Despite the initial cyber backlash and jokes towards the Cannoli owners for their tone-deaf gup-shup session and obnoxious treatment of their employee, people on the internet decided that something more needed to be done. Quite a number of people gathered in front of Cannoli and held an ‘Urdu mushaira‘ as a form of protest against the Cannoli owners, Uzma Chaudhry and Dia Haider.
Taking place just last night outside Cannoli, the Mushaira was attended by many!
People came forward to read shair-o-shayari as well as recite ghazlein!
Mushaira outside #Cannoli! #DecolonizeLanguage pic.twitter.com/Hvd6BHHhwg
— Usama Khawar Ghumman (@UsamaKhawar) January 23, 2021
I recited one of my favourites at Urdu Mushaira outside #Cannoli
😍شکوہ ظلمت شب سےتو کہیں بہتر تھا
اپنےحصےکی کوئی شمع جلاتےجاتے@shiblifaraz sb!
Kami beshi muaaf🙏😂The BIGGEST take-home 4 #CannoliOwners & all of us is to NEVER mistreat ur employees!pic.twitter.com/C3z36lV7lF
— Maleeha Hashmey (@MaleehaHashmey) January 24, 2021
People took this opportunity to vent against elitism, colonial hangovers, and the obsession with English as a standard
Mushaira outside Cannoli turning into supremacy of Urdu and venting of resentment against middle classes. pic.twitter.com/QXvmhp7OQA
— Usama Khawar Ghumman (@UsamaKhawar) January 23, 2021
Quite a number of people were in awe and showed appreciation towards the mushaira
https://twitter.com/javeria_younas1/status/1352613080379744257
The Urdu mushaira happening outside cannoli is by far the best thing I’ve seen in a while . Well done Pakistan !!! Never a dull moment here
— Fatima.saleem (@FatimaSaleem84) January 23, 2021
However, a lot of people found it rather undignified and useless to hold an event. There was some anger geared towards the event, too
#CannoliOwners did something bad but the organizers of this Urdu mushaira outside #Cannoli, they are the biggest criminals, a bunch of racists! Shame on all of you!#AProudSaraiki #BeingSaraikiMyPride #NoToRacism pic.twitter.com/lJ7OKVkHHB
— Ehsan Malik (@ehsan_ashar) January 23, 2021
While public boycotts them,
You played your part in promoting that ridiculous cafe #CannoliI thought you were a sensible citizen.
Shame on you too then… cheapster— DNA Problem🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰 (@purplexedone) January 24, 2021
People showed concern regarding the wildfire fame that Cannoli has received ever since the initial video went viral
The scandel gave #Cannoli so much fame. People who didn't even know it exists will visit someday just for the sake of its name.
ham tālib-e-shohrat haiñ hameñ nañg se kyā kaam.
badnām agar hoñge to kyā naam na hogā— عبداللّہ (@AR220323) January 23, 2021
https://twitter.com/shahrukhhrafiq/status/1352578731995488257
People even chirped in with some HILARIOUS jokes and honestly, it’s a kinda funny
Just got thrown out of cannoli for not knowing the difference between then and than
— SHM Gilani (@precociouskiddo) January 24, 2021
https://twitter.com/LaughingGene/status/1353241593684361216
Cannoli walo nay mujsay bartan dhulwaye, mene bus jealoused kaha tha
— A⁷H Malik #FreePalestine #FreeKashmir (@hatapheena) January 23, 2021
While most people were still trying to pick sides in the Cannoli situation, some people had theories of their own.
#Cannoli
PUNJABIO JAGO Urdu is also a foreign language
Urdu is not Pakistani language this is an Indian language it is basically Hindi in Farsi transcript. British started promoting it as new language at fort William college to divide Hindus & Muslims.#CannolibyCafeSoul— ch laylpuri (@punjabi144) January 24, 2021
Honestly, this Cannoli situation really opened a can of worms.
Anyway, the internet sure knows how to respond to such elitist behavior as the one shown by the Cannoli crew. However, it is jarring to see the mental chains and shackles that bind people to the remains of colonialism and the prevalent class consciousness. There is another question that begs to be asked, though: are we all overdoing it? Many people believe that the amplified outrage is a little uncalled for, especially since the owners have allegedly been receiving death and rape threats.
Must we overdo it every time?
Anyways, do you have anything to add regarding the whole fiasco? If you do, let us know in the comments below.
