Viral video of preteen on ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ sparks debate

Video clips of a 10-year-old boy, Ishit Bhatt, on the game show ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’ recently went viral after his interaction with host Amitabh Bachchan was labelled “arrogant”, “rude”, and “disrespectful” by netizens.

Some defended the child, saying he was “just excited”. Metrolife spoke to school counsellors and mental health experts to weigh in.

Child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Arohi Vardhan says the criticism shows how quickly people label behaviour without understanding child development. “From what is visible, the child’s response doesn’t appear problematic. It may look assertive or overconfident, but not necessarily rude or arrogant,” she notes, adding that social and emotional awareness is still developing among 10-year olds, and the frontal lobe, which gauges appropriateness, is still maturing.

Maullika Sharma, adolescent counsellor, says the child’s responses were blown out of proportion. “His comments came from confidence and excitement; he was likely thrilled to be on TV for the first time. While the tone towards the end does sound rude, trolling a 10-year-old is unfair,” she says.

Aishwarya Vimal, counsellor at a Padmanabhanagar school, agrees: “What we saw could be a mix of excitement, nervousness, and unfiltered honesty. Children between nine and 12 are still developing independence and emotional regulation.”

Common at that age

Neha Poonacha, counsellor at a school in Hennur, says preteens often push boundaries as part of identity formation. “Children want to be seen as smart, independent thinkers — sometimes
even smarter than their parents or teachers. It becomes concerning only if they consistently undermine authority,” she explains. About 30-40% of the students, she observes, display such behaviour, “mostly harmless and shaped by their environment”.

Sharanya Misra, another school counsellor, adds that preteens are often misjudged: “Their boldness can be mistaken for arrogance.”

Maullika says, “Instead of asking, ‘Why is the child rude?’, ask, ‘What’s happening inside this child?’ Parents need to reflect on themselves and the situations, and not just on fixing the child.”

Arohi emphasises that most such behaviour is transient. She notes that apparent rudeness may stem from frustration, anxiety, or bullying.

The experts also agree that social media and reality shows influence perceptions of “cool” behaviour. Neha says: “Kids imitate witty comebacks or one-upmanship they see rewarded online, without realising it may appear arrogant in real life.”

How to respond

Arohi says families are seeking more guidance today due to greater awareness. “Avoid labelling your child as rude. Guide them to reflect — ask how they would feel if someone spoke to them the same way. This develops empathy and self-awareness.”

Maullika adds, “Children do what they see,” highlighting the influence of their environment.

“Preteens are learning to express themselves confidently. Moments like these are learning opportunities, not behavioural problems,” notes Aishwarya. She suggests parents calmly discuss tone, avoid overreacting, and model respectful communication to prevent patterns.

Neha adds that empathy and consistency matter. She says: “Help children reflect on how their actions affect others, using stories and exercises to build empathy.”

‘Act against the trolling’

Child rights activists have urged the NCPCR to act against online trolling of the 10-year-old boy following his appearance on the show.

Activist Nagasimha G Rao said the child’s innocent responses were misinterpreted, leading to widespread sharing of his images and severe cyberbullying. He stressed the harassment infringes on the boy’s privacy and dignity, calling for counselling and support instead of public shaming, and urged action against those responsible for spreading the content.