YouTube has been transforming India’s creative landscape. YouTube has given a chance to small-town vloggers to big polished sketch makers to find their own audience base. After achieving massive success on YouTube, some have leapt to streaming platforms like Netflix, Hotstar, and Amazon Prime. Indian creators bring authentic voices to global screens. This creator’s stories resonate with millions of people, which have a blend of culture and innovation.
Bhuvan Bam: From BB Ki Vines to OTT Stardom
Bhuvan Bam is one of the early YouTube creators who has gained a massive fan base. He started his channel BB Ki Vines in 2015. His Delhi rooted humour went viral. Characters like Banchoddas and Titu Mama captured hearts. He played all his characters by himself, male and female both. Which gave him his own authentic fan base. Currently, he has 26.6 million subscribers. In 2021, Dhindora, his own show, became a YouTube Premium hit. Hotstar gave him a chance to make another show called Taaza Khabar in 2023, a dark comedy series. This series became a massive hit. The second season of this show is also critically acclaimed. He has also voiced a character in Netflix’s Chhota Bheem special. He adapted his raw style for polished narratives. He has a relatable charm. Bhuvan’s journey shows YouTube’s power to launch a promising star.
Prajakta Koli: MostlySane to Bollywood and Netflix
Prajakta Koli, a YouTube creator who is also known as MostlySane. She began her career in 2015. Her skits on Indian middle-class life resonated with people. With 7 million subscribers, she caught Netflix’s eye. She started her OTT career with Netflix series Mismatched (2020), a rom-com series. This series became an overnight hit. Giving her a successful start on this platform also. She also appeared in movies like Jugjugg Jeeyo in 2022. Forbes India has called her a youth icon. Her YouTube rants on dating and family made her more associated with youth. She faced challenges balancing humour with scripted roles. Fans loved her authenticity, but her acting got criticism. Her advocacy for mental health adds impact. She has proven that Indian creators can shine globally and become established stars.
Tanmay Bhat: AIB to Streaming Trailblazer
Tanmay Bhat co-founded All India Bakchod (AIB) in 2012. AIBS YouTube sketches went viral and became an instant hit with the masses. AIB became a cultural phenomenon in the early YouTube days. After the 2018 controversy, AIB closed its operation indefinitely. After that, Tanmay Bhat joined Comicstaan as a judge on Amazon Prime. Recently, with Netflix, he streams his talk show, Tanmay Reacts. He has the same vibe with Gen Z as he had with millennials in his AIB days. After AIB, he faced many hurdles. He rebuilt his brand through authenticity. His wit and relatability helped him navigate this. His journey proves that creators can recover and thrive on new platforms if they can connect with their audience.
CarryMinati: Roasting King to Streaming Sensation
Ajey Nagar, or the well-known YouTube sensation CarryMinati, started his career with roasting in 2014. His sharp wit and Desi humour have gathered 42 million subscribers. Making him one of the top YouTubers in the world. His 2020 roast, Yalgaar, hit 250 million views. He joined the Amazon Prime gaming reality show Playground (2022) as a judge. Recently, Netflix streamed his comedy special Carry On. His appearance in the movie Runway is used as promotional material and to attract a more Gen Z audience. Carry has been struggling with streaming’s structured format. He is now doing international collabs with famous YouTubers. Social media posts praised his Netflix debut. CarryMinati shows how niche content can conquer mainstream platforms.
Kusha Kapila: Content Queen to Streaming Actor
Kusha Kapila started her YouTube channel in 2017. Her IDiva sketches, in which she acted like a South Delhi girl, have gained her 1 million subscribers. Her satirical humour was an instant hit with viewers. Afterwards, she shifted to streaming platforms, starring in shows like Masaba Masaba on Netflix in 2020 and Case Toh Banta Hai on Amazon Prime. OTT demanded proper acting skills. YouTube’s solo skits are different from production sets. Kusha can balance this by giving more focus on her career. Fans loved her and some miss her YouTube content though. Her divorce in 2023 drew public attention for difficult reasons. Kusha shows how satire can conquer streaming.
Harsh Beniwal: Delhi’s Comedy Star to OTT Sensation
We can say that Harsh Beniwal is the only YouTuber who, after shifting to acting in OTT, is gathering praise from the audience for his acting skills. Harsh Beniwal started on YouTube in 2016. He was born in Delhi’s Pitampura in 1996. From childhood, he loved dance and acting. His comedy sketches were an instant hit with his viewers. He has 15 million subscribers on his YouTube channel where he has shown his acting talent. He caught industry attention. In 2021, he started his OTT acting career with Campus Diaries on MX Player. In this series, he was able to give a college-life vibe. He also starred in Bawaal-e-Wedding on Amazon miniTV in 2022. He made his Bollywood debut in Student of the Year 2 in 2019. Transitioning meant refining his raw humour. Fans loved his Delhi slang, but critics wanted more from him. His journey shows how comedy vloggers can conquer streaming.
Challenges and Future Horizons
Moving from YouTube to streaming is difficult. Leaving your well-established audience base and trying everything new. Indian creators have certain kinds of cultural expectations of them. YouTube gives creative freedom to creators. While streaming platforms demand collaboration and structure. Creators like Bhuvan Bam adapted to larger teams. Making a streaming show with their own money, risking it all. On the other hand, like Harsh Baniwal, who became a hit with their talent. Fan loyalty doesn’t always transfer. Prajakta Koli lost some YouTube viewers when she shifted to Netflix. People like you, but sometimes in certain roles only. After India’s OTT regulations tightened in 2024. Creators like CarryMinati have toned down their edgy content. Privacy concerns arise, too. Public lives invite scrutiny on bigger platforms. Nowadays, Netflix and Hotstar scout more YouTubers. More reality shows are taking YouTubers as celebrities than TV stars. The creator economy is booming. Talent is getting a chance to be in the spotlight and get opportunities on their own via YouTube.
