Now, for people far removed from the town or their culture, the ad might be heartwarming or even tear-jerking. But North-Eastern people – the very community the ad attempts to spotlight – are rightfully vexed for the sheer lack of research or nuance.
Firstly, several people from the Khasi-dominated area have pointed out that Sohra (which is the official name of the town, not Cherrapunji) majorly inhabits Christians. Diwali celebrations are hardly prevalent there. Moreover, in spite of the weather being quite an impediment to the town’s residents, the autumn and winter seasons are mostly dry – to the extent that the town often faces water shortage during this time of the year. Furthermore, Netflix even managed to mistranslate the Khasi song featured in the advertisement!