Ex : How did your content creation journey kick start?
After creating the No. 1 Tech TV show, the No. 1 Tech Radio show and the most-read Tech Column in the country, my social media journey must have a different reason to exist. It just couldn’t be the same content regurgitated on a digital platform. Thus, I strategised and worked on what was missing in the World of Tech and started my new content creation journey.
Ex : What is your most viral reel/short? How did the idea come, and how long did it take to shoot?
That would be how a lift or elevator can kill you. It went viral and was picked up globally; I gave interviews on that topic to at least 30 media houses and news channels and was even invited to multiple forums to talk about it. Ironically, it took me less than 5 minutes to script and shoot it. Good content is about value and knowledge, not the hours it takes to create it.
Ex : Any 4 creators you want to collaborate with in the future.
MKBHD, MrwhosetheBoss, Mr Beast and Bhuvan Bham.
Ex : What piece of tech is your favourite.
Bit of a shocking answer here. It’s a CAR.
Ex : Assuming Instagram is shutting down in 24 hours, what will you do?
Breathe!
Ex : Do you have an industry mentor?
Dr Prannoy Roy of NDTV.
Ex : Tell us about a project that you are the most proud of.
When we created the multiple award-winning Tech Quiz Show’ Tech GrandMasters’. It was a small team that created a world-class show. It’s now being revived in a digital avatar.
Ex : Give us one or more hashtags describing you.
#Uninfluencer
Ex : Can you describe a BTS / blooper that happened during a shoot but didn’t make it into the final content piece?
Because I tell people more about what not to buy, what’s gimmicky, what’s just hype, and just marketing, my firm belief is that no one should ever buy the wrong gadget and that I should be responsible for ensuring that
Ex : What’s the first-ever trend that you hopped on?
As a proud #Uninfluencer, I never follow trends. In fact, I firmly believe that if you chase trends, it’s because you’re not confident in your ability to create kick-ass stuff. Don’t follow a trend; become one!
Ex : What will the creator landscape look like in 10 years from now?
AI will dominate every part of the content creation process, from ideation, scripting, production, editing and the final product. If you don’t adapt, you will be out and forgotten. Second, credibility will be key. Almost all content creators endorse anything and everything, thus creating a trust problem globally. And these two predictions are not for the next 10 years but for the next three years.
Ex : What are the platforms you are active on – how do you decide what goes where?
TV, Radio, Instagram, YouTube.
Ex : What’s the next big thing in the pipeline for you?
A massive Global Tech Platform that will change the world of tech. Watch this space.
Ex : Advice you would like to give to budding creators.
If you cannot create content that makes your audience go, “Wow, I didn’t know that “or “Wow, that’s changed my life” – then you have no business being a content creator. Too many people are doing the same thing, and all of them will be redundant soon. You’ve got to be ‘that’ content creator who stands above, the one that will change the world. Anything less, and you will be redundant too.
Ex : How did your content creation journey kick start?
I started crafting YouTube videos centred around my art. At the time, I never fathomed that these humble creations would catch fire and go viral. No, my initial motive was simple – I just enjoyed sharing my art through video and creating tutorials that showcased my process. It was a labour of love, a hobby that I couldn’t get enough of. Soon, I got my family members involved, and our collaborative videos struck a chord with a growing audience.
Ex : What is your most viral reel/short? How did the idea come, and how long did it take to shoot?
While visiting my ancestral village, I was in the cosy, familiar confines of my old house’s kitchen. In an impromptu moment, we decided to create a makeshift bonfire to ward off the evening chill. Little did I know that recording this heartwarming scene, featuring my mom and paternal aunt joyfully engaged, would lead to an astonishing 30 million views.
Ex : Any 4 creators you want to collaborate with in the future.
Bhuvan Bam, Mr. Beast and the iconic SRK.
Ex : What piece of tech is your favourite?
Drones hold a special place in my heart.
Ex : Do you have an industry mentor?
Drawing inspiration from Sandeep Maheshwari has been a profound influence on my life. I am incredibly fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet him in person.
Ex : Tell us about a project that you are the most proud of.
At the beginning of my YouTube journey for my art channel, I needed more money to buy good-quality raw materials. I used to use 5-10 rupee pencils. After a ton of savings, I finally collected 400-500 rupees to buy an imported Japanese pencil to create content. Eventually, I collaborated with the same brand of pencils and had my face and name inscribed on its packaging.
Ex : Give us one or more hashtags describing you.
