When L&T Chairman S.N. Subrahmanyan advocated for a 90-hour workweek in a recent video, the internet raised an eyebrow — and then its voice.
His comments, which included rhetorical jabs like “How long can you stare at your wife?” were labelled out of touch and sparked an online firestorm.
Critics, including Bollywood stars, business leaders, and X users, expressed concerns about the implications of such a harsh work regime on mental health and work-life balance.
What followed was an avalanche of memes and sharp critiques — proving that in the age of social media, no controversial remark escapes unscathed.
Here’s a look at what social media users said about turning life into a non-stop office shift.
Bollywood star Deepika Padukone was among the first to weigh in, expressing her dismay.
“Shocking to see people in such senior positions make such statements,” she tweeted, underscoring the need for prioritising mental health in the workplace.
Industrialist Harsh Goenka joined the debate with a witty jab: “90 hours a week? Why not rename Sunday to ‘Sun-duty’?”
One post didn’t mince words: “Narayana Murthy (Student): Work 70 hours a week. L&T Chairman (Teacher): Work 90 hours a week. Me: Fuk both of you.”
The tweet struck a chord with the digital generation, garnering thousands of likes and shares.
One user did the maths and broke down Subrahmanyan’s proposed schedule: “90 hours work, 42 hours sleep, 26 hours for basic needs, 12 hours commute… leaves 1 hour for life. Narayana Murthy virus is too contagious!”
The humorous critique became one of the most trending posts on the issue.
Echoing similar concerns, another post said, “168 hours in a week. 90 for work, 56 for sleep, 21 for routine. That’s 1 hour left.”
One @bhaumikgowande posted , “If I earned 56 crores like the chairman, forget Sundays, I’d invent more days to work!”
The meme brigade's verdict
The internet’s meme-makers unleashed their creativity, turning the debate into a viral comedy festival.
From “Narayan Murthy Virus 2.0” to charts mocking “corporate slavery,” the response was swift and brutal.
One widely shared meme quipped, “Another CEO promoting modern-day slavery shamelessly.”