Get All Access for $5/mo

RJ Abhinav: The Journey From Engineer to Comedy Influencer Being a content creator was never the plan, in fact during any career counselling session, the only terms he used to hear was engineer or doctor, which is what most of his classmates opted for.

By Kabir Singh Bhandari

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

RJ Abhinav

To the clueless bystander, RJ Abhinav with his beard style would probably come across as a slight doppelganger of the lead's mask from V For Vendetta (2005), but to his four million Instagram followers, he's someone who regularly entertains them with his comic sketches.

Being a content creator was never the plan, in fact during any career counselling session, the only terms he used to hear was engineer or doctor, which is what most of his classmates opted for. "Eventually I did a degree in Computer Science Engineering. But the one thing I was very interested in was listening to the radio right from my school days, because of which I would end up winning a lot of the radio contests where one had to dial in and answer the questions. So I knew what the entertainment world looked like from the outside," Abhinav tells us.

"After college I didn't get placed, so I started freelancing with a radio channel, after which there was no looking back as I found it to be a fascinating industry and got a lot of recognition. The appreciation was great, and after two years I also started making videos on YouTube since I wanted to utilize my acting skills. Although now when I look back at my earlier videos, it's what the present generation would refer to as cringe content!" he says.

The first time Abhinav's content went viral was when he did a parody on DJs at Indian weddings, which ended up being shared by a lot of DJs themselves. Regarding some videos not doing well, he believes that is something which is bound to happen, although the tricky part is when content backfires because people misinterpret it in another way, which he had not thought of. In that scenario there have been cases when he himself has deleted the video, if he felt that the content had a chance of being misunderstood, a tough decision, but being flexible is an important trait. With competition increasing with more content creators sprouting up every day, his plan for 2023 is stick to what he does best, and not be influenced by other creators, the increasing competition or changing algorithms.

The author can be reached at bkabir@entrepreneurindia.com and Instagram.com/kabirsinghbhandari

Kabir Singh Bhandari

Former Senior Assistant Editor

News and Trends

"45% of All Ongoing Hydropower Projects in India are Ours": Patel Engineering

Patel Engineering reported a turnover of INR 4,400 crore in the last fiscal year, with a projected 10 per cent growth for the current year.

Business News

Former Steve Jobs Intern Says This Is How He Would Have Approached AI

The former intern is now the CEO of AI and data company DataStax.

Business Process

How CEOs Can Take Control of Their Emails and Achieve Inbox Zero

Although there are many methodologies that leaders can use to manage their emails effectively, a consistent and thought-through process is the most effective way to systemize and respond to emails and is a step of stewardship for the effective leader.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Leadership

Visionaries or Vague Promises? Why Companies Fail Without Leaders Who See Beyond the Bottom Line

Visionary leaders turn bold ideas into lasting impact by building resilience, clarity and future-ready teams.