#Vlogger #Traveller #Family
Ex : Can you describe a BTS / blooper that happened during a shoot but didn’t make it into the final content piece?
During a visit to Chandigarh, my team and I were on the lookout for a hotel to stay in after a day of shooting. It was during this time that a young fan spotted me outside the hotel and, in a sheer moment of excitement, stumbled and fell. To my surprise, I witnessed the child’s parents scolding him for this accidental tumble brought about by his overwhelming enthusiasm. I felt a profound mix of sympathy and awkwardness as I approached them. In an attempt to make amends and ease the situation, I took a photo with the young fan and extended my apologies to his parents.
Ex : What will the creator landscape look like in 10 years from now?
In a decade, the creator landscape will be a thrilling evolution of what we see today. Vlogging, which has already become a powerful medium for storytelling, will continue to thrive. Advanced technology will offer audiences even more immersive and interactive experiences. We might see the emergence of augmented reality vlogs or holographic vlogging, blurring the lines between real and virtual worlds. Additionally, creators will likely be more diversified in content and their collaborations, bridging gaps between different genres and cultures. The vlogging community will become a global tapestry of voices, offering viewers a broader array of perspectives and stories to enjoy.
Ex : What are the platforms you are active on – how do you decide what goes where?
Instagram and YouTube the most.
Ex : What’s the next big thing in the pipeline for you?
Well, I have a couple of things in the pipeline that will be big in the coming few months. I can’t stay much, but it would be enormous.
Ex : What is your dream project?
My dream project involves meeting Shah Rukh Khan and collaborating with him on a captivating video.
Ex : Advice you would like to give to budding creators.
For budding creators, my advice is simple. Be yourself, keep trying new things, and don’t give up. Success takes time, so stay persistent.
Ex : How did your content creation journey kick start?
My content creation journey started with a passion for creating content and helping people.
Ex : Any 4 creators you want to collaborate with in the future.
I’ve shot a video with Mr. Beast, but I would like to collaborate with him again to shoot something funny. Besides him, I would like to collaborate with Manish, Jiya and my brother Nischay.
Ex : What piece of tech is your favourite?
AI is quite fascinating.
Ex : Assuming Instagram is shutting down in 24 hours, what will you do?
I will go on vacation with my family, or maybe I will spend time in my room sleeping.
Ex : Do you have an industry mentor?
I look up to many people but don’t have a specific person as a mentor.
Ex : Tell us about a project that you are the most proud of.
I’m proud of every project I’ve been part of because every project needs hard work, and I’ve tried to give my best.
Ex : Give us one or more hashtags describing you
#fukrahun
Ex : What’s the first-ever trend that you hopped on?
I’ve hopped on many trends during the lockdown phase.
Ex : What will the creator landscape look like in 10 years from now?
I think in 10 years, other industries like Bollywood or maybe Hollywood would admire the works of content creators.
Ex : What’s the next big thing in the pipeline for you?
A lot of things are in the pipeline, but due to certain reasons, I would prefer to keep them as a riddle, but exciting things are coming soon.
Ex : What is your dream project?
I have a lot of things on my mind; I’ve just started the journey and have many dreams to accomplish.
Ex : Advice you would like to give to budding creators.
People will always judge you and your choices, but you should learn to ignore them and work hard.
Ex : How did your content creation journey kick start?
It was in 2013. I was writing codes for my college. So I thought, why not just make videos of those codes, as they were not available anywhere. I thought making a video of them would be of a bit of help. So that is how I started making videos.
Ex : What is your most viral reel/short? How did the idea come, and how long did it take to shoot?
My most viral short is the one I made with my manager, Anushka. It was a parody of all the TikTok videos.
Ex : Any 4 creators you want to collaborate with in the future.
I would love to collaborate with Ashish Chanchlani and Bhuvan Bam. Internationally, I would love to collaborate with the Sidemen KSI and LazarBeam.
Ex : What piece of tech is your favourite.
I think my favourite piece of tech is my PC and mic.
Ex : Assuming Instagram is shutting down in 24 hours, what will you do?
I wouldn’t be worried, as most of my Instagram followers are YouTube subscribers. I love Instagram, but still, I’ll not be very concerned.
Ex : Do you have an industry mentor?
I don’t have any, but I have friends who work in this field, and I talk to them for advice. Besides them, my manager, Ankit, is also very helpful; he has a lot of industry experience.
Ex : Tell us about a project that you are the most proud of.
I love all the videos from the series of Chaggan Vlogger and Bhool Bhulaiya that I have made. I’ve also done a few sketches for Hotstar that I’m proud of.
