Indian man from Chennai says he ‘self-deported’ from Canada because life there became too depressing

A man from Chennai has sparked a huge online conversation after revealing that he “self-deported” himself from Canada and moved back to India - not because of visa trouble, but because he simply felt unhappy living there.

The man, identified as Sudharson on Instagram, shared a candid video explaining why he decided to leave Canada behind and return home. And honestly, his brutally honest take has struck a nerve with a lot of people online.

“What up guys? I self-deported myself back to India,” he said in the now-viral clip. “What good is money if you don’t have anyone to spend it with? This is my first genuine smile after a long time because Canada is one depressing country.”
That one sentence alone was enough to send social media into debate mode.

The video, posted with the caption “Who is next?”, quickly started gaining traction, especially among Indians currently living abroad or planning to move overseas. While some people completely related to his emotional exhaustion, others argued that life abroad naturally comes with sacrifices and takes time to adjust to.

And the internet, as expected, had opinions from every side. Some users strongly supported Sudharson’s decision and said mental peace matters more than simply earning in dollars. A few even admitted they had experienced similar loneliness while living abroad.

One user commented, “I’m also planning to come back to India soon, bro.” Another wrote, “Canada really does get depressing after a point. A lot of people don’t talk about that side enough.”

Others felt his experience reflected a larger reality many immigrants quietly struggle with - isolation, long winters, lack of close family connections and the emotional burnout that can come with constantly trying to “make it” in a foreign country.
At the same time, not everyone agreed with him.

Some people pointed out that building a life overseas is never easy in the beginning and requires patience, consistency and financial stability. One commenter bluntly suggested that Canada may simply not have suited his lifestyle and expectations.
Another user offered a more balanced perspective, saying life in Canada comes with trade-offs. According to them, while countries like Canada offer cleaner surroundings, better infrastructure and quality public services, people often sacrifice emotional comfort, social warmth and familiar support systems in return. Still, the video has clearly resonated with many.

Over the last few years, social media has increasingly seen Indians abroad opening up about the less glamorous side of migration - loneliness, rising living costs, exhausting work culture and the pressure to constantly hustle in expensive cities.
And Sudharson’s viral video seems to have tapped directly into that growing conversation.

For some viewers, his return to India looked like “giving up.” For others, it looked like finally choosing happiness over survival mode. Either way, the internet cannot stop talking about it.