Popular lifestyle vlogger and documentary creator Nishu Tiwari recently opened up about the drastic decision to shut down her thriving prank channel despite it generating massive revenue.
Nishu Tiwari currently commands a massive audience of over 4.2 million subscribers on her main channel, known for its mix of challenges and socio-cultural documentaries.
Speaking to edu-creator Kavya Karnatac on the Learn By KK Create podcast, the 4.2-million-subscriber YouTuber explained that the “vulgarity” associated with the Indian prank scene made her uncomfortable.
Nishu admitted that even though brands were paying well, she felt the content lacked respect and eventually decided to pivot entirely to storytelling and experimental vlogs, a move that has since redefined her career in the Indian creator economy.
The transition was not without financial risks, as Nishu highlighted the specific challenges of monetising content responsibly.
She candidly shared that she stopped promoting betting apps due to guilt, despite them being an easy source of money for creators with even small followings. Instead, she now focuses on family-friendly brand deals with companies, catering to her audience, which surprisingly includes a large number of television viewers.
She noted that nearly 40% of her content is consumed on TV screens, indicating that families watch her videos together, which reinforces her commitment to keeping her content clean and free from abuse.
Filming real-life documentaries comes with severe safety hazards, which Nishu detailed with chilling examples from her shoots. During a visit to the “Mini Africa” village in Gujarat, her team was surrounded by intoxicated men who harassed them and demanded they stop filming.
In another instance involving an IIT campus tour, a student faced disciplinary action after a video went viral, forcing Nishu to temporarily private the video to protect him.
She emphasised that her team, which remains incredibly lean with just three core members, including fellow YouTuber Mayank Kaushik and editor Ayush, often has to de-escalate conflicts to ensure their safety.
Mayank Kaushik, a creator with over 1.3 million subscribers himself, was described as the “root” of her channel. Nishu credited him for everything from financial support during their college days to handling technical crises today.
Their partnership began when they bonded over student loans, and he now manages the critical backend of her operations. This tight-knit operation allows them to produce high-effort “banger” videos, such as her deep dives into the lives of truck drivers and Blinkit delivery partners, where she spends hours in the field to capture authentic emotions rather than just staging shots.
