When Tyla's Desi Fans Broke The Internet: Why Is Indian Beauty Still A Surprise?

When a reel of Indian women dancing at Tyla’s Mumbai concert went viral, it wasn’t just their moves or outfits that grabbed attention; it was the internet reaction. Dressed in concert-ready fits, statement tops, rave-inspired makeup, and hair on point, they radiated confidence and fun.

The internet, instead of just admiring, reacted with sheer surprise to see beautiful and fashionable Indian women, showing how South Asian beauty is still misunderstood globally.

A Surprise That Makes No Sense

This reaction feels especially strange when Indian women have been global beauty icons for years. From Aishwarya Rai winning Miss World in 1994 and later serving on the Cannes jury, to Deepika Padukone presenting at the Oscars and Priyanka Chopra leading the American TV series like Quantico, Indian beauty has long been visible internationally.

Yet somehow, these women are treated as rare exceptions. Their beauty is acknowledged but it doesn’t translate into how Indian women as a whole are viewed. The glam exists but the world chooses to notice only the most famous names.

the views on these 😭 tyla’s concert really is fixing india’s pr pic.twitter.com/KyG5nF728z

— ˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ (@sialaterrrr) December 12, 2025

Seen Only as the “Exception” on Screen

Even on popular screens Indian girls are rarely presented as the leading lady. Take Devi Vishwakumar in Never Have I Ever she’s smart, funny, chaotic, and totally relatable but her attractiveness isn’t center at first. The show slowly builds her desirability over time showing her glow-up as part of her story.

This reflects a bigger trend how Indian girls on screen are often written as relatable or nerdy before they’re allowed to be glamorous.

Their style, charm or confidence usually comes later like it needs permission or justification but why the delay? It’s almost as if the world still needs to be reminded that Indian girls can be both smart and effortlessly stunning from the start.

When Surprise Reveals the Bias

The surprise over Indian beauty isn’t negligible. It exposes old stereotypes rooted in colonial history and years of one sided media portrayals. For a long time India was shown through poverty, struggle, or comic relief in Western pop culture.

Glamour didn't fit the narrative so it was ignored. Now social media is changing the game. Reels, selfies, street-style videos and concert clips are letting Indian girls control their own image, no filters from the West, no approval needed.

Indian beauty isn’t some new trend it’s always been there just ignored. The real issue isn’t the surprise itself it’s that anyone ever expected. Indian girls have always been that vibe, effortlessly confident and stylish. The internet is only now starting to notice.

Views expressed by the author are their own.