From village to viral: India's heartland influencers reshape social media landscape
Dhiraj Takri, all of 22, struggled to speak fluently in English not so long ago.
“I would speak very slowly,” says this resident of the quaint village of Chitrakote in Odisha. Then Takri took to YouTube to learn how to speak like Westerners, “as the American accent requires you to speak fast”. The foreign accent sped up his speech as well as his journey to Insta fame.
Takri had just 160 followers till December 2023, and then his 66th video, where he tells people how to pronounce the word ‘handsome’ like a Westerner by making the ‘d’ silent, went viral. Then, his most-viewed reel, created earlier in September, garnered an astonishing 27M views and earned him 4,00,000 followers.
Takri is now a linguistic mentor to over 1.1 million followers. He typifies a new breed of influencers emerging from India’s heartland, bringing with them stories hitherto ignored by the mainstream.
Armed with smartphones and an intimate understanding of their topic—whether it’s culture or a subject like farming—these regional creators have begun to dominate Instagram, engaging audiences with content that ranges from comedy and social commentary to agriculture and daily life. Through their lens, a different India has found its voice, and the rest of the nation is listening intently.
Fun and Frames
Influencers like Kapil Kanpuriya and Rajiv Kumar have found success by infusing their content with humour that resonates with their audiences.
Hailing from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Kanpuriya’s foray into social media was not planned a recurrent theme with regional influencers. “One of my first videos to go viral was on how to be a successful corporate slave.
I made it back in 2021, and it received 4-5 million views on my handle and was picked up by many meme pages,” Kanpuriya recalls. He (@kapilkanpuriya) then started sharing snippets of daily life and local humour on Instagram. What set him apart was his use of the Awadhi Baiswari dialect, a choice that instantly connected with a wide audience yearning for content that reflected their culture. His sketches, often about the quirks of small-town life and the humorous exchanges in local dialects, started gaining traction.
With a growing fanbase of over 625k followers on Instagram, Kanpuriya is an example of the power of authentic storytelling and the ability of regional creators to captivate audiences with their unique perspectives. “I make content in Hindi with a Lucknowi accent or the dialect largely spoken in Kanpur. My content tells a larger story about culture,” he shares.
Similarly, comic Kumar (@rajivkumar_22), who found his calling as a content creator during the 2020 lockdown, has gained a following of 103k by spoofing small-towners and film critics in Hindi. One of his breakout reels, “Maen Ameer” (on a loudmouth pretending to be rich), was also picked up by meme pages and went viral, even inspiring established comedians to create their own versions.
The audience of this 25-year-old from a village near Kanpur is largely split between Delhi, Lucknow and Allahabad, but also tuning in are Indians living in Russia, the Middle East and the US. “Local languages are getting a fillip since non-English speakers are getting tired of English content directed at the affluent crowd. Homesick Indians abroad also tune in to content like ours for the local flavour,” Kumar explains.
A 2017 landmark report by Google & KPMG casts a spotlight on this shift in the digital content landscape: the rising dominance and credibility of regional languages over English in India. It reveals that creatives in Indian languages don’t just garner higher click-through rates, but also enjoy a profound trust level, with 70 per cent of Indians finding content in regional languages more reliable.
Real Power
One of the key factors behind the success of these heartland influencers is their authenticity. Parthip Thyagarajan, CEO of WeddingSutra.com, explains, “Social media users crave content that feels authentic and relatable, rather than simply aspirational. Influencers from small towns, with their modest backgrounds, are resonating with the average user in a way that is genuine and familiar.”
Besides, while the glitz and glamour of Bollywood provides a window into the world of the wealthy and famous, regional influencers showcase the diversity of India’s cultural landscape that people across the country are curious about. “From the Jats of Haryana to the stylish denizens of Northeast villages, each creator brings something unique and fresh to the table, introducing followers to the richness and variety of their traditions and lifestyles.
