India’s booming digital ecosystem, with over 95 crore smartphones and rising creator earnings, signals a global storytelling revolution, powered by tech, and an audience hungry for authentic narratives.
In a buzzing Mumbai lane nestled between a sandwich stall and a tailoring shop, Priya was busy recording her latest story. Her voice carried the calm confidence of someone who had found her calling, but it hadn’t always been this way. Two years ago, she was a commerce graduate with no clear path, scrolling endlessly through job boards and rejection emails. She wasn’t fluent in English, had no elite degree, and certainly didn’t have connections. But she had something most don’t; an instinct to ‘observe and narrate’ the unsaid stories around her.
Armed with a second-hand smartphone, a borrowed mic, and unlimited curiosity, Priya began uploading short video stories on Instagram and YouTube – tales of chaiwalas with MBA dreams, grandmothers starting food channels at 65, and Gen Z garage musicians remixing Kabir dohas. Her videos were raw, real, and deeply human. One story about a 78-year-old Uber driver who recited Urdu poetry in traffic went viral in India and across continents. Suddenly, brands came knocking. So did followers, fellow creators, and eventually, funding.
Just days ago, Priya sat in the audience at the ‘WAVES Summit 2025’ in Mumbai, this time as a guest creator. Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the summit on the grand stage with a rousing speech, stating, “Storytelling is not just entertainment. It is India’s ancient strength. With digital tools, our creators are the new rishis, taking our voice to the world.” As the crowd erupted in applause, Priya smiled. It felt personal. This was validation for her and millions of creators across India.
The summit was buzzing with energy and insights. In a visionary address, Mukesh Ambani predicted that India’s media and entertainment economy would ‘triple in the next decade’. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw added, “India has a treasure trove of stories, and the world is now ready to listen.” And then came a striking revelation from YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, who shared that creators in India had earned ‘thousands of crores over the past three years’, with even bigger investments on the horizon.
It wasn’t just words; numbers backed it. India now has more than 95 crore smartphone users and is one of the world’s most connected nations. From villages in Bihar to metros like Delhi, the internet has become the new studio, and storytelling has become the latest startup.
Priya, now managing a team of five, runs workshops on digital storytelling in government schools and uploads subtitled content in Korean, French, and Spanish. What began as an escape from monotony has turned into a mission. “It’s not about going viral anymore,” she says. “It’s about going ‘valuable’. If one story changes how someone sees India, I’ve done my job.”
Points to Ponder: The opportunities are immense as India’s voice strengthens in the digital world. But success doesn’t come with a filter. Creators must focus on authentic, value-driven content that educates, inspires, or uplifts, not just entertains. Learning basic skills like editing, scripting, and platform algorithms is essential, but copying Western content formats blindly dilutes originality. The power lies in telling Indian stories with global relatability. For policymakers and platforms, the focus should be on building strong ecosystems in rural and vernacular creator communities, ensuring fair monetization models, and offering emotional wellness support. Brands and investors, on the other hand, need to partner with creators meaningfully, treating them as collaborators, not just ad slots, and investing in long-term formats, not short-term gimmicks.
The writer is a senior journalist and author. Views expressed are personal.
Instagram @NarvijayYadav
