Renowned filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, known for his calm and composed demeanor, shocked audiences at the 54th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa when he lost his temper during a masterclass session. The incident occurred during a discussion on social media influencers, where the veteran director launched a fiery attack, using harsh language that has ignited a major debate online. While many have criticized his tone, a significant number of social media users are strongly supporting him.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Vidhu Vinod Chopra Slammed Influencers
A video from the masterclass has now gone viral on social media. In the clip, the 3 Idiots, Munna Bhai MBBS, 1942: A Love Story, Parinda, and 12th Fail director is seen using strong and abusive words to express his frustration over the growing influence of social media personalities in the film industry. Chopra mocked influencers’ online behavior and questioned how talent is being measured today. He pointed out that casting decisions are increasingly based on the number of followers rather than actual skill.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
Expressing his anger over the current trend, Chopra said, “Let me tell you what’s happening. They post a video on social media, say something nice, and five people like it. Then someone posts something rubbish, and it gets five million likes. You think, ‘Wow, this is content.’ I say, these people are fools. They have no talent. They’re neither artists nor anything… they’re nothing.”
Vidhu Vinod Chopra
He further criticized film and brand decisions being influenced by follower count, saying people now boast about having 5, 10, or 20 million followers, as if that defines their worth. Chopra also took a direct dig at companies that rely on influencers for product promotions. He said, “Brands go to them and say, ‘Sell this product,’ and then the influencer stands up saying, ‘Hey, buy this tiffin.’ What the hell is going on? That social media influencer thinks he’s a legend.”