‘Indians are worst creatures’: Internet reacts as rant on man watching videos at full volume on IndiGo flight goes viral

A social media user’s rant on Twitter (now X) has gone viral, garnering nearly 8 million views. It has sparked discussion about public behaviour and growing frustration with everyday civic issues.

The incident apparently happened on an IndiGo flight, as the photo suggests. A middle-aged man, “fat uncle” – as the user calls him, watched videos on his phone at full volume. Although the noise disturbed nearby passengers, no one objected.

Even the cabin crew, who passed by several times and served meals, did not intervene. The user said that, under normal circumstances, he would have spoken up. But, instead, he chose to quietly observe the situation.

This silence made the user reflect on a larger issue. He questions whether ignoring such behaviour has become the new normal.

This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Livemint has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

In a deeply-pessimistic tone, the post lists broader concerns, including the lack of public manners, garbage in shared spaces, constant social conflict, women feeling unsafe, polluted air and water, and a complete loss of faith in the political system.

“In the middle of my adult life, I'm now asking myself - for my own mental peace, should I just accept that uncouth behaviour in public is normal?” the user asks.

The rant struck a chord with many social media users.

“Indians are the worst creatures in the social space! I dread to take domestic flights coz every 2nd person watched reels loudly, and the staff doesn’t care to remind them it’s not their house,” wrote one of them.

“I thought only I had this issue. But kudos to your patience, buddy!” commented another.

Another user wrote, “Pathetic!! Watching whatever should be done using headphones or earphones this rule should be immediately implemented on airline rules else the nonsense will continue.”

“When bad behaviour goes unchecked, people stop caring. This is what low standards look like after years. Systems shape behaviour,” came from another.

The social media user later added a detailed clarification in the comments section. He explained that the man was watching offline-downloaded YouTube videos during the flight, not Instagram Reels.

“...mostly that awful comedy show where people go hahahaha,” he wrote.

Regarding privacy concerns, the user stated that only a portion of the man’s face was visible in the image, and his identity could not be confirmed from that photo alone.

According to him, the point was not to target one individual but to send a message.

“He could be any uncle - which is the point: send a message to all such uncles,” he added.

The user also defended not seeking consent before sharing the image. He argued that, if the man had not played content on the speaker, he would not have drawn attention at all.

“Deserves contempt, not consent,” he posted.

He also made remarks about body-shaming the man.

“Why call him fat? He is in health trouble at his age being overweight. In the off chance that he sees his photo - I hope it shocks him into getting healthy. A healthy body is a start to a healthy mind,” the user added.

Finally, the user justified linking the incident to wider social and political issues. According to him, public anger should also be directed at serious problems like pollution and safety.

“If you can rage at some dude posting something here - why not about the toxic air you breathe?” he wondered.