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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
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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.

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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 works as Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of experience in the digital newsroom. Known for her ability to decode the internet’s most talked-about moments, she specialises in high-engagement storytelling that bridges the gap between viral trends and traditional journalism. Throughout her tenure, Trisha has focused on the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. She frequently covers personal finance and real estate struggles in hubs like Gurgaon, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, while also documenting the unique challenges of the NRI experience. Her work often highlights the movements and philosophies of global newsmakers and personalities like Elon Musk, Mukesh Ambani, Nikhil Kamath, Dubai crown prince, and MrBeast. From reporting on Amazon or Meta layoffs and startup culture to the emergence of AI-driven platforms like Grok and xAI, she provides a grounded and empathetic perspective on the stories shaping our world. When not decoding the internet, Trisha is likely offline: lost in a book, exploring a historical ruin, or navigating the world as a solo traveler. She balances her fast-paced career with family time and a healthy dose of curiosity, currently trading her "human" sources for silicon ones as she masters AI to future-proof her storytelling.Read More

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