Bengaluru man jokes about kicking out flatmate over ‘Barbie’, but not everyone’s amused

Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie in a still from 'Barbie'

A Bengaluru-based software engineer has kicked up a social media storm by dissing the biggest film of the year – Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. Aanshul Sadaria joked about kicking out a flatmate who asked if he wanted to watch Barbie with him – offending thousands in the process.

“My flatmate asked me if I wanted to watch Barbie with him,” tweeted Sadaria, a software engineer and social media influencer. “If anyone has a house (in BLR) available for rent, please let him know. Vegetarian. Doesn't smoke. Keeps his room clean,” he added.

My flatmate asked me if I wanted to watch Barbie with him.

If anyone has a house (in BLR) available for rent, please let him know. Vegetarian. Doesn't smoke. Keeps his room clean. — Aanshul Sadaria (@AanshulSadaria) July 26, 2023

Sadaria’s joke about asking his flatmate to leave fell flat for many who came across his post. Given that Barbie has copped backlash for what some see as its anti-male agenda, some commenters also wondered about Sadaria’s reason for dissing the film.

“Lol, your masculinity will not be threatened if you watch Barbie,” wrote one commenter, to which Sadaria replied: “But I guess in an open world, I am entitled to my choices. And if I don't want to watch Barbie, I should be fine with it. No?”

But I guess in an open world, I am entitled to my choices. And if I don't want to watch Barbie, I should be fine with it. No? Why does social media have to oppose a person's choice? I don't want to watch it. I won't watch it. I never commented anything about it being bad. — Aanshul Sadaria (@AanshulSadaria) July 26, 2023

He also denied accusations about not wanting to watch the film because of his “masculinity” or gender.

I didn't put it on masculinity or other random reason! Tell the person who replied.

— Aanshul Sadaria (@AanshulSadaria) July 27, 2023

That did not stop scores of people from criticising the tweet.

Men used to go to wars. Now they signal on Twitter that they are scared of the color pink. https://t.co/hVH8JdapnO — Arnav Gupta (@championswimmer) July 27, 2023

This is the kinda guy who'd have a mojo dojo casa house. He's him https://t.co/ePQfp7tA7W

— Allan (@Castelinoallan) July 26, 2023

I thought he was joking but nope. Read the replies and you'll know. https://t.co/KWCJ0cBvMJ — Munna (@dakuwithchaku) July 27, 2023

You're not making a joke. You just look stupid. https://t.co/uT0pUnEZgy

— (@universesauce) July 27, 2023

However, a few others sided with the techie and said they, too, did not want to watch Barbie.

Among the film’s many detractors are high-profile names like Ben Shapiro and Elon Musk, who have slammed it for what they perceive as its anti-male overtones. “If you take a shot every time Barbie says the word ‘patriarchy’, you will pass out before the movie ends,” Musk had tweeted earlier.