Ex : Give us one or more hashtags describing you
#nohashtag #lassan
Ex : Can you describe a BTS / blooper that happened during a shoot but didn’t make it into the final content piece?
Yeah. So, the videos that we made with the DJ Mrunal, Dhinchak Pooja and Puneet Superstar I wanted to put in the video, but we couldn’t because of possible chances of controversy.
Ex : What’s the first-ever trend that you hopped on?
Dhinchak Pooja was trending at the time when I started making videos, and it was the first trend I hopped in.
Ex : What will the creator landscape look like in 10 years from now?
In the next few years, we’ll have many creators, and the audience will be shared, and as a result, they’ll be the king.
Ex : What are the platforms you are active on – how do you decide what goes where?
YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. I don’t have any specific preference, but I do use Instagram for more personal stuff.
Ex : What’s the next big thing in the pipeline for you?
I am planning a big show, and there’ll probably be a web series.
Ex : What is your dream project?
I do not have any dream project as of now, but the project I talked about earlier is going to be huge, and I’m very excited about it.
Ex : Advice you would like to give to budding creators.
Try to make something unique, as everybody is making content. Don’t worry about the view count; keep making content because you only need one viral video.
Ex: You wear multiple hats as an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and social media influencer. How do these different roles intersect in your life, and how do you balance them? Raj: I think my job everywhere is same honestly, if you look closely my job is to be the Chief Support Officer, as an entrepreneur I support my team so that we can achieve our vision, as a speaker and as an influencer I support my audience/listeners by brining best knowledge from the top leaders of the world so that they can achieve their Indian Dream. So balancing gets easy if your why as an individual is aligned, and my why is to take India forward by creating more leaders.
Ex: What inspired you to become an entrepreneur, and what challenges did you face in starting your own business? How did you overcome them? Raj: The best thing that happened to me was I saw my father losing his factory in fire and then he started from nothing to building a small business to provide a very comfortable life for his family and building his non profit for thousands of underprivileged kids, so I saw what power of entrepreneurship can do, and how it can change lives of people around you. So that inspired me to definitely be the entrepreneur and second was because I applied to work in 70 different consumer goods companies and none of them hired me so I was young and still wanted to work and out of lack of options I started my own business early 😂 The biggest challenge I faced was hiring good people, because when you are starting out you don’t have a brand, you don’t have a great track record and you don’t even have money. So convincing great people to join you becomes the biggest challenge. That’s why I ask everybody to build their personal brand because that makes things easier comparatively.
Ex: As a motivational speaker, what topics do you typically focus on, and what is your approach to inspiring and motivating others? Raj: I believe this the once in a decades kind of opportunity for India, but India will only thrive if we build more world class brands and world class leaders from our country. and that’s why:
I talk about brands & leadership,
1. how to build your brand to achieve leadership in the market,
2. how to build your personal brand as a leader
3. how to create content to become a leader in the market so that you get a competitive advantage over others.
Ex: As one of the youngest Indians to represent India at the United Nations, can you tell us about your journey and how you became involved in international diplomacy at such a young age? Raj: I didn’t know about international diplomacy at that age honestly, all I knew was united nations has goals to make humanity better and i wanted to contribute in that, so out of 13 goals i tried my luck into social entrepreneurship and then UN took me in for that and asked me to prepare projects and give speeches at UNs vienna Headquarters. and anybody can apply by going to united nations career page on their website. its just i got lucky to be in the selected few.
