NEW DELHI: It was supposed to be a heartwarming moment: a bright young student sitting across from Amitabh Bachchan on ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati 17’ (KBC). But instead, ten-year-old kid Ishit Bhatt from Gandhinagar, Gujarat, ended up setting social media on fire.

The fifth-grader’s appearance on the quiz show quickly became the talk of the internet, not because of his answers, but because of his attitude. Confident and outspoken, Ishit’s remarks to Big B were seen by many viewers as crossing the line from bold to brash.

The moment that started it all came right at the beginning of his round. As Amitabh Bachchan began to explain the rules, Ishit interrupted him with a firm, “Mere ko rules pata hai, isliye aap mereko abhi rules samjhane mat baithna”; meaning, “I already know the rules, so don’t start explaining them to me.”

Social media didn’t take it lightly. What was meant as a display of confidence was seen by many as disrespectful toward the legendary host. Comments began flooding X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and Reddit, some calling him a “smart kid with poor manners”, while others defended him as “just being playful and expressive.”

Throughout the episode, Ishit kept his lively energy. He eagerly demanded options before they were read and later joked, “Sir, ek kya uss mein chaar lock lagado. Lekin lock karo!” (“Sir, not one, put four locks on it, but do lock it!”).

But when the question about the ‘Ramayana’ came up, his confidence slipped. Ishit chose the wrong answer. And he had to leave the show empty handed without any prize money. Amitabh Bachchan smiled and said, “Kabhi kabhi bachhe overconfidence mein galti kar dete hain.” This literally translates to, “Sometimes children make mistakes due to overconfidence.”

The episode went viral quickly. Memes, reels, and reaction videos flooded all over timelines.

The internet is clearly divided after watching Ishit Bhatt’s episode. Many people felt the young contestant was rude to Amitabh Bachchan and showed too much confidence for his age. A few even blamed his parents and the show’s makers for allowing such behaviour to be shown.

But there is another side to the story too. Many viewers came forward on their social media platforms to defend Ishit Bhatt. They said he is just a child who was nervous and excited to be on national TV. For them, it was a simple case of a bright, and of course outspoken, kid getting misunderstood by adults who expected him to behave perfectly. - The Statesman/ANN