Veteran comedian Sunil Pal has slammed the growing culture of ‘shortcut fame’ on social media, alleging that vulgar content, trolling, and sensationalism are negatively influencing the youth and harming the creative landscape of comedy.
Veteran comedian and actor Sunil Pal has strongly criticised the growing culture of “shortcut fame” on social media, alleging that vulgar content, trolling and irresponsible comedy are negatively influencing the younger generation. Speaking to ANI, Pal expressed concern over the kind of content dominating digital platforms, claiming that many creators are gaining popularity through sensationalism rather than meaningful talent.
‘Shortcut Fame’ and Online Sensationalism
“There is no censor on YouTube, so such films and reels are being made. Many boys come in reels wearing very few clothes, others sit in cars and talk nonsense just to create trends,” he said. The comedian further alleged that online creators often encourage trolling and abuse to increase engagement and views. “They hire trollers for views. If someone criticises them, they abuse that person and attack them online. Even when I say something positive like people should not abuse, I get targeted heavily,” he added.
Harmful Influence on Youth
Pal said the obsession with overnight success is harming the mindset of young audiences. “In the process of shortcuts, even number one becomes no one. If we write number one in shortcut, it becomes NO1,” he remarked, using a wordplay to underline his point. Highlighting his interactions with students during college performances and public events, Pal said Indian youth possess immense potential in fields ranging from sports and arts to education and nation-building. “Our youth want to learn and achieve a lot. Their thinking is very good. But these shortcuts are taking them in the wrong direction,” he said.
Critique of Modern Stand-Up and Industry Silence
Referring to stand-up comedy and online entertainment trends, Pal criticised what he described as excessive use of abusive language, glorification of alcohol and drugs, and disrespect toward senior artists. “In many stand-up acts, all they talk about is drinking, drugs and abusing people. They even casually take the names of legends like Amitabh Bachchan and Dharmendra without understanding their stature,” he said.
Pal also expressed disappointment over what he called a lack of support from fellow comedians and artists from the industry. Pal said many stand-up acts focus excessively on “abuse, alcohol” and offensive humour instead of creativity and family entertainment. “In their 10-15 minute stand-up, all these things happen. They don’t respect the elders,” he said. “When I speak against such things, people surround and troll me. But many senior and junior artists who privately agree with me remain silent. If they spoke up too, things could change,” he said.
The actor further claimed that family audiences now specifically invite him because they associate his performances with clean comedy. “Wherever I go for shows, people tell me, ‘Sunil ji, you won’t do vulgarity because you are family entertainment,'” he added.
A Call for Responsible Content Creation
Pal maintained that while social media has changed the entertainment landscape, creators and senior artists must take responsibility for guiding young audiences in the right direction. “Our youth are ready to learn good things. They only need the right guidance,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)