A video featuring a Kolkata-based vlogger, Pantha Deb, who took on a “24 hours begging challenge,” has gone viral on Instagram, sparking diverse reactions. In the video, Deb, dressed in torn jeans and a T-shirt, sat under a bridge and at a bus stop, holding a bowl and requesting alms as part of his experiment to understand the life of a beggar.
Throughout the video, Deb documented the responses of passersby as he moved around the streets of Kolkata. By the end of the day, he had collected Rs 34, which he chose to donate to an elderly homeless woman.
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Social media users shared mixed reactions in the comments section of his post. While some criticized the act, remarking, “People will do anything for views,” and “Peak unemployment,” others appreciated the gesture of donation. One user wrote, “The ending won my heart,” while another termed it a “good experiment.”
The experiment has sparked a broader discussion about the thin line between entertainment and meaningful social commentary.
