Influencers, content creators, and YouTubers have always entertained their audiences in front of cameras. Be it through cross-dressing or standing in front of a crowd cracking jokes, creators have gone on an ultimate entertainment journey. Today, they’re endorsing brands, doing television ads, headlining marketing campaigns, and appearing on billboards – creators are everywhere.
As the ‘social media dream’ becomes widely aspirational, no longer are people interested in entering showbiz. Taking the creator route is the most coveted ticket to that Maldives vacation. However, while it is rare and doesn’t happen for all, it requires years and hours of dedication. Here are some mega creators who no longer depend on brand collaborations; they are on an entrepreneurial journey themselves.
Kusha Kapila
Famously infamous for her ‘South Delhi aunty’ character, Kusha Kapila went from an aspirational theatre student in DU to a fashionista in NIFT. Kapila then went on to become one of the biggest female content creators on social media. Launched in 2024, she headlines her own shapewear and innerwear brand, UnderNeat. Nailing the marketing strategy through her audience, she launched her own series of a lingerie guide, soft-launching the dialogue around innerwear with her audience. Converting the millions of loyal followers into customers, she aced the marketing game plan by subtly cashing in her creator tokens.
Tanmay Bhatt
Probably the biggest YouTuber in all of history, he has defined an entire era of YouTube videos. Giving the Indian creator space a kickstart with AIB, he was the origin story of multiple channels that took fruition during that era. Acing long-form skits, the team found themselves in the middle of Bollywood after ultimately dying down following controversial remarks. Today, each of the founders is a major contributor to the most popular advertisements in India. Tanmay Bhatt headlined his comeback with Moonshot as the co-founder of his advertising agency. They have partnered with leading brands like CRED, Lenskart, Hotstar and more.
Diipa Khosla
Founder of Inde Wild, no one would assume that it belongs to an Indian creator. Redefining the meaning of social media influencer, she is the new-age founder of the digital currency and broke barriers with her work. One of the largest fashion bloggers of India, she transformed the skincare space by giving Indians an aspirational, luxurious brand based on Ayurveda.
Bhuvan Bam
Bhuvan Bam‘s brainchild, Titu Mama, has redefined several YouTube narratives. A singer, actor, songwriter, and comedian, the 31-year-old is known for his channel BB Ki Vines and has even appeared in several web series. Today his 21 million followers are nearly loyal customers to his streetwear fashion brand – Raised Right by Youthiapa.
Ranveer Alhabadia
A Mumbai-based digital media company was co-founded by Ranveer Allahbadia and Viraj Sheth in 2017. Known for talent and influencer management, Monk Entertainment also provides solutions like video production and social media management. It is backed one of India’s biggest podcaster, BeerBiceps. From being cancelled as a fitness creator to being cancelled as a talk show panellist, Allahbadia has seen it all.
While these are only a few names from the lot, they have redefined the meaning of ‘creator economy’. By making their followers into customers, these influencers are set to leave behind something more tangible than a trend. Since the influencer marketing era is dying down and every other creator is becoming a model for a product or service, these creators are staying ahead of the curve.
