Shekhar Suman on godmen: 'New Babas, new fools born every day'
Synopsis
Shekhar Suman's most pointed interview moment isn't about his acting — it's a parable about a con man who swindled a godman out of ₹500 crore in black money, leaving him with no legal recourse. It's also the premise of his new Prime Video show, and a mirror held up to India's enduring godman economy.
Key Takeaways
Shekhar Suman criticised self-proclaimed godmen during promotions of 'The Pyramid Scheme' on Prime Video .
He shared a parable in which a con artist extracted ₹500 crore from a godman who could not approach police due to the money being unaccounted cash.
The con artist's total investment was only ₹2–2.5 crore across four visits before the sting. 'The Pyramid Scheme' is produced by The Viral Fever , created by Shreyansh Pandey , and also stars Ranvir Shorey and Paramvir Cheema .
Suman warned that pyramid-style fraud operates at every level — from cities to villages — and urged people to stay vigilant.
Actor Shekhar Suman has taken sharp aim at self-proclaimed godmen in India, saying that a fresh crop of so-called spiritual leaders emerges every few years — and that people walk into their traps with open eyes. Suman made the remarks during promotions of his new streaming show 'The Pyramid Scheme', now available on Prime Video.
What Suman Said About Godmen
'The saints, Baba ji, Fakir — not all, but many — they fool people, make them blind devotees,' Suman said. 'Later, they are caught, they go to jail. Still, there is no shortage of Babas. New Babas are being born, new devotees are being born. They are becoming fools every day.'
The actor's remarks resonate against the backdrop of a string of high-profile godman controversies in India over the past decade, from Asaram Bapu to Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, where millions of followers continued to stand by their leaders even after criminal convictions.
The Pyramid Scheme Parable
Suman illustrated his point with a story that mirrors the plot of his new show. In the anecdote, a con artist approaches a godman and, over four successive visits, offers donations totalling ₹3.75 crore — starting at ₹25 lakh, then ₹50 lakh, then ₹1 crore, and finally ₹2 crore.
Having won the godman's trust, the con artist pitches a pyramid scheme, promising to double any money invested within a month. The godman, sitting on a stockpile of unaccounted cash, hands over ₹500 crore. The con artist vanishes. 'Baba can't even go to the police because it was black money,' Suman noted.
The actor stressed that such schemes operate at every level of society. 'At small levels, you will see in the villages, such schemes are there — invest this money, this will happen, invest here, that will happen. You have to be extremely careful of not falling into such traps,' he said.
About The Pyramid Scheme
'The Pyramid Scheme' is produced by The Viral Fever, created and co-directed by Shreyansh Pandey, and co-directed by Ashish R Shukla. The show also stars Ranvir Shorey, Shreyansh Pandey, and Paramvir Cheema, and is currently streaming on Prime Video.
Suman's character in the show is described as being cut from the same cloth as the con artist in his parable — someone who exploits the blind faith and greed that godmen and their followers share in equal measure.
The Broader Pattern
Suman's commentary lands at a time when financial fraud linked to religious networks remains a recurring concern in India. Pyramid and Ponzi schemes frequently use the credibility of spiritual figures to lure investors, particularly in smaller towns and villages. The actor's remarks suggest his show is not merely entertainment but a pointed commentary on a social pattern that shows no sign of abating.
Point of View
And a smarter operator then fleeces the godman. The punchline is the black money angle, which strips the victim of any legal remedy and exposes the ecosystem's structural rot. That The Viral Fever has built a show around this premise suggests the audience appetite for such critique is real, but whether the show moves beyond satire to accountability is the question mainstream coverage is not yet asking.
NationPress
25 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'The Pyramid Scheme' on Prime Video?
'The Pyramid Scheme' is a streaming show produced by The Viral Fever, created and co-directed by Shreyansh Pandey, and co-directed by Ashish R Shukla. It stars Shekhar Suman, Ranvir Shorey, Shreyansh Pandey, and Paramvir Cheema, and is currently available on Prime Video.
What did Shekhar Suman say about godmen in India?
Suman said that many saints and self-styled spiritual leaders fool people into becoming blind devotees, get caught, and go to jail — yet new godmen keep emerging with fresh followers. He described it as a cycle that repeats itself endlessly.
What is the ₹500 crore parable Shekhar Suman narrated?
Suman described a con artist who won a godman's trust by donating ₹3.75 crore across four visits, then pitched a pyramid scheme and walked away with ₹500 crore in black money. Because the funds were unaccounted, the godman had no legal recourse to recover them.
Who produced 'The Pyramid Scheme'?
The show is produced by The Viral Fever and created by Shreyansh Pandey. It is directed by Ashish R Shukla and Shreyansh Pandey, and streams on Prime Video.
Why does Shekhar Suman say people fall for such schemes?
Suman argues that people approach godmen and financial fraudsters with full awareness yet still allow themselves to be exploited. He cautioned that pyramid-style schemes operate at every level of society — from urban centres to rural villages — and urged the public to remain vigilant.
