August 25, Monday: During The Great Indian Kapil Show hosted on August 23, comedian Kapil Sharma asked Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma how much money each month is enough to sustain a standard lifestyle.
Vijay replied that ₹1–2 lakh per month covers food clothing and basic needs. He said life needs little beyond those essentials.
Kapil joked back asking if he could “keep that much and Paytm the rest to us.”
Netizens push back, posts include criticism
His remark drew strong reactions on social media.
One user lamented, “Now I know why I am poor.”
Another compared, “₹1–2 lakh a month? I scramble for a ₹20,000 job each evening.”
Many pointed out how families survive on ₹10,000–₹15,000 monthly and still count their blessings.
Vijay shares his own, personal struggles
On the same episode, Vijay opened up about his personal struggles. He shared how being asked a question in English in college made him feel like a kid in Taare Zameen Par. Paytm shared this incident's snippet from the show on social media with the caption, "Both Sharmas said it right. Language should never be a barrier. Be confident in your own skin. Our founder @vijayshekhar once struggled with English in college and taught himself by reading Hindi and English books side by side. He later went on to lead the digital payments revolution in the country. We deeply respect his hard work, resilience and commitment."
Vijay also said he lost academic confidence and became a backbencher due to language difficulties. He also revealed the inspiration behind Paytm. A lost wallet at an airport lounge made him see how phones and wallets share the same space.
For many, ₹1–2 lakh monthly income seems distant. It highlights India’s vast economic divide.
Sharma’s simplicity in defining “enough” contrasts sharply with the daily struggles of the middle class.
It sparks a larger debate on living costs and aspirations across India.