Ex: Social media has become a powerful platform for communication and influence. How have you leveraged social media to spread your message and connect with your audience? Any tips for aspiring social media influencers? Raj: I really believe if you want to create an impact at large you need either access to capital or access to distribution. for a lot of people like me who come from no background, getting access to capital is very difficult. thats why i believe social media is the best place to start building your distribution for free. I believe gone are the days of Amecian Dream, it’s time to for ‘The Indian Dream’ and that’s what I want people to believe in and go for it. So I am trying to achieve my Indian dream by hustling every day and creating more leaders at work and I show that through my social media which ends up helping me in building distribution. The tip I have for young content creators is ‘
Ex: What has been the most rewarding experience of your career so far, either as an entrepreneur, motivational speaker, or UN representative? Can you share a memorable moment? Raj: The most rewarding moment of my life till now has not been the professional one but a personal one that happened 2 years back where I gifted a credit card to my mom and told her to never look at shopping bill ever again and spend at whatever she wants to. First time in life this happened as since childhood I would always ask money from my mom and she would say don’t tell dad. this time it was me telling her ‘spend as much as you want, and don’t tell dad’ shh 🤫
Ex: Balancing personal and professional life can be challenging, especially with such a demanding schedule. How do you manage to find time for yourself and maintain a healthy work-life balance? Raj: I am very bad at it, I don’t have a balanced life. I go with the notion that if you have really bug dreams then you need be obsessed, so I barely find time for balance in life. I need to learn better to maintain a balance life but I think my excuse is I am young and I can afford to be obsessed right now 😛 And with all due respect I am not asking anyone else to follow what I do, they should try to find what works for them. This way of life works for me till now 🙂 Maybe I will change in the future, maybe not. 😉
Ex: Can you share some of the key lessons you have learned throughout your entrepreneurial journey and how they have shaped your approach to business? Raj: No.1 lesson I have learnt is that no one is above and no one is below, at the start of our careers we feel that others are bigger than us maybe a boss, maybe a unicorn startup founder, maybe someone famous. But reality is they are exactly like us just in different time of their journey but all people are same, no need to feel inferior infront of anyone.
Another lesson I have learnt is that: India is not a price sensitive market, everybody says in India people are price conscious but I don’t think so, I believe Indian consumer is value conscious not price conscious, if they get value for their money they are ready to pay for a premium product and premium brand. I don’t think Indians leave a good quality product just because of price.
One more lesson I learnt in Indian business is, people say India is a trust deficit country, people don’t trust new products easily or other people easily. I believe that is not true, in India infact almost everything works on trust, business works on trust(because lack of understanding of legal paperwork), customer buys on trust (because lack of education on products), a lot of peer to peer funding works on trust (because lack of proper credit/financing options), so when everything works on trust in our country. how can we talk about being a trust deficit country. It’s just once we lose trust it’s difficult to get it back, but I think overall people put in the trust forward and are accepting of new things. 🙂
Ex: Many young people look up to you as a role model. What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs, speakers, and individuals who aspire to make a difference in the world? Raj: A lot of young people in India are worried about their reputation when in reality they don’t have any, they have just gotten it from probably the family they come from, or the school they went to or the money they inherited. As an individual probably people don’t have much reputation but they are scared of losing reputation and that’s why they don’t take risk. so if you are willing to take risk and forget about where you come from and ready to build your reputation from scratch by exploring and experimenting new things then you will grow really really fast and will have an edge over other people. and the other advice I wanna give is no matter what you do just be consistent, if you are consistent for couple of years you will end up winning regardless of talent, competition, time, money etc.
Ex: What are your future goals and aspirations? Where do you see yourself in the next five to ten years? Raj: Everytime I give an interview, I pray to god that please this question should not come haha because honestly I dont know. I never put any timelines, I have a dream and I want to achieve that dream, whether it will be 5 years, 10 years or 50 I don’t know. I am more of a journey person, I love the journey. My dream is to make a really global consumer brand out of India – that’s what I am trying to build through House of X and help others become leader by showing them my journey of failures and success as I try to build a global brand.
Ex: Is there anything else you would like to share with our audience or any upcoming projects or initiatives you are currently working on that we should know about? Raj: In my new startup House of X, I am working on three brands from scratch those are very close to my heart, I am building a perfume brand with my favorite popstar, building a kitchen appliances brand with my favorite chef and building a beauty brand with my favorite beauty & fashion creator. Apart from that, like a good content creator I would say that: if you want to know more about my next moves, you need to Subscribe & follow me @rajshamani on your favorite social media platform hahaha
Ex: How did you get started as a travel creator? Aakash: The story began with first falling with the idea of travelling, travel bug bit me 2014 when I was selected for a reality show called Swiss Made Challenge and got an opportunity to travel to Switzerland for a month. I won the show! After winning the reality, show I won a trip to Switzerland again with my family to Switzerland and I happened to come back to Europe along with this trip. I did a backpack to 7 countries across Europe. That was where my idea of travel was further affirmed. Eventually, the idea of travelling was to work hard in the marketing job to save, travel and repeat. During this time I have explored almost 15+ countries and by 2016. I wanted to travel more and more and a job just became a limitation so I took a leap of faith and quit after quitting my job. The visited Thailand, Laos and Vietnam and during this time I became a freelancer digital marketeer which eventually turn into a full-time marketing company. By 2018, I realised that the digital era was coming in big time with social media influencers and that was a time Wander With Sky was born. The idea was very simple to showcase a Indian boy who is
travelling the world mind it a middle-class Indian boy and what started as a photo blog in 2018 today is a full-time content channel. This is how I became a travel cot in Creator.
