Meet the Indians setting the bar for creative content as YouTubers

Thursday December 28, 2017 , 4 min Read

Although the YouTube craze in India started a little late as compared to the West, it is galloping along right now. There are hundreds of Indian YouTubers now who are creating quality content on the video sharing platform. However, there are some who are truly the big stars, making big bucks thanks to their engaging videos.

From across various genres, these self-made Indian YouTube gurus have been able to create their unique brand identities and online presence. Please note that this list mentions only individual YouTubers with popular and well-established channels, and not “group channels” or larger brand channels:

Clockwise, from top-left: Sanjay Thumma, Bhuvan Bam, Pooja Luthra, Shruti Arjun Anand, Shirley Setia, Ajay Nagar, Nisha Madhulika, and Ranjit Kumar.

Bhuvan Bam (BB Ki Vines)

BB, or Bhuvan Bam, has become a global sensation. With over five million subscribers, BB has been entertaining his viewers using hilarious characters that he himself plays. Awarded as the fastest growing channel in the YouTube community, BB, who lives in Delhi, generally targets audiences older than 18 with his videos. Practically an overnight sensation, BB is now one of the fastest growing YouTube stars in India.

Sanjay Thumma (VahChef - VahRehVah)

Sanjay Thumma, a US-returned Indian chef, became an instant YouTube hit when he started uploading recipes for his friends and family to access on the internet. Now, VahChef has over a million subscribers and over 47 crore views. Sanjay joined Youtube in 2007 and uploads cooking videos where he deals with Indian cuisines. The easy-to-make, restaurant-quality food that he showcases through his videos has ensured a legion of ardent supporters and followers.

Nisha Madhulika (Nisha Madhulika)

Nisha loved cooking, and in 2007, she started blogging. Soon, her blogs received good traction and she was quickly asked to make YouTube videos of her recipes by her fans. What started as a way to get past the “empty nest syndrome” for Nisha has led to her becoming a YouTube star in the food community. In 2017, her channel Nisha Madhulika has over three million subscribers, where she puts out three videos a week.

Shruti Arjun Anand (Shruti Arjun Anand)

The beauty community on YouTube is very large; however, only a small portion of that is cut out for Indians. In such a scenario, Shruti Arjun Anand has been making a name for herself with ‘how to’ videos on all things beauty. She recently hit the one million mark on YouTube. Shruti, like many Indian women, struggled to find credible makeup techniques that suit the subcontinent’s climate and skin, and that is when she decided to take up the task herself.

Shirley Setia (Shirley Setia)

Belonging to an Indo-Kiwi background, Shirley has been making a name for herself in the music community on YouTube, especially in India. At the young age of 22, Shirley has already been creating ripples and has become an influencer; she uploads covers of famous Hindi tracks that resonate with the youth in India. With over 1.6 million followers, her channel is one of the fastest growing on YouTube.

Ranjit Kumar (Geekyranjit)

The only English language tech reviewer on Indian YouTube to cross a million subscribers, Ranjit Kumar is one of the most reliable reviewers when it comes to tech. With over 25 years of experience with IT, Ranjit has set a benchmark for all other reviewers in India, especially when it comes to mobile phones. His comprehensive way of breaking down the pros and cons of a product has worked in his favour, making him a favourite with his viewers and subscribers.

Pooja Luthra (Pooja Luthra)

With over 1.5 million followers, Pooja Luthra is a household name in the Indian beauty community when it comes to DIYs and other home remedies. Her YouTube channel has remedies for a host of problems and she brands herself as a herbal and naturopathy expert. India just loves all things natural, and Pooja’s engaging video content is tapping into that market perfectly.

Ajay Nagar (CarryMinati)

Ajay Nagar, a funny and witty YouTuber, entertains his viewers by roasting other YouTubers and videos. His hilarious videos, with clever puns and a very “every guy” style of commentary, are getting a lot of traction. He has become an internet sensation in India with over two million subscribers.

These are just some of the big individuals who have become YouTube sensations in India. Of course, there is a host of other popular channels, including AlB (All India Bakchod), TVF (The Viral Fever), Being Indian, etc. as well. As improving infrastructure gives more people the ability to create and upload content to YouTube, one can expect to see more names join this pantheon of stars.

Who’s your favourite Indian YouTuber? Did we miss out on anyone you think must be a part of this list? Let us know!