'Jooma Chumma' At Spain's Tomatina Festival By Indian Crowd Sparks Online Debate | Video

Viral News: The world-famous Tomatina festival in Spain became the center of an online debate after an Indian man, Waqar Azmi, shared his experience from the event.

In his Instagram post, Waqar compared the tomato-throwing carnival to India’s festival of colors, Holi, after a Bollywood song unexpectedly turned the streets of Buñol into a desi-style celebration.

The Festival of Tomatoes

The Tomatina, held every year on the last Wednesday of August, saw thousands of people hurling overripe tomatoes at each other in what has become one of Spain’s biggest cultural attractions.

This year marked the 80th anniversary of the event, drawing more than 22,000 participants from across the world. Among them was Waqar, who was attending solo.

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Bollywood Song Surprise

In his post, Waqar wrote, “Tomatina Festival in Spain feels like another Holi. Every 3rd–4th person was an Indian. BTW, I am also one of them, but solo.”

He shared a clip where the crowd suddenly broke into the Bollywood hit “Jooma Chumma De De,” a song from Amitabh Bachchan’s film, sung by Kavita Krishnamurthy and Sudesh Bhosle, composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal, and penned by Anand Bakshi.

Internet Reactions: Divided Opinions

The video quickly went viral, but the reactions were sharply divided.

Some praised the moment as lighthearted and joyful. One user commented, “A group of young people are enjoying it without bothering anyone. Indians in the comments section have low self-esteem.

If it was done by white people, they would have loved it.” Another added, “It pains everyone to see Indians enjoy. At least they are having a good time and they aren’t bothering other people.”

Others, however, criticized the clip. Comments like “Top embarrassing us!” and “I’m cancelling my tickets after this” reflected a section of viewers who felt uncomfortable with the display.

One balanced voice called it harmless fun: “Okay this is the rarest of the rare exceptional Not really embarrassing clips….. They’re just singing a fun song during Tomatina! Nothing religious, no hatred… This is fine. This is what you’re supposed to do at Tomatina.”

The History of Tomatina

The Tomatina itself has a colorful history. Originating in 1945 from a playful food fight between children, it has grown into a world-renowned celebration.

Although banned briefly in the 1950s by dictator Francisco Franco, it returned thanks to protests from locals. By the 1980s, television coverage made it an international phenomenon, and in 2002, Spain officially declared it a festival of international tourist interest.

Today, around 120 tons of tomatoes are used during the one-hour event, with participants paying €15 for a ticket. The festival has even inspired similar events in London, Amsterdam, Florida, Colombia, and Hyderabad.