Travel videos have a way of making destinations look magical. Add a popular Bollywood film to the mix, and expectations only get bigger. That is exactly why Spain’s La Tomatina festival has remained on the wish list of many travellers for years. But now, an Indian content creator has shared an experience that is very different from the colourful videos people usually see online.Her review has caught the attention of social media users, with many appreciating the honesty, while others say their own experience was nothing like hers. The conversation has now sparked a debate over whether La Tomatina is really as fun as it looks on screen.
Content creator says the experience did not match her expectations
Instagram content creator Anali Gupta recently posted a video after attending La Tomatina in Buñol, Spain. Speaking about the festival, she said she did not have the movie-like experience many people expect after watching Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara.In the video, she said, “Main just abhi Tomato Festival se wapas aa rahi hoon. To tumhein kya laga? Maine bahut maze kiye honge? Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara jaisa koi moment? Bilkul bhi nahi. Bilkul bhi nahi.”Gupta also claimed that the tomatoes used during the festival were often overripe or rotten, making the smell very difficult to tolerate.She said, “Main literally vomiting karne hi wali thi. Mere aas-paas ki jo bhi ladkiyan thi na, sab vomiting kar rahi thi.”
She also spoke about the crowd
Apart from the smell, Gupta said the crowd was another challenge. According to her, people who tried to film videos during the event could end up becoming easy targets.She also said many Indians had travelled to the festival hoping for a cinematic experience, but the crowd and overall atmosphere made them uncomfortable and hesitant to take part freely.According to Gupta, the most enjoyable part came after the tomato fight had ended, when the crushed tomatoes had turned into a ketchup-like puree on the streets.
‘Go with the right expectations’
In the caption of her Instagram post, Gupta described La Tomatina as “one of the toughest experiences” she has ever had. She said the rotten tomatoes, the smell, and the force with which they were thrown made the event physically demanding. She also shared that, as a woman, she found the pushing and crowding intimidating.She wrote, “So if you’re planning to attend La Tomatina in Buñol, Spain, don’t expect a perfect ZNMD movie moment. That version exists on screen. Reality is messy, exhausting, and physically demanding.”At the same time, Gupta clarified that she was not discouraging people from attending the festival.“I’m not saying don’t go. I’m saying go with the right expectations, prepare yourself mentally, and decide if this is truly the kind of experience you want before spending so much money to get there,” she wrote.
Social media users shared different experiences
The video received mixed reactions in the comments section.One user wrote, “Thanks for sharing the genuine info.”Another commented, “Thanks for the awareness.”A third user said, “You have to prepare by buying Iphone cover, big googles etc. and it’s a fun for few hour. Don’t expect a bollywood movie scene.”However, several users said they had a completely different experience at the festival.One comment read, “This is a very different POV of the festival. I was there in 2025 too but my experience was very close to what they showed in the movie.”Another user wrote, “I had an amazing experience at tomatina. I was surprised it was as the movie (without the songs, of course). We were really happy. We were not close to the trucks though.”Disclaimer: This article is based on a viral social media post. The views expressed are those of the content creator, and Times of India has not independently verified the claims. Thumb image: iStock (for representative purposes only)
