Man turns beggar for 24 hours in a metro city. What he learnt and how much he earned

Social media influencers are always looking for unique content to grab the attention of the masses. Now, in a bid to create trend-worthy content, an Instagram influencer decided to adopt an unconventional approach by taking up the “24-hour begging challenge.” He posed as a beggar on the streets of Kolkata to explore how much money he could earn in a day by just begging.

Pantha Deb, a Bengali vlogger shared a video of his begging experience on the streets of Kolkata. The clip begins with the influencer explaining his concept to his followers. Dressed in a torn T-shirt and jeans, he takes up a spot beneath a bridge, holding a bowl to collect donations from passers-by. The footage documents the varied reactions of people as they encounter him begging on the streets. While some offered money, others walked past without engaging.

He started off by earning Rs 20, then earned Rs 4 from two persons and lastly, he was given Rs 10 currency, making a total of Rs 34. At the conclusion of the day-long experiment, the influencer donated all the money he had collected to an elderly homeless woman, adding a compassionate touch to the project. The video has sparked conversations among viewers, highlighting both the lengths influencers go to for content and the socio-economic realities faced by those living on the streets.

The video garnered mixed reactions from viewers. Some appreciated the gesture of donating the collected money to a homeless woman, calling it a heartwarming conclusion. Others criticized the stunt, labelling it as an act of desperation for online views rather than meaningful content. Some viewers expressed scepticism, remarking on the lengths creators go-to for engagement while doing little of actual value. Others humorously noted that the influencer’s budget for content was earned from his begging challenge.

What are your thoughts about the “24-hour begging challenge”?