Desi Bling's Tabinda calls husband khuda, shrugs off backlash over his foot massage
Tabinda Sanpal has defended the Desi Bling scene showing her massaging husband Satish Sanpal's feet. Her explanation and "majazi khuda" remark have fed a wider debate on gender roles and marriage.
Tabinda Sanpal of Netflix's Desi Bling has responded to criticism over a scene in the reality series that showed her giving her husband, Satish Sanpal, a foot massage. The moment became one of the show's most debated talking points online, with some viewers accusing it of reinforcing unequal gender roles in marriage. Referring to her husband as "khuda," Tabinda said people misread their equation.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Humans of Bombay show on YouTube, Tabinda said the gesture had been misunderstood and viewed in a way she never intended. She and Satish said several remarks and moments from the show were taken out of context after the series brought the Dubai-based couple into the spotlight.
Desi Bling follows the lives of ultra-wealthy Indian expatriates in Dubai, mixing luxury, social drama and personal relationships. Satish and Tabinda drew attention for their opulent lifestyle, luxury car collection and fondness for gold, which also became material for memes and online discussion.
A viral moment in the first episode of the series showed Dubai-based billionaire couple Tabinda Sanpal and Satish Sanpal discussing their morning ritual: the wife waking up her husband with a daily 15-minute foot massage, which they describe as a practice to invite Lakshmi (wealth) into the home.
The scene, in particular, drew sharp reactions on social media. A section of viewers accused the show of romanticising unequal expectations within marriage and promoting regressive gender stereotypes.
Addressing the backlash, Tabinda rejected the suggestion that the act was linked to material rewards or meant to send a message about how wives should behave. She said, "I didn't have any purpose to tell people that I massage his feet and Satish will give me gold. It's not like that." She then explained that Satish's fitness routine often leaves him physically exhausted. "Satish runs a lot, toh unke feet kaafi jyada hurt hote rehte hain (Satish runs a lot, so his feet often hurt). He is a very good runner; he can run for more than an hour. Every day, he runs for about 60 minutes."
Tabinda said the massages came from concern for his wellbeing rather than any expectation attached to them. "To mujhe lagta hai ki blood circulation acha hoga (I believe that foot massages help with blood circulation), and I just want him to wake up at 6 am comfortably," she said.
She also placed the gesture within her understanding of care and respect in relationships, saying she had followed similar practices before marriage. "Satish se shaadi karne se pehle main apni mother ka foot massage karti thi. To humare yahan bola jata hai ki maa ke kadmon me jannat hai. Aur uske baad aapke husband aapke majazi khuda hain. To mujhe lagta hai it's a good thing to do. [Before I married Satish, I used to massage my mother's feet. In our culture, we are taught that heaven lies beneath a mother's feet. And after that, your husband is considered your majazi khuda (an earthly or symbolic god)]. So I feel it's a good thing to do," she said.
She added, "Logon ko kuch achha dekhna chahiye, us mein burai nahin dekhni chahiye (People should see good things, they should not look for bad stuff in everything)."
Her use of the phrase "majazi khuda" in reference to a husband has also drawn attention to wider conversations around gender equality and marriage. While some people see it as part of a cultural and religious tradition centred on devotion and respect, others argue that it reflects outdated ideas that place husbands above wives.
The series features Rizwan Sajan, Satish Sanpal, Adel Sajan, Sana Sajan, Tabinda Sanpal, Pamela Serena, Dyuti Parruck, Iryna Kinakh, Alizey Mirza, Lailli Mirza and Janvee Gaur, with television actors Tejasswi Prakash and Karan Kundrra also appearing on the show.
Desi Bling has generated headlines for its extravagant parties, controversial remarks by cast members and Karan Kundrra's on-screen proposal to Tejasswi Prakash.
Tabinda Sanpal of Netflix's Desi Bling has responded to criticism over a scene in the reality series that showed her giving her husband, Satish Sanpal, a foot massage. The moment became one of the show's most debated talking points online, with some viewers accusing it of reinforcing unequal gender roles in marriage. Referring to her husband as "khuda," Tabinda said people misread their equation.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Humans of Bombay show on YouTube, Tabinda said the gesture had been misunderstood and viewed in a way she never intended. She and Satish said several remarks and moments from the show were taken out of context after the series brought the Dubai-based couple into the spotlight.
Desi Bling follows the lives of ultra-wealthy Indian expatriates in Dubai, mixing luxury, social drama and personal relationships. Satish and Tabinda drew attention for their opulent lifestyle, luxury car collection and fondness for gold, which also became material for memes and online discussion.
A viral moment in the first episode of the series showed Dubai-based billionaire couple Tabinda Sanpal and Satish Sanpal discussing their morning ritual: the wife waking up her husband with a daily 15-minute foot massage, which they describe as a practice to invite Lakshmi (wealth) into the home.
The scene, in particular, drew sharp reactions on social media. A section of viewers accused the show of romanticising unequal expectations within marriage and promoting regressive gender stereotypes.
Addressing the backlash, Tabinda rejected the suggestion that the act was linked to material rewards or meant to send a message about how wives should behave. She said, "I didn't have any purpose to tell people that I massage his feet and Satish will give me gold. It's not like that." She then explained that Satish's fitness routine often leaves him physically exhausted. "Satish runs a lot, toh unke feet kaafi jyada hurt hote rehte hain (Satish runs a lot, so his feet often hurt). He is a very good runner; he can run for more than an hour. Every day, he runs for about 60 minutes."
Tabinda said the massages came from concern for his wellbeing rather than any expectation attached to them. "To mujhe lagta hai ki blood circulation acha hoga (I believe that foot massages help with blood circulation), and I just want him to wake up at 6 am comfortably," she said.
She also placed the gesture within her understanding of care and respect in relationships, saying she had followed similar practices before marriage. "Satish se shaadi karne se pehle main apni mother ka foot massage karti thi. To humare yahan bola jata hai ki maa ke kadmon me jannat hai. Aur uske baad aapke husband aapke majazi khuda hain. To mujhe lagta hai it's a good thing to do. [Before I married Satish, I used to massage my mother's feet. In our culture, we are taught that heaven lies beneath a mother's feet. And after that, your husband is considered your majazi khuda (an earthly or symbolic god)]. So I feel it's a good thing to do," she said.
She added, "Logon ko kuch achha dekhna chahiye, us mein burai nahin dekhni chahiye (People should see good things, they should not look for bad stuff in everything)."
Her use of the phrase "majazi khuda" in reference to a husband has also drawn attention to wider conversations around gender equality and marriage. While some people see it as part of a cultural and religious tradition centred on devotion and respect, others argue that it reflects outdated ideas that place husbands above wives.
The series features Rizwan Sajan, Satish Sanpal, Adel Sajan, Sana Sajan, Tabinda Sanpal, Pamela Serena, Dyuti Parruck, Iryna Kinakh, Alizey Mirza, Lailli Mirza and Janvee Gaur, with television actors Tejasswi Prakash and Karan Kundrra also appearing on the show.
Desi Bling has generated headlines for its extravagant parties, controversial remarks by cast members and Karan Kundrra's on-screen proposal to Tejasswi Prakash.
