In a wide-ranging conversation, Abhinandan Sekhri speaks with writer and creator Anurag Minus Verma about his book, The Great Indian Brain Rot: Love, Lies and Algorithms in Digital India, which unpacks the chaotic, volatile corners of the internet in India.

Exploring the dual nature of the internet, Anurag recognises how it broke down long-standing gatekeeping in the media and allowed marginalised voices to be heard, including through his own early podcast, where “for the first time audiences saw a Dalit speaking to a Dalit.” However, he also notes that the internet in this country amplifies existing social hierarchies.

Caste identities, he explains, have become hyper-visible online, with pride edits and creator feuds playing out in real time. “The internet is just a platform. People say ‘Instagram is casteist,’ but people are casteist, not Instagram,” says Anurag. Any serious examination of Indian society – and of cinema, he adds – remains incomplete without confronting caste, while also highlighting that even anti-caste films are rarely made by Dalit filmmakers.

An important part of the conversation centres on what Anurag calls "brain rot." He argues that, contrary to popular belief, it's not about the content but how we consume media. A revealing example he offers is the constant stream of short-format videos or reels promoted by the algorithm that takes you from thirst traps to political outrage and then grotesque images of children starving. “That is not a healthy way to consume information,” says Anurag.

Abhinandan and Anurag also revisit the infamous Sushant Singh Rajput case while discussing how the internet was responsible for “the democratisation of misinformation” – a process led by the “dacoits of the YouTube monetisation programme.” Creators who had nothing to do with the actor started putting out these wild conspiracies because they understood that YouTube would “reward” them for it. 

Although YouTube tried to set up guardrails against this practice, Anurag notes that a similar thing happened during Operation Sindoor. Amid this chaos, however, he reminds creators that virality is “a glitch in the system,” and that the real work lies in consistent creation, building an audience and trust – like a news organisation. Anurag also resists calls for heavy-handed content regulation that rarely changes user behaviour.

But this conversation isn’t just about the big questions. Abhinandan also delves into the personal with Anurag, asking him how he remains sane and calm while consuming all this ‘brain rot’ and experiencing all the oppression around him. Anurag explains that, thanks to his favourite filmmakers, he learnt to channel his anger into his creativity, while also practising regular meditation and having a family that keeps him firmly grounded. 

Subscribe to watch the full interview for a sharp and critical take on the chaotic world of online content creation and culture.