If you’ve ever found yourself doom-scrolling through the comments section (don’t lie, we all have), you know the internet can be brutal. But what happens when you’re not just watching it unfold, you’re the target? On the AfterHours with All About Eve podcast with Bani Anand, actor Babil Khan got candid about the not-so-glamorous side of fame: trolling. And no, he didn’t go on a rant or clap back with sass. Instead, he dropped a far more powerful perspective.

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“It is putting food on their table”

“That’s the thing… when I got trolled, it was so easy,” he began, almost casually. “Like the first month was so difficult. But then slowly, that realisation started hitting in that they are also running their page, you know.” Yes. Babil empathised with his trolls. The man saw beyond the hate and realised that some people were using him as content and, in a weird way, it was their hustle.

When Bani expressed her surprise at Babil’s perspective, he explained that this doesn’t mean he wasn’t affected by those trolls. “It hurts,” he admitted. “But it is putting food on their table. How mad can I be about that?”

“What is this world?”

Even though this perspective is impressive, Babil admitted that it wasn’t easy to believe in. It was his movie Logout that flipped the switch. “Before this film, I used to be a little like, ‘what is this world?’” he laughed. It was after playing the character of an influencer named Pratman that he realised how challenging an influencer’s life is. “And then I did the character, and I realised that being an influencer is one of the toughest jobs. You have to be switched on all the time, right?”

It’s not just about posting cute pics or hopping on trending audio. It’s emotional labour, it’s curating your life 24×7, and it’s tolerating comments from strangers who think their opinion is gospel. Being trolled sucks but the truth is we are just feeding an algorithm monster that thrives on controversy. It’s not easy to believe in Babil’s philosophy, but it is important. Catch more of Babil Khan’s perspective on trolling, the internet, and much more on AfterHours with All About Eve podcast.

Watch the full episode here.

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