Ever since I’ve worked in the world of content, I’ve been in awe of the craft. When I looked at it through a magnifying glass, I realised the amount of scripting, takes, edits, and effort that go into one video. The reason I respect creators is that they didn’t have it easy—none of them did. They created content, built a loyal fanbase purely through that content, and succeeded in being the one-man army they had set to be. Honestly, I don’t think I can name any creator who doesn’t have an interesting story to how they got into content, but for me personally, there are some I know and absolutely admire and happen to have gone through some heart-melting moments.

Here are a few creators whose stories got me crying happy tears…

1. MostlySane

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Prajakta Koli (@mostlysane)


Prajakta Koli aka MostlySane started off as a radio jockey and quickly realised her love for comedy content. She started creating YouTube videos that made everyone ROTFL and before we knew it, she was a digital sensation. I met her for the first time around that time. But before we get further, let’s zoom out a bit into her background. Her dad, uncle Bob, used to work at the Cadbury canteen for a bit and that time according to Koli will “always remain special”. It’s heartwarming to see that after years of representing India on a global scale, featuring in commercial cinema among A-list actors and making millions smile through her content, the Cadbury billboard you see featuring Koli at every corner will always have a special place in her heart. If that’s not gonna make tears roll with joy, I don’t know what is.

2. Sushant Divgikr

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Sushant Divgikr/ Rani KoHEnur (@sushantdivgikr)


If I had to introduce Sushant to you, I’d say apart from acing dual voice performances, they’re a philanthropist and also known for being one of the most iconic Drag artists, Rani KoHEnur. At first, I was intimidated, then in awe and now in love with their voice (literally and figuratively) and the impact they have on the world. More than just a trans legend, what I truly love about Sushant is that they’ve grown but have taken us (India) with him. How lovely is that? I met them at an event, can’t remember which one because as soon as I met them, everything just blurred out. I was smitten—there, I said it. Everyone already knows their story of how they got to where they are, but let’s just take a moment to talk about all the recent milestones they’ve crossed for all of us. They’ve represented India at Rupaul’s Dragcon 2023, featured on a billboard at Times Square, NY, was the voice of Desire in The Sandman audible and now, they’re going to speak at Harvard University making them the first-ever transgender Indian artiste to be invited there! Every time Sushant posts about a milestone they’ve crossed, I take it personally. Thank you for making us a part of all your wins.

3. Bhuvan Bam

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Bhuvan Bam (@bhuvan.bam22)


From creating comedy vines to now building his own production company, BB has been an inspiration to anyone who is starting their journey in the world of content. Not only has he grown as a creator with multiple creative shows and characters, but he’s grown exponentially as an actor. From Titu mama ji to Tazaa Khabar is a journey to reckon with. BB was my first-ever creator interview, and I was super nervous to even introduce myself. But I’ve gotta say, he was super humble and funny in person, then (when he started out) to now, when he’s excelled as an actor on OTT.

4. Mr. Faisu

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by FAISAL SHAIKH (@mr_faisu_07)


Mr. Faisu rose to fame through TikTok and quickly became one of the few creators whose identity wasn’t restricted by the ban. He grew immensely on Instagram and finally started vlogging on YouTube too. But what fascinates me the most about this extremely humble creator is that he started his journey selling perfumes. He also got fired because he broke a bottle. Cut to now, many years and thousands of videos later, he started his own deo brand! Now that’s inspiring, to say the least.

5. Miss Malini

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Malini Agarwal (MissMalini) (@maliniagarwal)


Anyone who knows me knows that Malini is a part of my soul. She’s been my mentor for a while, and I give her massive credit to tolerate and “fine tune” my creativity. When I met Malini for the first time, I thought she’d be snooty, arrogant and inconsiderate. She was literally the opposite of that. She was warm, friendly and extremely funny too. If you don’t know much about her, you should give ‘How I Blogged My Way To Bollywood’, the book she wrote about her life so far. But in a nutshell, she initially was a dancer in the dance troop that performed for Sukhbir Singh, later got into radio and finally started blogging. She would go to restaurants, but couldn’t afford more than mashed potato, and now a decade or more later, she gets numerous restaurant visit invites to a point where it’s impossible for her to go to all. She essentially built a digital empire that I’m proud I could be a part of. There’s a lot to learn from this firecracker, apart from how to show up at 6 am even after raging hard the night before (I really don’t know how she does it)!

So, there you have it. I hope that these creator stories that I’ve presented through my lens made you all gush with pride as I did while writing them. I will continue to share my interesting, entertaining stories and experiences with you time and again, so you get to know your favourite creators a little bit more.

Whose story was the most inspiring? Tell me in the comments below!