Here’s What 2020 Was Like For Your Favourite Content Creators

2020 has been a difficult year – not just for us but even for your favourite content creators. The pandemic took away the daily social interactions – one thing that we were highly dependent on for recreation. However, in no time, people around the globe turned to the internet to seek connection and entertainment. So much so that the global video streaming platform, YouTube and social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook became the new go-to fun spots. 

Covid-19 managed to change social media interactions and a growing tribe of creators helped in keeping up — with relatable content, language-agnostic and more authentic. 

In case, if you have been glued to the screens more than ever this year – chances are you were hooked to funny videos by these content creators. But, have you wondered how their 2020 has been? Hear it from them – in an exclusive conversation with Outlook’s Eshita Bhargava, ace content creators/YouTubers like Niharika NM, Bhuvan Bam, Ashish Chanchalani, BeYouNick, and standup comedian Amit Tandon spoke about how the year was for them. 

Ashish Chanchalani, YouTuber, Digital Celebrity

It was a mixed bag of happiness and troubles for your favourite Ashish Chanchalani. His parents tested Covid-19 positive and they took some time to recover. He says, "Like everyone, 2020 for me was a challenging year personally as well as professionally. Firstly, I feel extremely blessed that my parents recovered from Covid-19.”

He adds, “Lockdown has been a boon for some and disadvantage for some. For me it was a boon, I have now become a stronger and better person. Content-wise the channel has broken all records. Videos like ‘Office Exam Aur Vaccine’, ‘Sasta Big Boss’ amongst others gave a new definition to my fan base. For the very first time, my team and I came with a concept called ACV Hatke to create awareness regarding eve-teasing through the video ‘The Dealer’, and it broke all the records of viewership within a concise period, and that was one of the biggest achievement.” 

“Now I have connected with my fans in a better way than before. They have always supported me and helped me overcome my ups and downs. It is because of them that my channel has gained 7 million subscribers in the year 2020," Ashish feels.

BeYouNick, YouTuber, Digital Celebrity

Nikunj Lotia, popularly known as 'Be YouNick' on his YouTube channel has over 7 million followers till date and over 1.2 billion online views on his videos and counting. He says, “2020 started with a Big Bang. Our videos in December and January were trending all over India and then we went to LA for a month. Had a lot of fun there, did a lot of international collaborations and we had planned a million new things.” 

He adds, “But then just as we reached back in India, the lockdown was announced. So we pretty much had to stall everything planned and improvise. The team was scattered so it meant ideating, executing all from home. Most of 2020 for us was basically like everyone else - trying to come to terms with life and trying to improvise. Heck, my family and I also caught the virus and had to lay low and watch it through.”

Pandemic has helped digital creators get more time to work on their content and has helped them with more followers. “Followers wise, we hit a lot of milestones this year. The first million on Instagram, the 4 million on YouTube. Some of our Facebook videos clocked 100 million! All in all, it’s been a mixed bag of a year that forced us to improvise. And I guess that’s what life is, improvise not just because you can, but sometimes because you really need to.”

Niharika NM, Digital Content Creator

Things were not as glossy for Niharika NM. She tells us, “I was really close to quitting content creation and just focusing on academics but 2020 pulled a 360 on me. I never expected people to love me as much as they do just for doing what I love doing and I’m so incredibly grateful.”

She adds, “2020 has been a tough year for obvious reasons but the amazing people that love and support me and my content turned this year around for me. My family and friends are super stoked for me and I cannot explain how happy that makes me because they believed in me even when I didn’t.”

Bhuvan Bam, Digital Star

"Undeniably it was a difficult time. It was like no other year we’ve experienced in our lifetimes. It was weird,” Bhuvan Bam tells us. The pandemic helped Bhuvan take things more seriously.

“It allowed me to slow down, do some deep thinking around my life, my commitment to things I care deeply about, and my core values.” He adds, “No matter what happens, you will have to take the leap and do the thing rather than waiting for life to pass you by. I released my seventh single and it did well.

Bhuvan believes, “You don’t need to be productive all the time. Taking some time out for yourself is not selfish. Humanity changed its face. People came together to look out for each other, keep each other's spirits up, and help where they can.”

Most importantly, these hard times allowed Bhuvan to get back to basics and “Focus on enjoying the happy moments with family. Usually, I don’t get time because of work, I keep travelling, shooting. But when I look back, the moments spent with my parents were the best!"

Amit Tandon, Standup Comedian

2020 has been no less like a roller coaster ride and we all couldn’t agree more. “The lockdown provided me with ample time in my hands to look after my health even more and I also opted for healthy food alternatives which have proved to be a big improvement to my health. A lot of my health problems have been solved just by making minor mindful changes in my lifestyle and diet.”

“With everything moving to the digital space, I also learnt a couple of things about technology as I was managing my shows all by myself with no help on Zoom. It was a whole new experience like running my own studio. Initially, it was difficult to manage but I eventually got hold of the functioning.”

On the work front, Amit Tandon believes, “I have been procrastinating on my creative skills like writing as I have been travelling a lot lately that left no time in hand. I always wanted to do more than just standup comedy and this year allowed me to explore my limits and test my boundaries. Finally, here I am, working on 3-4 digital series that I have written and will see the light of the day in the coming year, hopefully. I am also working on an audio show. Basically, a lot of exploration has happened which I could safely add to my portfolio. Lastly, I am quite grateful for all the time I could spend with my family and kids in this period."