Sign in

Australian YouTuber lives in ‘India’s deadliest slum’ for 3 days, sparks intense outrage

An Australian man’s video about visiting Dharavi in Mumbai has sparked outrage on social media.

Published on: Oct 2, 2025, 07:42:14 IST
Share
Share via
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • linkedin
  • whatsapp
Copy link
  • copy link

An Australian content creator is facing the wrath of social media after sharing a video in which he claimed he visited “India’s deadliest slum” and lived there for three days. He recorded himself exploring Mumbai’s Dharavi with an Indian friend.

Snippets were shared by Australian YouTube from ‘India’s deadliest slum’. (Instagram/@pete.zogoulas)
Snippets were shared by Australian YouTube from ‘India’s deadliest slum’. (Instagram/@pete.zogoulas)

“I Tried Surviving India’s ‘Deadliest Slum’,” the vlogger who goes by Pete Z wrote on Instagram. The video opens with a voiceover where Pete says that he tried surviving in the slum for three days, and then the video shows a snippet of a woman being robbed. He then introduces his Indian friend, Ayushi, who accompanies him in his challenge.

Also Read: US influencer who apologised for snatching baby wombat, lashes out, slams Australia PM

As the clip proceeds, they are seen visiting a house inside a slum and then finding a bed to sleep in. Though the Instagram video ends here, a longer version was posted on YouTube.

The video on YouTube shows him interacting with people around the slum and experiencing their lifestyles.

How did social media react?

An individual asked, “Just one question, why?” Another joined, “Just because for views, money. They only visit poor places.”

Also Read: Delhi mom makes baby sit on roof’s edge to record video, slams outraged viewers: 'Don’t tell me how to raise my kid'

A third posted, “Hey, I'd suggest you explore the other sides of India too. Most of your recent videos have been placed in Mumbai's rural areas. As an Indian myself, I think some part of your audience will judge the entire country based on that particular area you've covered.” A fourth wrote, “Next time you go somewhere, take more than $100.”

Who is Pete Z?

The Australian Pete Zogoulas describes himself in his YouTube bio as “a professional dingus that loves doing crazy things.” At the time of writing this report, he had over 262K subscribers on YouTube and a little over 4,000 followers on Instagram.

Many accused the content creator of deliberately showing India in a poor light to get views from the global audience.

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

Discover the latest Trending News, viral videos, social media stories and unusual events from India and around the world. Stay updated with the topics everyone is talking about.