Australian Vlogger Calls India ‘Rich and Poor Together’, Social Media Explodes

Viral Video: A viral video by an Australian content creator, Jeremy Franco, has stirred a serious debate online. While filming inside the plush Phoenix Palladium Mall in Mumbai’s upscale Lower Parel area, the creator highlighted the visible wealth disparity in India, expressing how luxury brands like Gucci and Dior can be just metres away from a slum.

The video captured Franco browsing luxury brands before commenting on the stark contrast just outside. “One thing about India is that you can go from filthy poor to filthy rich in two seconds,” Franco says in the clip.

Franco's Interesting Comparison

Referencing Danny Boyle’s 2009 Oscar-winning film, Franco touched on the jarring juxtaposition between affluence and hardship, something Mumbai is often known for. Just steps away from the city’s high-end shopping hubs are informal settlements, a reality that underlines the complex layers of urban inequality.

“Tell me why I’m in a luxury store, and two metres outside this place could be the set of Slumdog Millionaire,” stated Franco in the viral clip.

Social Media is Divided 

The video, captioned with the overlay “India is poor and rich at the same time,” quickly divided social media. Many agreed with the sentiment, saying, “Wealth disparity in India is quite insane.”

Another echoed, “When I first landed in Bombay as a kid, I was perplexed by the have and have-nots side by side. Duality is a better word for it. Almost nothing like it.”

However, critics were quick to call out what they saw as a reductive portrayal. “India's diverse beauty is often overlooked by foreign content creators who focus on slums and street food for followers. In response, some Indians and neighboring countries await such content,” one user commented.

Some broadened the conversation to global inequality. “It's everywhere, this duality is everywhere.” Another asked, “So like New Jersey or NYC?”

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