Ex: You’ve visited some incredible destinations while pursuing your passion for travel. Can you share with us your top three favourite destinations and why? Aakash: Iceland – The Northern Lights
Zanskar Valley, Ladakh – For the Rawness
North East India – Meghalaya, Sikkim and the other 5 sisters culturally and landscape wise fascinate me the most.
Ex: As an extreme athlete, you must have faced some unique challenges while travelling to different parts of the world. Can you tell us about some of the most challenging experiences you’ve had while pursuing your passion? Aakash: One of the biggest challenge has been fighting my own mental limitations, and becoming a bird, haha I mean a skydiver. Being a skydiver is as extreme as it can go, jumping out of a plane requires a mindset and courage par any human. It takes years for people to be ready to take on such a sport, and for me this was one of the most challenging things I have done.
Ex: Social media has played a significant role in shaping the travel industry in recent years. As a travel creator, how do you use your platform to promote sustainable and responsible travel? Aakash: I have always been an advocate for responsible travelling, and I use my channels to show people the reality of tourism and how they can reduce impact. This can be seen on my recent Spiti Trash Hill reel. I believe as travellers we should only leave our footsteps behind and take
the rest back for proper disposal.
Ex: You have an impressive following on social media. What do you think sets you apart from other travel creators, and how do you engage with your audience? Aakash: I am REAL, I don’t showcase things just for views and likes, I just put my raw travel lifestyle out their which audience has really appreciated. I believe that I still have the same approach towards my followers as I had when I began, replying to each comment and DM, being a shoulder where I can and just be ME! PS – Yes, I sit and reply to 500+ comments a day.
Ex: As an extreme athlete, you must be constantly pushing yourself to your limits. How do you balance your desire for adventure with the need for safety and precaution? Aakash: “PROFESSIONAL TRAINING”, I think the best way to learn any sport is to learn “responsibly”, thus I always go through trained and professional instructors and schools. Along with that when I put out content, I make sure I myself taking all precautions to showcase safety first.
Ex: You’ve worked with several brands and tourism boards over the years. Can you tell us about some of the most memorable collaborations and campaigns you’ve been a part of? Aakash: My recent collab with “Visit Australia” has been one of the best, they understood my content style and made a custom itinerary according to my taste, that always makes content creation way better and easier. Recently, I did a video for Rado, as a raw adventure travel content creator it was a big deal integrating travel with luxury and was indeed one of my best works I have done.
Ex: Your Instagram feed is full of incredible action shots and stunning landscapes. Can you give us some insights into the process of creating such visually appealing content? Aakash: I think, I am a PRO at capturing what my eyes see, confused? Eye see unique perspectives, depth and colors which isn’t what your camera lens will always capture. So, being able to imitate that emotion via my Lens is really important.
Ex: Travelling can be a life-changing experience for many people. How do you hope your travels and adventures inspire your followers to explore the world and try new things? Aakash: I aspire to inspire 1 person a day since 2018, and that’s still my focus. What’s now added is ‘responsible’ travelling, making sure I talk loudly about travelling responsibly. As I explore unexplored terrains, I showcase the journey in the rawest form, which is the most important for my audience to understand.
Ex: Lastly, what advice would you give to someone who loves to travel and become a travel creator? Aakash: Define your why, define if you want to “Travel to create?” Or “ Create cause you are travelling?” Cause traveling is demanding job, it requires you to stay on the road for long, and if you don’t love the idea of exploring you would not be able to keep up with the job. PS – It’s a long journey before you find success, so being self motivated is the most important skill.
Shivya Nath is a well-known travel blogger, author, and speaker who has inspired thousands worldwide to pursue a more mindful and sustainable approach to travel. Born and raised in India, Shivya quit her corporate job at 23 to travel the world and share her stories through her blog, The Shooting Star. Her work has been featured in numerous publications and is recognised as one of the leading voices in responsible tourism. Today, Shivya continues to travel the world, sharing her experiences and insights with her followers while advocating for a more responsible and sustainable approach to travel. Let’s see what’s her thought on sustainability.
Exhibit: What inspired you to become a climate activist, and how did you get involved in this cause?
