Vlogging has exploded in India over the past decade. Indian vloggers with millions of subscribers have emerged across YouTube, Instagram, and other platforms. But who were the pioneers who helped kickstart the vlogging trend in India?
In this article, we’ll look at the early vloggers who paved the way for India’s massive vlogging community today.
We’ll explore the first Indian YouTubers to adopt the vlog format, the growth of vlogging in the late 2000s, and the vloggers who helped popularize daily vlogging and lifestyle content in India.
Early YouTube Adopters (2006 – 2009)
While YouTube launched in 2005, it took a couple years for Indian creators to begin adopting the platform. Some of the earliest Indian YouTubers provided a mix of comedy sketches, monologues, and music videos. They weren’t strictly vlogging yet, but laid the foundation for video blogging’s rise.
One of the first Indians to gain a following on early YouTube was Nitin Mirani, known by his channel ‘BollywoodGandu’.
In 2006, he began posting comedic videos offering satire and parody of Bollywood culture. His videos showed the potential YouTube offered Indian creators.
In 2007, Indian-American comedian Lilly Singh, known as ‘IISuperwomanII’ on YouTube, began posting comedy and sketch videos. She performed hilarious impersonations and original characters, gaining millions of subscribers. Her channel showed the platform’s potential for Indian creators to build global fanbases.
As YouTube grew in India through the late 2000s, channels like ‘The Viral Fever’ and ‘East India Comedy’ used the platform to share comedy sketches and monologues. They helped grow YouTube viewership in India before vlogging went mainstream.
Vlogging Finds Its Footing (2010 – 2014)
Around 2010, more Indian creators began experimenting with vlog-style videos, sharing their daily lives and connecting with audiences.
One of the biggest pioneers of this shift was Nisha Madhulika, who launched her cooking-focused channel in 2007.
She vlogged her way through recipes in an intimate, engaging style. Her channel became one of the most popular sources of Indian cooking content on the platform.
In 2011, Malayalee vlogger Arjun Sunil began posting daily vlogs sharing his life as a student in Delhi. His casual, conversational videos offered an early example of daily vlogging in India.
That same year, comedian Bhuvan Bam launched his popular channel ‘BB Ki Vines’. He vlogged comedy skits portraying real-life Indian characters. His relatable content amassed millions of subscribers.
Rise of Daily Vloggers (2015 – 2019)
By the mid 2010s, vlogging was cementing itself as a major YouTube format in India. Creators were adopting daily vlogging, sharing their lives in an intimate, unscripted style.
One of the biggest influencers of this daily vlogging culture was Sejal Kumar. She launched her lifestyle channel in 2012 while attending college. Her fashion lookbooks, beauty tutorials, and campus vlogs made her an idol for Indian youth.
In 2015, family vlogging channel ‘Jordindian’ was launched by Vineeth Kumar and Naser Al Azzeh. Their comedic daily vlogs offered a lighthearted look into an intercultural marriage.
That same year, comedian and musician Bhuvan Bam launched his second channel ‘BB Ki Vines Bhuvan Bam’. His engaging daily vlogs provided a behind-the-scenes look into the making of his comedy.
As the daily vlogging trend grew, travel vloggers like ‘Holidify’, ‘Nomadic Indian’, and ‘Backpacker Yogi’ helped popularize travelogues and digital nomad content among Indian audiences.
Vlogging Today
Today, vlogging has exploded into the mainstream in India. Top YouTubers like Ashish Chanchlani, Technical Guruji, and Gaurav Chaudhary have millions of subscribers. Vloggers expanded to other platforms like Instagram where they share short-form vlog content.
The vlogging culture has also diversified, with popular genres including family vlogs, comedy, fashion, parenting, finance, health, and more. India’s vlogging community continues to grow every day.
But it all started with those first Indian vlogging pioneers who embraced the format in its infancy. They took the leap to start sharing their lives online in a casual, conversational way. Their courage to put themselves out there paved the way for India’s massive vlogging community today.
So next time you’re watching your favorite Indian vlogger, remember the OG YouTubers who helped get the vlog ball rolling in India.
They inspired a whole new generation of creators to pick up their cameras and start sharing.
