‘Even parents don’t like a poor son’: Man’s emotional video after quitting his job highlights pressure on men to earn

In the video, Dayal walks down a street while opening up about a painful moment at home, just three days after he left his job.

The video has struck a nerve online, with many saying they felt the same kind of conditional affection growing up

A recent Instagram video has sparked a massive discussion about men’s mental health, emotional expectations, and the pressure on men to be seen as “providers.” The clip, shared by a user named Dayal, is a personal, unfiltered monologue titled “Gareeb beta toh maa-baap ko bhi achha nahi lagta”, translated as ‘Even parents don’t like a poor son’.

In the video, Dayal walks down a street while opening up about a painful moment at home, just three days after he left his job. He explains that he had moved back after working out of town. When he was earning, he says, his mother treated him with warmth and affection, sometimes by simply giving him an extra roti, a gesture he cherished because it made him feel valued. “There was a different feeling,” he recalls.

But after he quit, he noticed a sudden shift. During one dinner, he asked for two extra rotis just like earlier. Instead of the fond response he remembered, his father said flatly, “He’s asking for two more rotis, give those to him.” That moment, he says, had hit him hard. It made him realise how often respect inside families depends on whether a man is earning.

He adds, “If you don’t have money, don’t have a job, and your pockets are empty, even your family won’t respect you. It’s my humble request to all boys to ‘earn money… if you have money, you have respect, otherwise nothing.”

Watch the video:

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A post shared by Director Dayal (@director_dayal)

The video has struck a nerve online, with many saying they felt the same kind of conditional affection growing up. Some viewers expressed support and wished him well in finding a new job. One person wrote, “It’s not only true for boys, but also for girls… any child who earns is respected. Harsh reality!” Another commented, “If this is real, it’s heartbreaking. Wishing you all the best and hoping you get a job soon.”

Others shared their own experiences, including one user who said they felt lucky to have a mother who supported them no matter what. Someone else summed it up bleakly: “This is how society works, no one is truly yours.”