Shivya Nath: We’re living through a climate emergency – which is not just an environmental issue but also intersects with gender, social justice, biodiversity and much more. As a travel writer and storyteller, I’ve been lucky enough to witness the incredible beauty of our planet but also how climate change is changing entire landscapes and cultures. It’s almost impossible to tell real travel stories without addressing how climate change is impacting the places we visit and advocating for climate action both within the industry and globally.
Ex. How do you think technology can help address climate change, and what role does it play in the fight against climate change?
Shivya: Technology has a major role to play, both in mitigation and adaptation. In order to stay under 1.5°C of warming, we need to scale renewable energy and carbon capture and storage technologies to complement reduced consumption and nature-based solutions. To adapt to the unavoidable impacts of climate change, we need advanced technology to predict erratic weather changes and extreme weather events.
Ex. In your opinion, what lifestyle changes can individuals make to reduce their carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future?
Shivya: We can play an important role in driving climate action by urging the organisations we work for to measure and reduce their Scope 1 & 2 emissions and work with their value chains to reduce Scope 3 emissions. By making climate change a political issue, we can also intimidate local, regional and national governments to consider it in their daily decision-making. In our personal lives, actions like reducing consumption, installing renewable energy, choosing low-carbon transport, opting for a plant-based diet, segregating, composting and recycling waste, and flying less can make for meaningful sustainability choices.
Ex. What are some of the most pressing environmental challenges that we face today, and how can we work together to address them?
Shivya: We’re simultaneously facing the interlinked crises of climate and biodiversity. The first step is to educate ourselves on what is happening, why, and what needs to be in the bigger picture. As we learn, we can use our voice, online or offline, to create awareness among our friends, families and social media followers.
Ex: How do you stay motivated and engaged in this cause, despite the many obstacles and setbacks that you may encounter?
Shivya: We don’t have a choice! To give up is to accept that we’ll hit 1.5, or worse, 2°C of warming, leading to a colossal loss of human and non-human lives.
Ex: Can you talk about a particular project or initiative that you have been involved in that has made a positive impact on the environment?
Shivya: I recently founded Climate Conscious Travel, an impact consultancy with destinations and businesses to integrate community-centric climate action into tourism offerings. This includes developing carbon-neutral trips, climate change communication through tourism, and sustainability research and storytelling. Through my blog and Instagram, I also continue my work as a travel storyteller creating awareness about sustainable tourism, climate change, zero-waste living, veganism and other interlinked areas.
Ex: How do you balance the need for immediate action on climate change with the need for long-term solutions and systemic change?
Shivya: The two are interlinked. A change in climate policies today, for instance, will pave the way for long-term solutions and systemic change. We’ve already seen this in the growth of electric vehicles and some renewable energy technologies.
Ex: What do you see as the biggest barriers to progress on climate change, and how can we overcome them?
Shivya: Public apathy is a significant barrier. Suppose we don’t collectively demand bolder climate ambition and action. In that case, there will never be enough political will and sweeping policy changes to do what needs to be done to seek a low-carbon development pathway and avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
Ex: Finally, how do you envision a more sustainable future, and what steps can we take today to make that vision a reality?
Shivya: A sustainable future will be one where we globally curb our emissions and use a mix of nature-based and technological solutions to remove what we’ve already emitted. Such a future will reward a minimalist lifestyle, with things like green electricity grids, sustainable aviation fuel, electric transport, conscious travel, upcycled fashion, and zero-waste alternatives becoming the norm rather than the exception!
Exhibit Magazine: Can you tell us briefly about your background and how you started your journey as a creator?
Rohit Zinjurke: If it wasn’t for content creation, I would still work as a sales executive in a textile shop. Wherever I have worked, I have always been sincere. However, content creation was my calling. I used to do both together until I realised how much potential the digital world has.
Ex: How did you first realise that you were gaining popularity, and what was your initial reaction?
Rohit: When I was at my earlier job as an executive, I had a wholesaler who had come to the shop and immediately recognised me. Also, many customers kept looking at me as if they’d seen me somewhere. That’s when I realised that I was getting there. I was absolutely humbled and knew this was my path.
Ex: How has your life changed since you became a creator, and how have you adapted to your newfound fame and success?
Rohit: More than my life, I feel like I have changed because I am surrounded with so much love that it urges me to be a better person and to make better content every day.
Ex: What do you think sets your content apart from others, and what do you believe contributed to its success?
Rohit: More than my content, I feel like it’s me as a person that my audience relates to.
Ex: Can you tell us about any memorable challenges or obstacles you faced on your journey to success and how you overcame them?
