Punekars dismiss social media myths on city's dating

Social media may portray Pune as the epicentre of India's chaotic dating scene, but residents insist the city's reputation is undeserved.

- Varad Bhatkhande

Memes and reels stereotyping Pune as a hub of infidelity and "interconnected exlists" have gone viral in recent years, prompting many to question whether these claims reflect reality or online exaggeration. For much of India, Pune's image on social media swings between reverence and ridicule. Once hailed as the cultural capital of Maharashtra and the "Oxford of the East," the city is now often mocked for its so-called "messed-up dating culture." Online jokes claim that "everyone is everyone's ex" in Pune or that "if your partner lives there, be worried." A recent viral reel even implied that partners in Pune are likelier to cheat - a claim that many locals call baseless.

Origins of the stereotype