[TechSparks Grand Finale Speaker] Arunabh Kumar: Spreading The Viral Fever

The Viral Fever: Run a google search on this term and you will find not medical symptoms but links and links to funny videos. TVF Media Labs, the company that makes the Viral Fever videos, has set the tone for the entry of indigenous video content for the internet. Now, other start-ups are also entering this space. But, the credit for setting the trend goes to one man who showed and led the way. Arunabh Kumar - CEO and founder, The Viral Fever Media Labs.

The Viral Fever, with its rib-tickling content, showed that there are always takers for alternate streams of content and television is not the only medium which would survive when it comes to video. Arunabh, an engineer by training and humourist by vocation, will be a key speaker at the TechSparks Grand Finale, YourSTory's flagship event.

Here are some lesser known facts about The Viral Fever and Arunabh Kumar.

• Arunabh is not the Chief Executive Officer of TVF Media Labs. Yes, you read that right, there is no position of Chief Executive Officer at TVF Media Labs. The CEO in his title means Creative Experiment Officer.
• Before he started making videos, Arunabh was working at IIT Mumbai in a US Air Force project which was when he came across student theatre groups which made videos and short films, and this was where his journey started.
• Like most first time young entrepreneurs, Arunabh had kept his venture a secret from his father. His father came to know about The Viral Fever when he read about it in a newspaper and then called him to confirm the news.
• Arunabh's first professional stint in the video space was with Shahrukh Khan production house Red Chillies Entertainment, where he worked as Assistant Director on the blockbuster Om Shanti Om, He considers Om Shanti Om to be his film school where he refined his skill in filmmaking.
• After Om Shanti Om, Anurabh got an offer to work with Amir Khan productions on Delhi Belly, which he declined.
• Before he rolled out the TVF series on YouTube, Arunabh went to MTV with the concept, they liked the idea but rejected the proposal. Little did they know that they were actually doing Arunabh a favour.
• The first video on ragging in colleges was shot with a Canon DSLR. It was the second most viewed video in the entertainment category in that week on YouTube.
• TVF's Roadies spoof, which propelled them to online fame, hit one million views on YouTube within five days of being uploaded. It is now the second most viewed video on The Viral Fever channel after a spoof on Arnab Goswami, anchor and editor of Times Now.

From one video, one DSLR Camera and a rejection from MTV, how Arunabh turned his obstacles into opportunities is utterly inspiring. To know the secret sauce behind the viral videos and how their videos resonate with viewers so easily, come listen to Arunabh speak at the TechSparks Grand finale. Click here to book your tickets.