Padma Lakshmi's Hilarious TikTok Response To A Racist Question

Anyone who follows "Taste the Nation" star Padma Lakshmi is probably aware of how passionate she is about her Indian heritage. On social media, the cookbook author is constantly making an effort to spotlight the customs and traditions of her ancestors for her 1.3 million followers, whether its through sharing a treasured family recipe, a dosa appreciation video, or a reminder of how much tea she drinks daily (In case you missed that post, it's nearly 12 cups).

At the same time, she doesn't hesitate to put people in their place when they make racist assumptions or remarks about her culture, and she typically serves up each burn in the most clever way possible. For instance, when The Washington Post published an article that declared all Indian food tasted like "the same spice," she slammed the publication for the colonialist perspective and suggested the author educate themselves by reading her book, "The Encyclopedia of Spices & Herbs." Before that, she called out The New Yorker on Instagram for confusing her with Indian actress Priyanka Chopra, sarcastically writing in a post, "Thanks to the illustrious @NYDailyNews for the shoutout. I know to some we all look the same, but *shrug emoji.*" 

So it doesn't surprise us in the least that in April, the "Taste the Nation" star took to TikTok to shut down a racist question she's tired of hearing in the most hilarious way possible.

If you're curious as to how Padma Lakshmi feels about being asked ignorant questions, watch how she gets pumped for a workout. In April, the star shared a clip of herself boxing at the gym, just as she's about to start hitting a speed bag. Suddenly, a voiceover kicks in to reveal her inner monologue: "Me when someone says: 'omg you're Indian? I love Slumdog Millionaire.'" There are no words needed for how Lakshmi feels about the racist query. As soon as she hears it, she goes full beast mode, pounding the speed bag like there's no tomorrow.

The video immediately caught people's attention, with some rushing to the comments to share how surprised they were at her strong reaction. "OMG ... I did not expect that" remarked one shocked fan in the comments, while another impressed user observed, "those are some serious guns right there!!" 

Meanwhile, some followers were incredulous at the thought of people in 2022 (still) referencing the 2008 film, let alone uttering a racist remark about it to an Indian person. "Seriously, do people actually say that" questioned one user. "You'd be surprised at the things ppl say" the "Top Chef" star replied in the comments. Several fans backed her up on this, with one in the comments adding, "Then they hit us with the, 'Can you tell me something in Indian?'" while another confirmed her response (and the frustration behind it) was relatable, deeming it "facts."