Are Indians obsessed with poverty glorification?

Why do most Indian stars make up stories of struggle even if they belong to rich, elite and privileged backgrounds and make stories like 'I slept on seat at park or railway station' or 'I was so poor that I could not go to Disneyland'?

Why they shame others for being rich, well off or from being good educational or professional background or an elite family or elite school etc?

Why they make up stories of poverty even if they were NOT that poor?

I had read a story of Amitabh sleeping on bench at a park in initial days when he came to Mumbai. Huh? Bakwas. He belonged to an extremely rich, well connected, powerful family. He was not some hand to mouth type guy who could not afford a PG or pay rent and spent nights on roadside or railway platform benches before he made it big.

I also remember in 2007, during Guru promotions, Ash was struggling to speak to a Hindi channel and trying to keep up with Hindi, avoiding smattering of English or accent and said ghar mein dal chawal banta hai bas, when interviewer asked about fav meals or food.

Huh? Why pretend you just take dal chawal and hesitate to name your fav dishes?

Like why do celebs go extra lengths to prove they are like any other average person or hide their elite background or high tastes?

Ranveer's interview was a joke and so was Ananya's whining about dad not being invited to KWK.

I nowadays see Sara going to extra lengths to post videos and reels of herself eating at roadside dhabas or visiting mandirs and she has reduced talking about her interests in reading, discussing world affairs and history with dad at dinner table or her time at Columbia.

Why? Why are Indians obsessed with appearing poor or aam aadmi and feel self conscious to talk or own up own stature?

I was just discussing this with my dad a few days ago LOL. I completely agree with your post.

As to why they do that, because sob stories sell. It's psychological brainwashing. It creates the whole 'poor her / him' image and makes people want to root for you. Indian celebs know they are obnoxious AF so they feel that making themselves appear humble will whitewash their image and appeal to the general masses.

It's worked for years, and works even today despite audiences being much more educated.

Originally posted by: atominis

Why do most Indian stars make up stories of struggle even if they belong to rich, elite and privileged backgrounds and make stories like 'I slept on seat at park or railway station' or 'I was so poor that I could not go to Disneyland'?

Why they shame others for being rich, well off or from being good educational or professional background or an elite family or elite school etc?

Why they make up stories of poverty even if they were NOT that poor?

I had read a story of Amitabh sleeping on bench at a park in initial days when he came to Mumbai. Huh? Bakwas. He belonged to an extremely rich, well connected, powerful family. He was not some hand to mouth type guy who could not afford a PG or pay rent and spent nights on roadside or railway platform benches before he made it big.

I also remember in 2007, during Guru promotions, Ash was struggling to speak to a Hindi channel and trying to keep up with Hindi, avoiding smattering of English or accent and said ghar mein dal chawal banta hai bas, when interviewer asked about fav meals or food.

Huh? Why pretend you just take dal chawal and hesitate to name your fav dishes?

Like why do celebs go extra lengths to prove they are like any other average person or hide their elite background or high tastes?

Ranveer's interview was a joke and so was Ananya's whining about dad not being invited to KWK.

I nowadays see Sara going to extra lengths to post videos and reels of herself eating at roadside dhabas or visiting mandirs and she has reduced talking about her interests in reading, discussing world affairs and history with dad at dinner table or her time at Columbia.

Why? Why are Indians obsessed with appearing poor or aam aadmi and feel self conscious to talk or own up own stature?

They identify with it and want to make it their identity.. Like transgender.. Whats wrong with it?

I also identify with royal family.. What should my pronouns be

I see a lot of people simply shaming others for having any privilege at all and using the word privilege like an insult.

Like, they nowadays shame people even for being born in a good family or having naturally good height or looks or IQ.

I know privilege exists. And we should be aware of blessings we have or advantage we have. But why hide it ourselves?

Why pretend like, oh I am so poor or downplay own education, intellect or how well travelled or widely read you are or what high tastes you have?

I think earlier stars were more comfortable discussing their fav brands or books or destinations for travel. They have begun to discuss more of poverty stuff ever since social media came up.

Like why pretend your fav travel destination is Panchgani when in reality you love Switzerland or Paris?

