YouTuber Dhruv Rathee likes to put his head down and work. The twenty six-year-old is accountable to his growing tribe of 3.7 million subscribers who expect regular content.
This includes discussions, analysis and assessments of current social, political and cultural issues plaguing the world.
For instance, his recent video on the Locust attack drew 2.1m views. The one on India and Nepal’s border dispute got him 2.4m views.
Another trending presentation about the truth behind the alcohol tax, secured him 1.2m views. With a growing clout of supporters, Rathee has today become the shining star of YouTube. We talk to him about how he got here and where he’s headed.
How did you start and what has experience taught you?
It started as an activity purely based on passion and then turned into something concrete. The regular videos started in 2016. They covered current affairs.
The oldest videos on YouTube are from mid-2014, all travel vlogs. The thing about being a YouTuber is consistency. Creating content is an ongoing process, one that leaves us with little or no time for ourselves but it’s worth it.
A work protocol you strictly follow?
Because my content is subject to uncertainties, it could be relevant one minute and redundant the next. As a rule, no matter how much effort has gone into a video, I won’t release it until it has something meaningful to offer.
Some of your best samples of work?
These would have to be ground report videos such as the ‘Best State in India’, ‘Inside the World’s Smallest Country’, the ‘Ground Reality of Delhi Schools’, and ‘Cleaning nine million kg worth of Trash’.
How do you assess a subject’s appeal? How is the research conducted?
It’s mostly based on instinct. I also collect a lot of information from the ground. For research, I reference journals, reports, studies and listen to opinion leaders.
Trolling is a pest that YouTubers across the board spend precious time fire-fighting. What has been your experience with it?
I have accepted that trolling is here to stay as long as social media exists. It’s a consequence of online anonymity and an increased tendency of social media platforms to prioritise engagement.
How much of your content is sponsored? Do you turn down such opportunities?
Most of my content is not sponsored directly but supported by the viewers on platforms like Patreon and YouTube Members. There are a lot of sponsoring opportunities that don’t fit well with my work ethics which have to be turned down.
Is being a YouTuber a good way to make money?
It’s a good source but one that comes with responsibility. For instance, sponsorship is tempting but many brands are just a trap. Watch out.
I believe you’re a student. What are you studying and how do you manage to shoot?
I have completed my Master’s in Engineering with a specialisation in Renewable Energy. Currently I am pursuing Bachelor’s in European Economy and Business Administration. I manage to make time for shooting because I don’t watch entertainment shows like my peers do. A lot of it doesn’t have value anyway. I use non-study time to incubate content.
What has the success as a YouTuber taught you? Things that may help aspiring ones?
Firstly, don’t look towards YouTube just for money. Become a creator if you have a passion. Secondly, persistence and patience are the hallmarks of success.
Also, don’t be too hard on yourself. I too have learnt from experience. You’ll see a difference in my past videos to the ones uploaded now. That’s because I continue to evolve. Finally, don’t burn your money in buying expensive technical tools. A simple camera phone and a free video editor is good enough to start with.
What are you like as a person? What are the things you enjoy?
I love travelling, photography, scuba-diving and reading. As a person, I am not a believer in role models or moral anchors. One should find resilience within themselves and find their path. I am a staunch believer in minimalism.