Viral video of Modi handing Melody toffees to Meloni racks up 100 million views; Parle Industries stock hits upper circuit as Congress slams gesture
Edited by Elvish Haokip, Kukiland Express Desk Rome: May 21, 2026
The camaraderie between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni set social media abuzz on Wednesday after a video of Modi gifting Melody toffees to Meloni went viral. The clip clocked nearly 100 million views with over 56,000 reactions and around 5,000 comments within an hour of being posted. In the video, Meloni is heard saying, “Prime Minister Modi brought as a gift, a very, very good toffee — Melody,” before thanking him. Modi was seen laughing as Meloni played on the word “Melody,” reviving the #Melodi hashtag first coined by her at COP28 in Dubai in 2023.
The moment occurred during Modi’s visit to Rome, the final leg of his five-nation diplomatic tour. After arriving in the Italian capital, the PM met Meloni over dinner and later visited the Colosseum with her. The exchange quickly dominated social media, with users posting memes, screenshots and jokes calling it the “ultimate #Melodi moment.” The incident drew comparisons to last month’s viral Jhalmuri clip, when Modi bought the Bengal snack during an election campaign stop.
The viral gift also rippled into the stock market. Shares of Parle Industries Ltd surged 5 percent to hit the upper circuit limit at Rs 5.25 on the BSE on Wednesday. The stock saw muted trading early in the day but spiked after Meloni shared the video. Over 8.57 lakh shares changed hands. However, investors appeared to confuse Parle Industries with Parle Products, the unlisted FMCG major that actually manufactures Melody toffees along with brands like Parle-G, Monaco, KrackJack, and Kaccha Mango Bite.
The gesture drew sharp political reactions at home. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge posted, “Modi ji wants the public to enjoy the melody of speeches while surviving the misery of his Government’s loot.” Rahul Gandhi also criticised the PM, writing, “An economic storm is raging over our heads, and our prime minister is busy handing out candies in Italy!”
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal defended the attention, highlighting growth in India’s confectionery exports. “India’s Toffee Tale would surely be melody to the ears! Exports have grown nearly 166 percent since 2013-14,” Goyal posted. He said toffee exports reached Rs 132 crore in 2025-26, up from levels 12 years ago.
