Viral Video: “Marathi ata nahi, toh hum Marwari Marathi kaise bolege?” — Pune Shop Argument Over Marathi Language Goes Viral
Viral Video: "Marathi ata nahi, toh hum Marwari Marathi kaise bolege?" — Pune Shop Argument Over Marathi Language Goes Viral
A regular day at a local shop in Pune took a sharp turn when a dispute over language between a customer and a shopkeeper spiraled into a heated confrontation — one that’s now gone viral online and stirred an intense debate across social media.
The video, shared by Twitter handle @gharkekalesh, shows a customer confronting a shopkeeper for not conversing in Marathi — Maharashtra’s official language. The man, speaking firmly in Marathi, questions the shopkeeper’s refusal to use the regional tongue.
“Tu Marathit bol. Kay bola tu ata mala?”
(Speak in Marathi. What did you just say to me?)
Then the woman replies,“Marathi ata nahi toh hum Marwari Marathi kaise bolege?”
(If we don’t know how to speak Marathi, how can we Marwaris speak it?)
The shopkeeper boy, however, tried to de-escalate, replying:
“Tumko kuch bola kya mein? Galat bola kya tumko?”
(Did I say anything wrong to you?)
Despite his calm tone, the customer insisted that the shopkeeper to repeat his statement, further pressing the issue. The shopkeeper, still trying to clarify his position, explained that he merely said,
“If the coriander is for ₹40, then it’s ₹40 — not a rupee less.”
As tempers flared, the shopkeeper was seen attempting to make a phone call. That move angered the customer even more, who retorted:
“Tula faqt bolo, Marathi bol”
(I just said— speak in Marathi).
To this, the woman chimed in:
“Aata nahi”
(We don’t know), prompting the man to shoot back,
“Aata nahi toh dukan kyu kholne ka?”
(If you don’t know then why open the shop?) The shopkeeper defended himself, saying he hadn’t spoken disrespectfully and that the customer had used abusive language against him.
“I was speaking properly. You gave me a cuss word — am I that cuss word?” he asked.
Unfazed, the customer said:
“Kisko phone karna hai, phone kar”
(Call whoever you want), before challenging the shopkeeper further with a harsh question:
“Hita ratho kashala tu?”
(Why do you stay here?) and then accused him of exploiting the locals:
“Marathi yeth nahi tar ratho kashala? Lokana lutayala yetho ka?”
(If you don’t know Marathi, why live here? Do you come to loot people?)
Before the confrontation ended, the customer demanded better quality coriander. The video closes with another man walking in, questioning the use of abusive language — and then the footage abruptly cuts.
Since being posted, the clip has garnered over 355,000 views, fueling a growing online debate. Responses have been split — with many Marathi speakers supporting the customer’s stance on linguistic respect in their home state. At the same time, Hindi-speaking and non-Marathi users have spoken up for the shopkeeper, saying they’ve faced similar pressure to speak Marathi even if they aren’t fluent, and that such confrontations cross the line into harassment.
This incident, though localized, underscores larger cultural tensions — between language pride and social coexistence in multilingual India. In urban centers like Pune, where people from different linguistic backgrounds live and work together, such confrontations reflect a clash between the expectation of assimilation and the reality of diversity.
While many agree that learning the local language shows respect, others feel that enforcing it through public shaming is not the answer. As this video continues to circulate, it’s igniting difficult — but necessary — conversations around identity, language politics, and community relations in modern Maharashtra.