Whether it’s the elderly couple running Papa Mummy Kitchen in Rajasthan to the homemaker in Uttarakhand lovingly preparing food for her husband every day, these influencers offer a glimpse into the diverse cultures and lifestyles that exist beyond the metro cities. Their content resonates with audiences who are curious to explore the lesser-known aspects of India and connect with creators,” Thyagarajan says.
Obstacle to Opportunity
Language has, thus, been a source of inspiration for many influencers. Satshya Tharien, a 30-year-old influencer, who navigates life between Mangaluru and Singapore, has captured the hearts of her followers with her unique blend of comedy, beauty tips and language hacks.
“When I moved to Delhi as a journalist in 2016, I found it difficult to remember some phrases. For instance, the difference between ‘pachhis’ (25) and ‘pachaas’ (50),” Tharien recalls, highlighting the genesis of her Instagram page, @satshyaa, which has 341k followers. Her ‘Hacks to Learn Hindi’ series, using mnemonic devices to simplify phrases, resonates with both south and north Indians alike. She also has 641k followers on YouTube.
Meanwhile, for Neha Thombre (@neha_thombre), her native Waradi dialect has been a superpower. She uses her Instagram page to create awareness about social issues through comedic sketches and performances. “Moving from a village to Pune to study engineering was a culture shock,” says Thombre, who comes from the village of Pulgaon in Vidarbha. Raised in a family of farmers, her relocation broadened her perspectives and strengthened her resilience. “I was trolled for my Marathi accent and inability to speak English a certain way.”
Her journey as a creator began with a solo play on Savitribai Phule, which she wrote and performed at various venues. A viral open mic performance for Radio Mirchi caught the attention of Marathi influencer firm Bhadipa, leading to pan-India shows and eventually, her own video content during the lockdown.
“I created the character Thombre Bai and made a comedy sketch on a girl’s right to her parents’ property in my native Waradi dialect. Overnight, my following went from 500 to 25,000,” she says. Her page currently has 125k followers. “People loved Thombre Bai so much that I made her a recurring character,” she says.
Today, Thombre’s content tackles social issues, ranging from the right to vote and climate change to gender equality and casteism, all with a comic twist. “My content is clean and inclusive. My first rule is to never show any woman in poor light,” she emphasises.
Her impact has been recognised by Doordarshan, which has interviewed her twice, and the Maharashtra Election Commission.
Cultivating Change
Meanwhile, influencers like Rajender Reddy are making a significant impact by empowering farmers and rural communities. Reddy, a former journalist, combines his skills with his interest in agriculture to create informative content for farmers. His YouTube channel and Instagram handle, @rythu_badi (loosely translating to “farmer school” in Telugu), showcases his travels to villages across Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra, where he interviews farmers on their secrets.
Although he has garnered 471k followers, Reddy’s impact as an agri-creator goes beyond mere numbers. “The biggest payoff is actually empowering the farmers,” he shares. “For example, Kanaka Rao is a banana farmer from Andhra Pradesh who lost six acres of crops due to rains. He recovered his losses after I posted a video of him and made a plea for direct donations. One of my followers from the US offered him two acres worth of his crop loss. Stories like these keep me going.”
With 1.4M followers on Instagram and 4.32M subscribers to his channel on YouTube, Santosh Jadhav, another influential figure in the agriculture space, is also determined to leverage social media to help farmers. While collaboration with brands which are looking to reach rural demographics, and those interested in farming have been a source of revenue for Jadhav (@indianfarmer). The whole point of his content is about ways in which to profit from farming itself. His content blends educational insights on modern farming techniques with the occasional product placements, but it’s his ‘jugaadu reels’ that get the most views. For example, in one video, he uses a metal cycle wire to create a pulley mechanism that helps cut through a pipe; in another, shot in Hapur district, UP, a metal bucket and bin are used to make an incubator for poultry.
