Mumbai, Oct 10 (IANS) Actor Kunal Kapoor has taken a dig at Elon Musk amid the controversy surrounding Starlink’s entry into India, further describing the situation as a “fascinating character study in the saviour complex of Western tech billionaires”.
In a strongly worded post on his social media account, Kunal questioned the attitude of influential technology entrepreneurs who, according to him, arrive in countries promising progress but react negatively when their proposals face resistance from local institutions.
Drawing parallels with Musk’s past controversies in Thailand and Brazil, the actor argued that the underlying pattern remains the same, even as the country changes.
Sharing his views, Kunal wrote, “Watching Elon Musk this week has been a fascinating character study in the saviour complex of Western tech billionaires. They arrive in your country selling you the future. Welcome them, and you’re a country that wants progress. Make them wait, and suddenly your people are victims who need rescuing from their own institutions by the chosen one.”
The actor went on to cite the 2018 Thailand cave rescue, during which 12 young football players and their coach were trapped inside the Tham Luang cave complex.
Musk had proposed a mini-submarine to assist in the rescue, but the device was not used by the rescue team. British diver Vernon Unsworth, who participated in the rescue, had criticised the proposal as impractical.
Musk then had attacked Unsworth on social media, referring to him as the “pedo guy”, triggering widespread criticism.
Referring to the incident, Kunal wrote, “It’s a pattern. When Thai rescuers didn’t use the mini-submarine Musk sent for the trapped boys, and diver Vernon Unsworth called the idea impractical, Musk attacked him as the ‘pedo guy.’”
Kunal also brought up Musk’s confrontation with Brazil’s Supreme Court over its orders concerning X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.
For the uninitiated, in 2024, the platform was suspended in Brazil after it failed to comply with court orders, including requirements relating to legal representation. Musk publicly criticised the court and its judge during the dispute.
Highlighting the episode, Kunal wrote, “When Brazil’s Supreme Court ordered X to comply with its rulings, Musk called the judge a ‘dictator.’ The script rarely changes. Only the country does.”
The actor added, “The colonial mindset isn’t always about wanting to rule a country. Sometimes it’s the assumption that you arrive as its saviour, and if the country doesn’t immediately recognise you as one, something must be wrong with the country.”
Kunal’s remarks come amid a debate over Starlink’s proposed entry into the Indian market. The satellite internet service, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, has been seeking the necessary regulatory approvals to offer commercial services in the country.
Ahead, Elon Musk has also alleged that certain powerful business interests in India are attempting to prevent Starlink’s entry to protect their market position.
–IANS
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