Three men and four women doing dance aerobics in a line, instructing 20-30 women in an open space. There was no reason this video should have blown up on Instagram. But it has, all thanks to the beat in the backdrop. Colombian DJ Dasten’s Prende La Fiesta became the secret sauce behind the newfound Insta fame of Gajanand Group Aerobics from Surat, Gujarat.
The group’s most popular video has over 80 lakh views.
“Ur 14000/- cultfit aint gonna match the aura of gajanand aerobics,” read a comment. Another, with 4,600 likes, wanted an uncle in the video to be appointed president. What’s one more Gujarati in Delhi, right?
Half the commenters want to join the group, while the other half are inspecting the men’s moves. They seem too zesty, fruity—a softer word for “gay”. God forbid a man does something actually joyful with his time.
In the Viral Spiral of the dancing uncle phenomenon, all you need is a pot-bellied chachaji, a decent beat, and a main character. And Gajanand Group Aerobics certainly has one. A bald uncle’s blissful expression while he performs the groovy steps has the internet smiling into their phones, hitting the like button.
“I’m happy I’ve become so famous. Some call me taklu (bald) uncle, some say bald uncle, I’m totally famous. I’ve been doing this for 365 days for seven years, completely free of cost,” he told influencer Rahul Mamnani in a recent video.
He also did the hook step—swinging his arms left-right while twisting his body in the opposite direction—with Mamnani, and the influencer failed miserably. As have other men doing the steps, they’re too caught up in masculine worries to capture uncle’s lachak (pliability).
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The secret to virality
As men often do, many stepped in to ruin the fun.
“Anything but resistance training,” wrote one in the comments. Another was too lonely in his body dysmorphia and wanted to pull down an aerobics uncle for company.
“If uncle had done gymnastic or calisthenics for seven years, his stomach would have been flat and his body would have been more healthy,” read his comment.
The usual hate aside, the Gajanand Group Aerobics’ moment on desi Instagram isn’t the first of its kind. And no, I’m not talking about the other Zumba uncle. Remember the absolute banger that was Reyansh College of Hotel Management? It seems all that organisations need to go viral on Instagram is a boppy number.
It’s nice to see that Gujaratis can do a dance that isn’t garba, at a location that isn’t an airport or a landslide. I have a suggestion for Gujaratis currently weathering the country’s scorn over garba: Hard pivot to aerobics.
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(Edited by Theres Sudeep)