Watch ‘not so cool’ viral video of India’s 1st woman bartender juggling fire bottles while holding child

Kavita Medhar, widely recognised as India’s first woman flair bartender, has found herself at the center of a heated online debate after sharing a video of her performing bottle-juggling tricks while holding a toddler.

The video, which has garnered over 26 million views on Instagram, appears to have been filmed during a Navratri celebration. In the clip, Medhar is seen demonstrating her flair bartending skills — a high-energy performance art involving the juggling of bottles — all while carrying a child in one arm.

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While many viewers applauded her talent and boldness, others criticised the act as unsafe, particularly due to the presence of the child during the performance.

“You shouldn’t make such videos with a child involved,” one user commented. Another wrote, “Her talent is amazing, but putting the child at risk isn’t justifiable.”

Some acknowledged Medhar’s groundbreaking journey but expressed concern about the judgment displayed in the video.

“Salute to her skill, but if anything had gone wrong, the consequences would have been tragic,” a user noted.

On the other hand, many came to Medhar’s defense, calling the criticism “harsh” and “overblown,” with supporters praising her for continuing to challenge gender norms in a male-dominated field.

“She’s breaking barriers — that deserves respect — but this might not have been the best way to showcase it,” read one of the more balanced responses.

Kavita Medhar hails from a small farming village in Karnataka and took up bartending to support her family. She quickly rose to prominence as one of the few women in India to master flair bartending, a style of performance bartending known for its visual flair and precision.

Her accomplishments include recognition by the World Book of Records in 2021, and she was also a crowd favourite on India’s Got Talent in 2022.