26-year-old Luigi Mangione’s arrest for allegedly fatally shooting UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson sparked an unusual social media phenomenon, with his photographs becoming viral. Whilst some internet users endorsed young Ivy League graduate‘s alleged actions, others focused on his physical appearance, leading to his unexpected popularity.
Now an old photograph emerged on social media platforms, showing Mangione in traditional Indian attire. The image depicts him wearing an orange silk kurta and pajama at what appears to be an Indian wedding celebration from years ago.
In the photograph, Mangione is seen sporting sunglasses and smiling alongside two other individuals. The image seems to be extracted from a larger group photograph, presumably taken at a wedding ceremony.
An X user shared the image with the caption: “This is the greatest day of my life.”
The photograph circulated rapidly amongst Indian social media users, prompting numerous humorous responses. “He looks like he will dance on kala chashma,” commented one user, whilst another referred to him as “Luigi Maganlal”.
Several users noted similarities between his attire and the stereotypical Indian clothing worn by American characters in popular television programmes, particularly drawing parallels with Ryan Howard from The Office and Winston Schmidt from New Girl. However, some critics expressed displeasure, accusing Mangione of cultural appropriation.