Popular documentary-style YouTuber and investigative vlogger Nishu Tiwari has publicly accused comedy creator Mahesh Keshwala, widely known as Thugesh, of stealing her content intellectual property (IP).
Tiwari, who commands a following of over 4 million subscribers for her high-production storytelling, claimed in a recent social media update that Thugesh intentionally duplicated her unique series format to capitalise on her research.
The dispute centres on a specific IP series that Tiwari launched titled “I Found the Lost Viral Sensations of India.” The series involves Tiwari travelling across remote regions to locate former internet stars like Ranu Mondal and the “Kacha Badam” singer to document their lives years after their fame faded.
Tiwari alleged that Keshwala, who operates the Thugesh Unfiltered channel with 2.9 million subscribers, lifted this exact investigative concept for his latest project.
Nishu Tiwari provided evidence claiming Keshwala reached out to her privately on Instagram to ask if she was “angry” after his first similar video was released.
She stated that while she initially stayed silent to avoid public conflict, Keshwala then allegedly tracked down the exact guests she had already filmed for her upcoming sequel, including Om Prakash Mishra and Dhinchak Pooja.
According to Tiwari, Keshwala used his larger production resources to rush his video to the platform before she could upload her original documentary.
Keshwala responded to the allegations with a defiant rebuttal, dismissing Tiwari’s claims and addressing her with dismissive language. The comedy creator, known for his “Thug Life” parodies and social media commentary, denied having the time or interest to track Tiwari’s production schedule.
He asserted that the guests did not mention Tiwari’s involvement to him and challenged her to keep her videos online, suggesting he would soon release a main-channel video that would reveal more about the situation.
This confrontation highlights growing tensions within the Indian creator economy regarding the ethics of content originality and “first-to-market” advantages.
Many independent creators struggle with “concept poaching,” where larger channels with more staff can replicate a smaller creator’s idea and reach a massive audience first.
This is a recurring issue in an industry where copyright laws often protect specific footage but struggle to safeguard a general “video idea” or series format.
Tiwari’s investigative content represents a shift in the Indian YouTube landscape toward cinematic storytelling, a niche she has helped popularise over the last three years.
Mahesh Keshwala remains one of the region’s most established creators, having built a multi-channel empire primarily based on humor and reaction videos since 2014.
The current e-lafda has sparked a wider conversation among aspiring creators about the need for better protection of creative formats.
