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Former Roadies judge Raghu Ram has stirred a heated debate online after making sweeping remarks about women and their role in shaping men’s emotional and physical well-being. Speaking on the Two Girls & Two Cups podcast, Raghu claimed that women are “a big problem” for men and even suggested that their attitudes contribute to men’s mental health struggles, heart attacks, and suicides after the age of 60. His statements have triggered shock and criticism, including from the hosts themselves, who challenged his views during the conversation.

Raghu, known for his blunt personality on MTV Roadies, drew from his experiences on the reality show to describe women contestants as being “more aggressive than men.” He recalled instances where their anger and verbal intensity left him and others stunned. “There were some women in Roadies that our ears turned red, smoke came out, and we fell on the floor. I was taking notes from them,” he said. “Their decibel levels and language… when girls get down to it. Girls are not gentlemen. Even men are fighting, there’s still a limit. Women don’t have that limit. They get so screechy and what they say is very hurtful. We get very scared.”

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What Raghu Ram actually means with his comment

The comment set the tone for a conversation that quickly escalated. Raghu went on to argue that women’s expectations of men—to be strong, successful, and unemotional—have deeply affected men’s mental health. “Girls are a huge problem because they may say they need emotionally open men, but they don’t actually want them,” he said. “When a man turns emotional, they reject him saying, ‘You’re like a girl! We’ve lost respect for you.’ Because of girls, guys don’t share anything. We’re happy to have a heart attack at 60 instead.”

He claimed that most men face cardiac issues later in life due to emotional suppression and societal expectations set by women. “It’s because of the way women don’t accept us when we open up,” Raghu added. “We don’t even have an option. How bad can it be? Heart attack? Bypass surgery? We’ll do that. But I won’t say something vulnerable to a woman. When a man does, women use that against him.”

The remarks—delivered in a mix of frustration and conviction—led to visible discomfort among the podcast hosts, who attempted to interject several times. Raghu, however, insisted that what he described was a “default setting” and “inbuilt” behaviour in women, pointing to social conditioning rather than individual choices.

He then cited an example from The Audition Room, a YouTube series he hosts on his channel Raghu Box. Recalling a woman’s statement that she “wouldn’t respect a man who doesn’t earn,” Raghu said, “What if we say women who aren’t pretty aren’t worthy of our love? Also, as we grow older, our capacity to earn only increases. Your looks would go down. Then? Have we ever made it conditional for you?”

While clarifying that he does not oppose the idea that men should earn, Raghu argued that respect in relationships shouldn’t be tied to financial capability. “This doesn’t mean women or men are regressive,” he said, “but it’s so ingrained in our society that men must earn.”

He went on to reference India’s suicide statistics to support his argument, claiming that “75 percent of the suicides in India are men’s, and 50 percent of them are because of financial pressures.” Raghu asserted that society has made men’s identities conditional upon their ability to provide. “Your respect doesn’t stem from whether he’s a wife-beater, cheats on his girlfriend or wife, or is a racist. But he’ll have to earn your respect by providing, which is a problem. And that’s very normal for girls,” he said.

The statements have since ignited a firestorm across social media, with many accusing Raghu of perpetuating gender stereotypes and ignoring structural gender inequalities that affect both men and women. Some have argued that his frustration over societal expectations of men is valid but misplaced in blaming women entirely. Others pointed out that systemic patriarchy, not individual relationships, often creates these pressures.

While Raghu has not issued any clarification or apology for his remarks so far, his comments have reignited discussions on gender roles, masculinity, and emotional health in India’s entertainment and social media spaces.

The controversy adds to a growing list of public figures whose comments on gender have come under scrutiny in recent months. As debates around mental health and masculinity gain traction, Raghu’s remarks reflect the tension between acknowledging male vulnerability and reinforcing regressive gender narratives.

For now, his statements continue to trend across digital platforms, drawing equal parts criticism and reflection—yet again showing how conversations about gender, emotion, and power remain deeply contested in India’s pop culture.