Fight the bias with brilliance

Bhuvan Bam

With his debut web series Taaza Khabar, YouTube star Bhuvan Bam delivered a confident performance as a down-on-luck guy whose life turns around when he gets a superpower. One would think its success would be an example of how actors can be discovered from unexpected places. But Bam says there is a strong bias against content creators turning to acting. "I want to change the perception that a YouTube content creator can't lead projects. I shut my critics by making Taaza Khabar one of the most watched shows of 2023 [on Disney+ Hotstar]," he asserts.

Despite his popularity in the online world, Bam reflects that getting the project off the ground wasn't easy. "We poured our hearts into the script, but the industry response wasn't what we thought it would be. We were met with skepticism. Access isn't always equal. Convincing people with hefty cheques [to invest] wasn't a walk in the park, but we knew this show was worth the gamble. We were fighting the bias and that was a fight worth [leading]." He hopes that Taaza Khabar's second season will add to changing the narrative about content creators. "The second season will shape everyone's perception of content creators who want to make it in Bollywood as full-time actors."