I also see previously 'poor' stars harp about their poverty and hide their rich lifestyle now. Nawaz, Manoj and Pankaj still behave like they are small town boys from MP or Bihar.

I was amused to see Kangana harp on poverty or not knowing English when she has studied at best schools and college in Chandigarh and belongs to a Rajput family of IAS, IPS officers. Men in her family are mostly high class civil servants and they have a lot of ancestral property at prime locations in most scenic locations of HP and Chandigarh.

So what is this pretense of being poor or middle class girl who did not know English or is taking on elites of SoBo? Guaranteed she was not as rich as K Jo or Roshans but she was no poor woman nor middle class from a small mohalla.

Even SRK has studied at best colleges and schools and lived in good areas of Delhi. He was not a rich star kid but deffo not some poor jhopdi chaap either.

Dharmendra keeps talking about being from village but people forget his dad was a rich Jat with acres of land in their village. No way was Deol family some poor villagers. Anyone who knows Punjab, knows how moneyed and landed Jats are and what lands they have in villages. I mean they are not 'poor'. They have big houses and farm lands.

Dharam had option of going back to his lands and farming if he did not make it in films. He was already settled with wife and kids and did films purely for shauq. Not because he was a struggling villager.

I also find Indians trolling posts online and pretending like they could not afford cable TV or scented erasers or calling VCR as stuff of rich. Or assuming anyone who writes well in English must be from Convent. Ha! Nope. Not everyone with good English is rich or studied at Convent and buying a scented eraser as a kid does not mean you were uber rich. It sounds weird coming from those who use internet and SM apps themselves and must be well off themselves considering they have access to technology and internet.

I am also amused at people assuming any health issue is nothing but nakhra of rich or discrimination or bias is nothing but nakhra of rich or a non issue. Depression is disease of rich. Or being lactose intolerant is a fad of rich. Lulz.

What a joke!

I remember Aamir telling sob stories of financial crisis once his dad's film got stuck.

Same for Abhishek during failure of ABCL or Hrithik when Rakesh's films were not doing well.

Like stop it?

Crisis does not mean you were on roads or hand to mouth.

Or had to sell everything to stay afloat.

Aamir also speaks Hindi on KWK to come across as so called simpleton or humble and wears same chappals or suits or shoes everywhere to come across as unassuming and downplays his own crores of earnings and property.

Sara's been trying hard to shed princess or nawabzaadi tag and appear as mohalla chaap girl next door.

Because people connect to struggles. Moreover, everyone hates the rich until he or she becomes one😆. I think it happens across all fields minus maybe the urban centers. Our politicians also have to dress in a certain way. They can't look too fashionable. Goes for both male and female.

I guess its just that u have to sell ur product or an idea and u have to build a connection with the masses. The struggle is something everyone associates with, as many struggles to make ends meet or simply make an extra buck to live a comfortable life. These things are spoken so people feel they are just like them. Any kind of display of fortune and prosperity can be taken as a show-off. Though on this aspect I think we should applaud Karan Johar, as he managed to sell "ameeri" to us and it was well accepted. 😆

I agree privileged ones should also not be seen as trivial or people without any problems in life. Rich does not mean without struggle.I have seen this as well. If u have a struggle story to tell, it works in your favor & that story has to be related to lack of finances. No other problem is worth enough to be called real. 😆 That said I think, till there is a significant rise in people's income, money will be seen as a solution to all issues and those who have it, have it all, in the eyes of those who don't have enough. 😊 Everyone has their reasons. 😆

Originally posted by: atominis

What a joke!

I remember Aamir telling sob stories of financial crisis once his dad's film got stuck.

Same for Abhishek during failure of ABCL or Hrithik when Rakesh's films were not doing well.

Like stop it?

Crisis does not mean you were on roads or hand to mouth.

Or had to sell everything to stay afloat.

Aamir also speaks Hindi on KWK to come across as so called simpleton or humble and wears same chappals or suits or shoes everywhere to come across as unassuming and downplays his own crores of earnings and property.

Sara's been trying hard to shed princess or nawabzaadi tag and appear as mohalla chaap girl next door.

Stars think viewers will feel sympathy for these poor actors and watch their movies just so that they can have 2 waqt ki roti and sleep peacefully

I know their not targeting my love

I wouldn’t be impressed if someone was poor 😆