist — is seen speaking directly to the camera, smiling and visibly amused at the attention she received while travelling across India, “If you ever want to feel like a celebrity and you’re a white girl, go to India,” she says at the start of the video. “Because I have never experienced anything like this in my entire life. Everywhere I go, people ask to take photos with me.”

She goes on to describe how frequent the requests became, “It’s like… I’ve just been asked 25 times in the last hour,” she adds. “And it’s getting to the point where I’m having to tell people no, like you’ve liked me a lot today. I feel like Beyoncé. Like guys, I’m literally just a girl.”

The video, which also shows snippets of her posing for pictures with groups of locals at popular tourist spots, has gained thousands of views and reactions on  X . The tone of her post remains playful — but it has opened up wider conversations about cultural fascination and how Indians perceive foreign visitors.

While some found her reaction humorous and relatable, others jumped into the comment section with thoughtful reflections on India’s deep-rooted obsession with skin colour and beauty standards.

One user wrote, “While that’s true, referring someone by color, or even the shades of color is not racial discrimination at all! After all we call our beloved Ram, Krishna, Vitthal as Kaala, but we also have highest sales for Fairness cream! And this has been the story for thousands of years!”

Another chimed in, expressing disbelief at the level of attention she received, “Lol. Why? This is so bizarre. I’ve faced the occasional curiosity over my accent, or green eyes/black hair/Indian-somewhere-in-there features, but nothing OTT.”

Others shared personal anecdotes of similar experiences within India, pointing out that while curiosity is natural, it can often cross into discomfort. One user recalled, “When we were in Dharamshala my cousin was kinda like that. I told him not to do so, he understood I guess. I said why are you staring like that, that’s just another person like us. But if you’re so interested just go and say hello but at least stop staring.”

Still, her post doesn’t carry bitterness. Instead, it’s layered with humour and cultural surprise — a mix that many viewers found refreshing. Her tone, though slightly incredulous, is affectionate, making it clear that she’s more amused than offended.

“I feel like Beyoncé,” she repeats in the clip, laughing. “Like guys, I’m literally just a girl.”

As one online user summed it up perfectly: “India’s chaos somehow still comes with curiosity, affection — and a little too much enthusiasm.”