Niharika Jain on content creation, community, and why authenticity still wins online

Niharika Jain is busy packing for her trip to Cannes on the day of the interview. She’s excited, stressed, and worried that things aren't going according to plan. But she also wants her audience, over 83,000 followers on Instagram and 1.6 million subscribers on YouTube, to know every bit about it. Not just the red-carpet finished look, but also the chaos behind it.

“My whole identity as an influencer has been very authentic. People know me as the girl next door, someone they can relate to. On the internet, people see a lot of glamour and perfection, but I’ve always shown the BTS (behind the scenes). As I fly out tonight, I wanted to show them the chaos and the glamour. That’s who Niharika Jain is, and what she’s bringing to Cannes,” she tells HerStory.

In a creator economy where performance rules, Niharika has built a strong following through relatable, aspirational content. The lifestyle content creator, influencer and entrepreneur is authentic, vulnerable, and relatable.

Before she became a creator, Niharika had already spent five years in the industry, working on reality shows, in creative teams, and assisting with fashion choreography. It was a full, busy professional life. 

“But it was getting too much, and I wanted to do something on my own. I started creating content on TikTok. Teaching girls how to pose for different occasions, in different attire, using props. People struggle in front of the camera, and I wanted to help,” she says.

Her very first video, “five poses with your hands” became a huge hit. From there, she expanded: fashion, beauty, travel, lifestyle. Each expansion was less a pivot than a widening of scope, and the camera pulled back to reveal more of who she already was. 

The defining moments

The defining moments in Niharika’s career don’t reflect the metrics alone; it’s all about people.

Her first was in Sarojini Nagar, a popular shopping market in Delhi, where she was shooting for a video.

“A girl stopped me in the crowd and asked, ‘Aren't you the one who posts posing videos?’ That was the moment I understood people are actually watching and are taking what I do seriously,” she recalls. The absence of specific content landed with a stranger’s remark. 

The second moment is emotional. Niharika runs a community called “Wake Up With Me”, a morning routine for women that includes meditation, rituals, and grounding habits. At an event, a young girl came up to her crying.

“She said: Ever since I joined this community, ever since I started doing what you told me to do, my life has changed. I was going through a very rough patch. And I have been able to overcome it because of you.”

She pauses. ‘These are the moments that stay close to my heart.’’

Niharika admits that the social media game can be exhausting.  Audience growth and decline, algorithms can shift without notice. 

“When you see the audience getting bored with something, or when they come to you and say, I would like to see something else, it gets very stressful,” she says.

Her creative process is, fittingly, an act of faith. She travels a lot, to Rishikesh, especially whenever she feels blocked. She sits near the Ganges for hours, watching people and the water. “I get new ideas every time I sit and observe nature out there,” she says.

Becoming an entrepreneur

It was in Kedarnath that the idea for Dumroo, her handcrafted jewellery brand, took root. She launched the brand two years ago.

“My whole identity has been about helping women feel, look better and own their story. I am also very spiritual and connected to Mahadev. I am a jewellery hoarder, and wanted a brand that truly reflected me,” she explains.

She says Dumroo’s tagline—“Handcrafted jewellery that celebrates your inner Shakti”—is more than a marketing line; it reflects the brand's philosophy. Every piece is personally designed by her and handcrafted by skilled karigars in Faridabad. Dumroo’s debut collection, Chand, weaves femininity into each design. 

The response to Dumroo has been encouraging, but Niharika admits that all feedback hasn’t been positive.

“My audience gives me honest feedback. Early on, my designs were on the heavier side. Women asked for something lighter that they can wear to college or everyday events. I worked on a lighter range,” she says.

What has entrepreneurship taught her that influencing did not?

Entrepreneurship, Niharika has discovered, asks something of her that content creation does not: patience. 

“With a brand, it’s a completely different pace. Samples that don’t turn out as envisioned, market slowdowns. You have to keep nurturing it. Being a creator is like being married to your profession, and having a brand is like having a baby, you raise it, nurture it, and grow with it,” she elaborates.

Dealing with trolls and staying authentic

Niharika talks about a time when negative comments would sit with her for hours. She’d talk to her mum, dwell on it, and be upset. But with time, she has learned to ignore the noise and keep her mum’s advice close to her heart. “She’d say, ‘Even if someone says something negative, that doesn’t make it true.’”

“There’s a saying I love: even if you are the finest, juiciest peach, there will always be people who simply don’t like peaches.”

Niharika believes that being real is the deal, and authenticity gives you longevity. 

“If I am real with my audience, they will stay wth me for years,” she notes.

She reveals that early on, she would say yes to every brand that approached her, regardless of whether it aligned with who she was.

“I noticed that it made my audience unsure of what I stood for. Over time, I learned to say no to things I don’t connect with and work with brands I’d genuinely use, and to share everything with my audience,” she says. She works with big names such as L'Oréal, Maybelline, LAKMÉ, Reliance Digital, and Samsung, among others.

As Niharika walks the red carpet at Cannes on Saturday, in partnership with Samsung, it’s a dream come true.

“When I started, I had no vision at all, I couldn’t have imagined the number of followers I have, the events I’d be invited to, or the brands I’d work with,” she says.

(The story has been updated to correct a typo)