‘India Is Poor and Rich at the Same Time’: Jeremy Franco, Aussie Influencer’s Video Explodes!

A video posted by Australian content creator Jeremy Franco is trending on social media after he filmed inside Phoenix Palladium Mall, one of Mumbai’s most luxurious shopping destinations. Known for international brands like Gucci and Dior, the mall sits in Lower Parel, a neighbourhood that also has working-class homes and visible poverty nearby. While walking through the grand interiors of the mall, Jeremy made a strong remark that triggered a flood of reactions online. Read everything here!

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“India Is Poor and Rich at the Same Time”

In the video, Franco says: “One thing about India is that you can go from filthy poor to filthy rich in two seconds, because tell me why I’m in a luxury store and two metres outside this place could be the set of Slumdog Millionaire.”

He also used a text overlay in the video that read: “India is poor and rich at the same time.”
This raw observation, though simple, hit a nerve. It captured the visible duality that many people see every day in Indian metro cities like Mumbai.

Internet Reacts: From Agreement to Anger

The comment section was quickly filled with divided opinions. Some agreed with Franco, saying the wealth gap in India is real and hard to ignore.

One user commented: “Wealth disparity in India is quite insane, yes.”

Another shared: “I remember that the first time I landed in Bombay as a kid, I was perplexed by the haves and have-nots, side by side. Duality is a better word for it.”

But not everyone supported the view. Several Indian users pushed back, saying the video focused too much on poverty and failed to show the larger, more diverse picture of India.

One user wrote: “India’s diverse beauty is often overlooked by foreign content creators who focus on slums and street food for followers.”

A Global Issue of Inequality

The conversation didn’t stop in India. Some viewers pointed out that economic inequality is visible across the world, not just in Indian cities.

A viewer compared it with the US: “Lived in the US. The physical boundaries between rich and poor neighbourhoods shocked me. I’m not justifying inequality, that’s terrible, but proximity, I think, is better than apartheid in the US.”

This led to a broader discussion about inequality being a global problem, with class divisions visible in most major cities worldwide.

Mumbai: A City of Contrasts

Many viewers pointed out that Mumbai, in particular, has always represented extreme contrasts, from billionaires in sky-high towers to daily wage workers in the same area.

As one user summarised: “That’s just Bombay in a nutshell.”

Mumbai’s ability to hold opposites in one frame, glamour and grit, wealth and struggle, has always been a topic of conversation. Franco’s video simply brought it into global view again.

Who Is Jeremy Franco?

Jeremy Franco is an Australian content creator known for short videos that show his global travel experiences. He has a growing following for his raw, unfiltered takes on culture, travel, and urban life. Franco’s video may have used simple words, but it uncovered a complicated truth in India, especially in cities like Mumbai, which is a place of coexisting realities. Luxury malls and informal settlements often share the same street.

The debate can be about anything and can lead anywhere. But India cannot be explained in one video, one article or by one person.