Chinese Driver Plays Bollywood Songs In Singapore, Internet Calls It 'Wholesome'

The popularity of Bollywood songs and movies in China is not a new phenomenon. Starting with the 1970s and 80s, Bollywood films have remained a crowd-puller in the Chinese theatres. In the past few years, be it Salman Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Aamir Khan’s Dangal, or Ayushmann Khurrana’s Andhadhun, all these films have impressed the audience in China to the extent that they have made some big profit at the cash counters there. Recently, another example of Bollywood being a chartbuster in China was exemplified through a Chinese cab driver who is now winning hearts for his love for Bollywood songs.

Taking to Instagram, a vlogger, Diya, shared a video recounting her delightful Grab ride experience on January 16. The footage begins with Diya seated in the back of the car, explaining through on-screen text that her Chinese Grab driver was treating her to Bollywood music. The video captures the driver visibly enjoying the music, energetically swaying to the beats. Diya praises his behavior, describing him as “really friendly and chatty.”

Watch the video here:

A post shared by Wake Up Singapore (@wakeupsingapore)

In a conversation with MS News, Diya, a 21-year-old preschool teacher, expressed her appreciation for the driver’s diverse taste in music, which includes Bollywood and even Bangladeshi songs. The driver, keen on fostering a pleasant atmosphere, played Bollywood music at Diya’s request.

Beyond shared musical preferences, their discussions delved into deeper topics, such as people’s aspirations for wealth. The vlogger shared their discussion regarding “how some people wish they were very rich.” He attempted to demonstrate people’s desire for wealth using hypothetical ‘this or that’ questions, explained Diya. One of the scenarios he posed was whether one would rather be rich and have many servants and be paralysed, or lead a normal, simple life.

The driver, formerly employed in real estate, shared insights into his life and aspirations with the vlogger. Despite being 50-year-old, he confidently claimed that he looks younger due to a lifelong commitment to a vegetarian diet.

What else caught Diya’s attention was that the driver not only appreciates Bollywood but also enjoys playing Bangladeshi music, aligning with Diya’s Bengali background.

As soon as she shared the video, her comment section got filled with positive and warm responses towards the drive, with a person commenting, “This is Singapore” while another one wrote, “So joyful!!! More of this please!” The heartwarming video received numerous affirmations from viewers, talking about the joyfulness and wholesomeness of such encounters.

The positive response didn’t go unnoticed by Grab Singapore, with the company expressing gratitude in the comments section of Diya’s post. “Thank you for sharing this story! We’ve reached out to OP to extend our thanks to this driver-partner,” wrote Grab Singapore.