Pete Z Sparks Outrage Over Staged Dharavi Video

Australian vlogger Pete Z (Pete Zogoulas) posted Instagram and YouTube videos titled “I Tried Surviving India’s ‘Deadliest Slum’” documenting a three-day stay in Mumbai’s Dharavi that include a staged robbery scene, visits to local homes, and footage of him sleeping on a bed. The clips, which went viral, show him accompanied by an Indian friend identified as Ayushi, whom reports say he paid, and a longer YouTube version features more interactions as he said he wanted to “experience their lifestyle.” The videos provoked sharp backlash for sensationalising Dharavi with the “deadliest” label and were widely condemned as poverty tourism that exploits residents and flattens a complex neighbourhood into a spectacle. Commenters and local critics stressed that Dharavi is also a hub of small businesses, resilience and community life, and warned such portrayals risk shaping unfair global impressions of India. While a few viewers described the footage as eye‑opening about harsh conditions, the overall response underscores growing criticism of foreign creators who document civic and social issues in India without adequate context or sensitivity.