‘I know why Indians are out of shape’: US tourist’s Amber Fort video sparks backlash as internet hits back, ‘everybody not vella like you’

An American tourist’s video filmed during a visit to Jaipur’s Amber Fort has sparked a debate on social media after he described Indians as “lazy” and “out of shape.” The remarks were made during his descent from the fort and were directed at visitors who had paused midway along the steep climb.

The tourist, identified online as Charlie Evans, recorded himself while pointing towards people resting along the route and generalised the scene as evidence of what he described as Indians’ unwillingness to “go the extra mile.” The video, shared on Instagram, has garnered around 451,000 views, with about 16,000 users engaging with the post.

In the clip, Evans says, “I know why Indians are out of shape. There are thousands of people down there, but not too many people made it up. I'm on my walk down from the Amber Fort, and it is incredible how many Indians are just stranded halfway up. They're just asking me how far it is to the top. It's like 20 minutes, but most of them don't even want to go. They're paying to get in, and then they're stuck halfway up. They're lazy.”


He continues, “At the beginning of this journey today, I said that Indians are lazy, and this just proves it. They're all stranded. They're all having cigarettes and cokes and chais halfway up the Amber Fort road because they do not want to go. Just the fact that they're here is enough. They don't want to go the extra mile.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Charlie Evans (@charlietravelusa)

How social media reacted

The video has drawn a wide range of responses online. While some users agreed with the tourist’s assessment, arguing that fitness and exercise are often neglected in India, many others criticised the remarks as stereotypical and culturally insensitive.

Several users responded with humour. “Indians won’t climb a hill unless there’s a temple on top,” one comment read, while another said, “Put a temple at the peak and see how fast people reach there.” Others echoed the sentiment, writing, “Tell them there’s a world-renowned temple on top and they’ll run.”

Some comments questioned the assumptions behind the remarks. “Asking how far is it is our standard dialogue; we ask even while driving,” one user wrote. Another said, “They don’t bother about the destination. They are enjoying the journey.”

Other responses were more sarcastic. “Open a liquor shop at the top and see,” one user commented. Another wrote, “Human invented the wheel and then the four-wheel car, why take pain if we have four-wheel facility.”

A few reactions were sharply critical. “Everybody not vella like you,” one comment said, while another added, “Some of us chill at 16,000 ft, not all are same.”

Some users urged the tourist not to generalise an entire population based on a single experience, while a few acknowledged that the video struck an uncomfortable chord. “You’re right. None of my friends want to join me for cycling at 6am on a weekend,” one person commented.

Several others reframed the debate, arguing that the issue was less about laziness and more about motivation, priorities and context rather than physical ability alone.