So phenomenal is his reach and popularity that Jadhav is reluctant to share the name of his village. “People just start showing up at my door if they know where I live,” he explains. “Most people will tell you farming is a profession where you’re lucky if you scrape by, but I have seen otherwise; I have learned that calculations and intelligence can make this profitable,” he asserts. Inspired by this realisation, he is now working on creating an end-to-end course for farmers.
“A YouTube video will not be able to explain everything from soil to market support. That is my agenda—to help farmers earn,” he emphasises.
Surprising Mentors
Just as Jadhav views earning from collaborations as a bonus—his real goal being to transform the community—Mayuri Patil, a 28-year-old software engineer with 168k followers (@a_girl_in.sahyadri), uses Instagram to document the “breathtaking beauty and fragile ecosystem of the Western Ghats”. “The Western Ghats are older than the Himalayas, yet their beauty is underappreciated. With rapid deforestation, my aim is to make people aware and inspire them to protect this heritage,” she explains.
One of Patil’s reels that was a big hit featured an elderly woman, her back arched with the weight of her years, who had walked almost 10 km from the post office when Patil met her. “Her home is high up on a hill, and as she lives alone—so many of the women in rural areas do, as able-bodied people have moved out in search of better avenues—she has to trek to the post office regularly to collect her pension.”
The success of that reel surprised Patil, who noticed that stunning visuals in the first few seconds of a reel are what usually grip audiences.
Ebbin Jose, from Chembamukku, Kochi, who uses the handle @foodntraveltv, also loves introducing his audience to India’s landscapes, but his focus is on the culinary and cultural diversity of the country. Jose, who used to create content for a developmental agency in Africa until 2016, says he started posting travel videos, simply because he enjoyed travelling. “Since regional specialities are such an interesting part of travel, food always made it into my videos. But while earlier my videos included food through my travels, now I travel for food—it has turned into the focus now,” shares Jose.
Nitasha Bharwani, director of Mumbai-based content solutions firm, Uppercase, believes that the success of these influencers underscores the importance of storytelling on social media. “In the pursuit of perfection and aesthetics, many brands have forgotten the essence of Instagram: it’s a platform meant for fun, storytelling and genuine connection,” says Bharwani, adding, “Regional influencers have tapped into this original spirit of Instagram.
They focus on creating engaging, relatable content that resonates with their audiences, rather than curating a flawless grid.” These influencers understand that the key to success on Instagram is not just about the number of followers or the visual appeal of their posts; it’s also about building a genuine relationship with their community. They do this by sharing authentic stories, educating their audiences, and sparking meaningful conversations.
Bharwani also highlights the role of Instagram in empowering these influencers: “It has given these creators a platform to showcase their unique perspectives and has provided them with the tools to build sustainable careers. This has been a game-changer for many influencers who may not have had access to traditional avenues of success.”
Collaborations and Monetisation
From FMCG giants to startups, all kinds of companies are collaborating with these creators to promote their products and services. Sejal Kothary, CEO of See Love, a skincare brand dedicated to transforming beauty narratives towards authentic wellbeing, believes regional influencers are a powerful force for brands like hers, seeking genuine connection and meaningful change. “They command deep trust within their communities, and thus their endorsements are actively embraced,” she says.
Jadhav, with his focus on agriculture, for example, has partnered with Mahindra and Bayer, Kanpuriya has promoted Shark Tank, Jeevansaathi.com, Amazon Alexa, and Colors TV, and Seetharaman, a tech influencer from Madurai, Tamil Nadu, has collaborated with tech giants such as Motorola and Samsung, to name a few. Through his TechSatire platform (@techsatire), which has 341k followers, Seetharaman appeals to enthusiasts and consumers looking for gadgets and advice in Tamil. “Recently, we did branded content for Kia Sonet, and that worked well. People seemed to enjoy such content from our handle. We had created a reel for a hydrogen-based car earlier, which too did well, as do reels on smartphones. Content about Apple, in particular, does very well,” he shares.
