Guitars and Ghoonghats Collide: Bride’s Viral Video Ignites Tradition vs Modernity Clash

A video of a newlywed Indian bride playing the guitar and singing while wearing a full ghoonghat (veil) during a women-only mahila sangeet has gone massively viral, racking up over 13.5 million views in less than 24 hours and igniting a polarised debate on social media about tradition, women’s agency, and modernity.

In the now-iconic clip, the bride, dressed in traditional attire wearing red bangles, carefully adjusts her guitar and veil before launching into a soulful rendition of Shah Rukh Khan’s 1997 classic “Ek Din Aap” from the film Yes Boss. Another woman sitting beside her is seen repeatedly tugging the ghoonghat lower to ensure the bride’s face remains completely covered throughout the performance, even as the young woman strums and sings with evident skill and confidence.

Reactions online have been sharply divided. Thousands praised the bride’s talent and the seamless blend of tradition with personal expression, with comments such as “Talent doesn’t need to remove the veil to shine” and “This is how you honour customs without suppressing who you are.” Many young women said they felt inspired, with one writing, “Sending this to my mom—proof that I can play guitar at my own mahila sangeet with ghoonghat on!”

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At the same time, a significant section expressed sadness and frustration, calling the persistent adjustment of the veil “suffocating” and “regressive”. Comments like “So much talent, yet the only concern is hiding her face” and “She deserves in-laws who let her perform on stage without a curtain” trended alongside the video, turning the joyful moment into a flashpoint for broader conversations about patriarchal control and women’s choices within conservative families. The incident also drew comparisons to educator Khan Sir’s wife earlier this year, who chose to wear a heavy veil at her reception as a personal childhood dream—highlighting that the practice can stem from individual preference as much as familial pressure.

The viral episode underscores the complex interplay between cultural heritage and individual freedom in contemporary India, where many young women are finding creative ways to express modernity while navigating long-standing traditions. As one widely shared comment put it, “She didn’t remove the ghoonghat to prove a point—she played the guitar through it, and that itself is the revolution.”

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