Rohit: There is no one specific challenge because every day, there is something challenging about what we do. Whether it is creating content, editing, or scripting.
Ex: Who are some of your favourite fashion photographers or creators that you look up to?
Rohit: I like Rohan Shrestha and Dabboo Ratnani’s work. For me, a person who is comfortable in their own skin is fashionable. So I can’t name one person as everyone is fashionable in their own way.
Ex: How do you engage with your audience and build a community through your vlog?
Rohit: By keeping it real and raw.
Ex: Can you tell us about any upcoming projects or collaborations you have in the pipeline?
Rohit: Picture ahi baaki hai mere dost. There is so much I have to offer, but I can’t reveal everything just yet. You will have to wait and watch.
Ex: What advice would you give to aspiring vloggers or creators who are just starting out?
Rohit: Respect your craft, and it’s okay if you haven’t figured it all out. Take it as it comes, and have fun with it.
Ex: How are you feeling after crossing 25 million people on Instagram at the age of 22?
Rohit: Imagine receiving love from 25 million amazing souls! I feel absolutely blessed, but my journey has just begun. And this also means that I’ve got the responsibility of entertaining an audience of 25M, so while I am super joyed, I am also working very hard.
Social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube have completely changed the definition of a so-called celebrity. Nowadays, we’re seeing way too many Instagram influencers and YouTubers being referred to as celebrities by their followers/subscribers. Thanks to these social media platforms, which have offered a platform for content creators to showcase their talent and that too without asking for a single buck.
Over the last few years, these platforms turned from simple video-sharing platforms to a home to a plethora of content creators. Back in the 2000s or even before that, wannabe actors, musicians, artisans, etc., used to struggle for so many years to get noticed by the world. But now, what you need to become an overnight celebrity is viral content, thanks to the supremacy of social media.
I understand the fad where ordinary people shot reels, vlogs, and videos to earn a social status and a little popularity amongst society, but a couple of years ago, while surfing on YouTube, I came across one celebrity channel and asked myself why? However, after a bit of research and work-chat, I realised that it’s not the only celebrity channel on YouTube. Since then, many Hollywood and even Bollywood stars have started their YouTube channels.
Reasons:
To develop a connection on a personal level
What is your first impression of the Hollywood star and former wrestler Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson? He must be a harsh, rude and strong-headed person, right? However, in reality, he’s entirely the opposite of what we’re thinking of him. And we got to know about this through his YouTube channel, which has over 6 million subscribers, where he shares his daily life and shredding tips with his fans.
You must have seen content creators who showcase their day-to-day life in their YouTube vlogs or Instagram reels have more number of followers than those who don’t showcase the same. Do you know why? When people take their audience into their daily lives and come ahead on YouTube/Instagram as they are in reality, it helps them to develop a personal connection with fans and strengthen their followings.
To showcase a different or perhaps the real side of their character
We often spot celebrities through the paparazzi’s cameras, where most of the time, they look grumpy, and we judge their character according to their behaviour with the paps and fans who ask for selfies. Now, put yourself in the same spot and imagine how you would treat someone returning from a hectic work day. Being a celebrity is not easy; in reality, they moved to YouTube to prove they’re not like paps show them.
YouTube offers celebrities a platform to showcase their natural character and allows them to have complete control over what they want to share with their fans. Here, they don’t even have to follow the strict editing deadlines like in movies. They can edit their stuff whenever they want, choose any topic and take their fans on a crazy ride just by sharing a few moments they had while shooting a film or anything for that matter.
To stay in the limelight
Once a celebrity, always a celebrity doesn’t work anymore as there are way too many celebrities around the world. Be it film stars, Instagram models, Influencers, YouTubers, Gamers, etc. We’ve seen many Bollywood actors or Television actors reaching the stars and falling badly within the next few releases. These stars want to stay in the limelight and regain public attention again, using YouTube as a platform to do the same. No wonder more and more celebrities are creating their own YouTube channels.
Ex: Ranveer, we’ve seen you grow & your journey is so inspiring for the youth. Whichever field you step into, you face it. Tell us about how it all started and how your journey has been till now? Ranveer:I always wanted to do something entrepreneurial because if I take a task in hand, I always give my 100 % into it. Post my engineering, I decided to start my own fitness-based start-up. But I understood the role of social media in making it successful. This was when I made the decision to start my social media page ‘BeerBiceps’. But the underlining has and will always be to create a successful and creative business venture.