Ram Parmar (@farmer_choice), a 23-year-old farmer from Birakhedi village in Madhya Pradesh, who started his YouTube channel at the age of 17, is thrilled about his capacity to earn on socials. “When I started, I used to earn $100 on YouTube; the pay went into my dad’s account as I didn’t have a bank account back then. Today, I earn over Rs 1 lakh for a single brand collaboration; my monthly income, on average, is Rs 1.5-2 lakh. From my earnings, over these last five years, I’ve built an office worth `10 lakh in my village, and now, I work with a team of two. I’ve purchased a car, an iPhone, a gaming PC and MacBook,” shares the influencer with 220k followers on Instagram.
However, not all heartland influencers have found the same level of monetary success. Despite a following of 3.7M, Shivani Kumari (@shivani__kumari321) from Ariyari village in Uttar Pradesh, finds it challenging to monetise her content. Kumari, who showcases rural life through humorous sketches and songs, says, “I hear of other regional creators making lakhs off their Instagram collaborations, but I haven’t managed to do so.” She says she knows of English creators with the same sort of following who “make twice as much money as I do”.
Despite her growing popularity, Thombre too says, “Relying solely on social media for my earnings is not an option for me.” She remains committed to her full-time job as a superintendent at National Law University.
While Jose and Tharien’s perspectives on the future of social media and the influencer landscape may seem contrasting at first glance, both underscore the importance of adaptability and financial prudence in this industry. Jose believes that while social media has potential, influencers should not rely on it as their sole source of income. In his view, the wise approach is to have a primary business that social media supports and complements. “In my opinion, people are losing interest in social media, and one must not depend on it as a source of revenue 100 per cent,” he says.
Tharien, on the other hand, is optimistic about her content’s appeal and the growth of the influencer space. With a significant following in India and a growing international audience, she has no immediate backup plan, but she also recognises the importance of financial planning and saving for the future. “I think the space is growing, but it’s competitive and it can be hard to earn a sustained income, especially if you’re just starting out. My first paid collab took seven months,” she reveals, adding that she’s prudent with finances and is mentally prepared to get a full-time job.
Future Stock
Others are exploring new avenues to expand their reach and impact. Next on the cards for Takri is the development of a course of accents. Parmar plans to widen his reach by creating content in other languages such as Gujarati and Tamil. “In many parts of India, people can’t speak Hindi, and
I feel that if I can convey my ideas in their language, that would be great. I also want to make my content available to farmers around the world,” he shares. Others, like Jadhav, see live commerce as the next big trend in social media. “It is already on in China, where farmers earn lakhs through live commerce,” he says.
For now, at least, even as they navigate the challenges of monetisation and recognition, these creators will continue to grow their communities, inspire change, and bridge the gap between brands and consumers. While the digital world will, no doubt, have surprises for all of us, what is clear is that there will always be an audience for authentic voices and unique perspectives.
The InstaMoney Way
Those with 500K-2 million followers typically earn Rs 50,000-3 lakh per branded post or campaign
Exact earnings vary based on the influencer’s niche, engagement rates, content quality and brand fit as well as the calibre of the brand and its ethos
Regional language influencers may earn less compared to English-language creators with similar follower counts due to differences in brand target audiences
Biases in perceived value may also impact earnings. Some brands may assume that regional influencers have a less affluent or educated audience, leading to lower collaboration rates, even if the influencer has high engagement and reach within their niche
As more brands lean towards regional markets, this gap may start to close. In some cases, influencers with higher followings but lower engagement may be paid less than those with smaller, highly engaged audiences
How Regional Influencers Monetise their Content
● Brand collaborations and sponsored content
● Paid posts, videos or stories promoting products or services
● Long-term brand ambassador roles or campaigns
● Affiliate marketing
● Product sales
● Selling merchandise, courses or digital products related to their niche
● Crowdfunding and fan support through donations
· Most regional influencers rely on a mix of these monetisation methods
· Tools like Tapinfluence, Aspire, Upfluence, Buzzfame, Chtrbox and Vavo Digital help connect brands with relevant influencers, making it easier for regional creators to find monetisation opportunities
