'Saree Not Smart Casual': Woman Denied Entry Into Delhi's Aquila Restaurant For Wearing The Indian Attire

A woman has alleged that she was denied entry into Delhi's Aquila restaurant as she was wearing a saree.

Screenshot of the viral video

New Delhi: Saree is one of the most elegant and sophisticated attires, and Indian women have always prided themselves on carrying off the beautiful six-yard wonder. At a time when women are proving they can do anything wearing a saree, even backflips, and cartwheels, as shown by gymnast Parul Arora earlier this year, there are some who get judged for wearing the attire.

A video has surfaced on social media in which a woman is purportedly alleging that she was barred from entering a restaurant in the national capital because she was wearing a saree. 

The woman alleged that she was denied entry into the Delhi restaurant because the traditional Indian wear is not 'smart casual', which appeared to be the dress code. The incident occurred at a restaurant named Aquila Delhi, located on August Kranti Marg, where the staff at the entry barred the woman from entering because she was wearing a saree.

In the undated and unverified video that is being widely shared on Twitter, the woman asks an employee at the hotel why saree is not allowed. The employee replies that "saree does not count as smart casuals", claiming the hotel only allows patrons to be in smart casuals.

Sharing the video, user Anita Choudhary wrote: "Saree is not allowed in Aquila restaurant as Indian Saree is now not a smart outfit. What is the concrete definition of Smart outfit plz tell me. Please define smart outfit so I will stop wearing saree."

The video soon went viral and angered netizens slammed the restaurant for its dress code policy.

Some users called out the "discriminatory" and "elitist" rules of the hotel.

"Legally perhaps this restaurant is safe as a private place can impose their dress code on patrons.However the fact that #saree is not considered appropriate attire for any place in our country is disturbing, to say the least. We have a messed up concept of what’s modern & cool," wrote one Twitter user.

See the reactions here: 

Saree is not smart casual?!?...
Celebrities and Politicians wear them...
They can cost up to more than a car ... Heirlooms and Tradition ...handed down from Mothers to Daughters ...
Maybe not smart for you but beautiful for everyone else 🙏#saree https://t.co/Azh413LS8U

— Sᴜᴢᴀɴɴᴇ Bᴇʀɴᴇʀᴛ (@suzannebernert) September 22, 2021

The restaurant is yet to offer any explanation or comment on the video.