Ex: What started as a fitness channel is now about everything a man needs to know, you create content that is relatable, motivational & there’s so much to learn from. What’s the inspiration behind these concepts that you come up with? Ranveer: The inspiration behind this has always been related to my personal life. For example, two years post-college when I started the “BeerBiceps” page, I only focused on the fitness-based content. In those two years, I learned a lot about grooming, fashion styling, and communication skills. After that, I focused more on mental health and career-related content.
Currently, I am focused on entrepreneurship-based concepts aimed at improving the audience’s decision-making and career skills. After that, I might move towards emotional health and spirituality-based content.
Ex: We have also seen you addressing Mental Health issues, how important are these issues in today’s time? Ranveer:Mental health is paramount. Especially with this Covid-19 situation and everyone being locked up in their houses. Thus, positive content from creators worldwide plays a very important role in turning the situation positive. It’s the need of the hour and I think it will be at least for the next 10 to 20 years.
Ex: What was that moment when you felt that this is it; people have started liking you and are getting inspired by your work? Ranveer:Honestly, I think we were right from the start since we grew pretty fast and the feedback we received was overall positive. It also made me realize that audience-focused content will result in a lot of love and encouragement. It feels pretty special when people walk up to you for a photo or just appreciate your work. With the Jio Boom of 2016 & 2017, things changed pretty fast for me.
Ex: Having a large fan following and being a public figure, what kind of responsibilities do you have & how do you make use of this fame? Ranveer: The amount of responsibility is pretty huge given the number of followers I have. If I am putting out any content related to fitness or anything else, I do a lot of research beforehand. I believe that through video content, you can create something that’s mentally uplifting. Also, with this Covid-19 situation, I am glad my team and I got a chance to create such positive and uplifting content. I truly use my fame to make something positive for the audience and also to expand and fill the employment gaps in the country in whatever small way I can.
Ex: The world has changed with the pandemic and everyone has accepted the new normal. What is the new approach/idea to keep moving in the new age of digital media? Ranveer:The approach to keep moving into the new age of Digital Media would be to create content in large quantities. Since working from home is now a reality, content creation is a side-hustle for many people. When you’re beginning your content creation journey, you cannot take it as a full-time job since your work life/studies would collide with it and make it hectic.
Currently, Instagram reels are the best way to move forward along with Twitter. Create short-form textual content as well as video content and you’ll see your online brand grow faster.
Ex: You have invited a lot of significant personalities in your show, with whom did you have an instant connection or who inspired you the most? Ranveer: On the business front, Siddharth Roy Kapoor and Ronnie Screwvala because I feel that they have a strong mental match. And on a deeper emotional level, I think Gaur Gopal Das and Jay Shetty since they both have a similar career. From the world of glamour, obviously Ayushmann Khurrana
and Priyanka Chopra, with whom I felt a strong and ambitious connection with.
Ex: Ranveer Allahbadia: Techie or a PetrolHead? Ranveer: I’m that weird guy who’s neither but if I had to choose, I’m probably a Techie. My internal engineer enjoys tech that helps us create- professional cameras, mics, software, and mobile phones.
Ex: What does a normal day look like in Ranveer Allahbadia’s life? Ranveer: A normal day for me is all about creation, business strategies or video content. There isn’t a day when I can just switch off because I really enjoy my job. Even if I’m on a vacation I keep vlogging and finding inspiration for my future content. Creation is a massive part of my life. I like waking up late because I usually sleep late at night.
Ex: What’s next for Ranveer Allahbadia? Ranveer: Many more businesses, podcasts, vlogging, video games – it won’t stop. We’re on a creation and experimentation spree. One thing I have understood about content is that it is just a game of consistency. You just need to keep putting out stuff. Even if you’re having a low phase, you’ll bounce back. I currently started a lot of poetry-based content which is being received really well and would like to continue down that tangent for a while.
Quickies:
1. Most expensive tech you own: Bought a 3-4 Lakh Lens for our professional camera 2. If you could invent a gadget, it would be: Artificial Intelligence based camera assistant that allows people to record videos, editing and help with the video creation process. 3. On road trips, Would you sit at the back seat & relax to soft music or play loud music and take control of the wheels: I’m the type of guy who plays music loudly and takes control of the wheels (but if with that someone special, you got to switch to soft music). 4. A fitness gadget/app you use religiously: Any generic fitness app like Samsung Fitness or Google Fitness just to track my walks and jogs 5. Who you stalk on Instagram: LeBron James 6. Your go-to book: Autobiography of a Yogi 7. If you had to describe yourself in a hashtag: #babyfacedassassin
