MAADHYAM

I   am not going to use the photo of the child in the topic, but here is my take on this. Being a mother and a media person who knows exactly how these programs work, here is my opinion, unedited and unfiltered. In a world where every moment can be clipped, captioned, and shared, even a child’s innocent remark can become fuel for public outrage. The recent Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) controversy, involving a 10-year-old contestant, is a case in point. What was meant to be a fun, inspiring moment of curiosity turned into a nationwide debate — and unfortunately, a digital trial of a child. The Viral Storm During his appearance, he confidently told host Amitabh Bachchan that he already knew the rules and didn’t need multiple-choice options. Within hours, social media was flooded with comments calling him “rude,” “overconfident,” and “arrogant.” Worse, people began to bash his parents, dissecting their parenting based on a few edited seconds of footage. He lost, but was it punishment f...

People often ask me how I became a content creator, learned to write, and—most importantly—how I found the courage to stand up for myself. The answer is simple: Professor Jerry Pinto. I still remember our first day in class. Forty girls, all slightly nervous, trying to figure out what journalism school had in store. Jerry walked in and said something none of us expected: “You will not call me ‘Sir’. I haven’t been knighted by the Queen of England. I’m not your teacher. Call me Mr. Pinto or Jerry.” We were stunned. Then came a question that truly shook us up: “How many of you can ask your friend to return the money they borrowed, without feeling guilty or awkward?” Only a few of us raised our hands—including me. Then he asked, “How many of you have money saved up that nobody knows about?” Again, just a few hands went up. Mine included. And then… the real shocker. He told each of us to stand up and say, “F@k off.”* You can imagine our expressions. We were frozen. Some giggled...