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Scorned for being sassy, but Pullingos are never sorry
Their style is loud and on-your-face, and has understandably taken the social media by storm. But behind the colourful façade is a story of protest against stereotyping that brought it about.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
If a competition is to be held for the Word of the Year-2019 in Tamil Nadu, it would have to go to Chennai’s own ‘Pullingo’.
For the uninitiated, ‘Pullingos’ are those youngsters who sport long, wild hair highlighted with multicolour streaks, wear bright block prints, flowery t-shirts and skinny and ripped jeans, and have neon sunglasses, chains, bracelets and ear studs as accessories. The looks are not static; they change during occasions like Deepavali, and even according to the places they are visiting.
In just a short period of time, Pullingos have become a special symbol and a trend in fashion among the millennials.
The word was popularised by a gaana song Gumbalaga Suthuvom by Gaana Stephan, which attracted 50 million views on social media within a short span. Since then, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter are filled with Pullingo videos and memes.
What added to its popularity was Vijay addressing his young audience as Pullingo in a song in Bigil, prompted many among the actor’s huge fan base to join the ‘Pullingo Army’.
On Facebook, there are hundreds of dedicated pages with titles like Pullingo fashion, Madras Pullingo, Pullingo Army, Enga Pullingo and Morattu Pullingo, some of which have more than 25,000 followers. It is also popular on Instagram, where there are accounts in the name of districts with Pullingo# attached, while on Twitter, many have added it to their username or handle.
But the main platform where Pullingos are found is TikTok. There are hundreds of dialogues, punchlines, songs and even background scores that are being tagged as Pullingo style. On YouTube Gaana Stephen’s official channel is called Pullingo Media that has more than 90,000 subscribers. There are scores of other channels that feature Pullingos and topics around them.
The message behind the makeup
But there literally is more to Pullingos than what meets the eye. For one, beyond the on-your-face façade in attire and attitude, there are social aspects as well – many if not most are from poor families, predominantly settled in North Chennai.
Many whom DT Next spoke to felt their talents are not recognised merely because they come from the slums. Besides being a retort to the society, the uniqueness also enables many of them to be noticed and employed.
“We all are from poor backgrounds, who want to showcase our talents. We will get projects only when we are identified,” said Sarath Y, a Pullingo dancer. Those in his profession also want to stand out in the crowd, he said, adding: “Wherever we go, we should be seen as different by the public.”
In the beginning, people frowned upon Pullingos, said Pullingo S Madhavan, a DJ. Many even berated them for being wastrels. “We are a talented bunch but could not shine because of the wrong public impression. Later, when it was trending on social media day after day, we started receiving positive response from the public. They came to know about our profession and talents. We also get more publicity in the media,” he added.
But it is still not easy to be identified as a Pullingo. Those riding two-wheelers are often pulled over by the police even if they follow all the rules. Their documents are scrutinised thoroughly and many personnel mock their looks. Because of a few who are accused in criminal cases, most of them are questioned and photographed, said S Vicha, a Pullingo dancer.
“When we go outside, many tell us that our hairstyle doesn’t look good and ask us to change it. It does hurt us some times, but we don’t bother much about it,” he said. “The choice of our clothes and how we carry ourselves have been reduced to a mere joke. Because I am a girl and proudly project myself as Pullingo, people don’t like it,” added Pullingo girl S Abhinaya.
Sometimes, the criticisms turn vicious. There are videos mocking these youngsters that have gone viral. On social media, some use the word Pullingo derogatorily, and even with undisguised casteism. This has attracted criticism from the members of The Casteless Collective among others.
How to identify a Pullingo
- Long hair, unique style and coloured in streaks
- Flowery T-shirts, block prints, bright coloured clothes
- Skinny and ripped jeans
- Neon coloured sunglasses
- Chains, bracelets and ear studs as accessories
- Multiple piercings
- Coloured eyeliners
- Different colours of shoes, with one shoe having a strip of neon-colour lights
- Rides Honda Dio scooters (mostly)
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