Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s digital creators are no longer confined to regional boundaries or regional languages. From viral regional reels to mainstream Hindi comedy, nationwide esports arenas, and intellectual podcasts, content creators with roots in Odisha are capturing millions of feeds. Whether delivering raw grassroots Odia entertainment or dominating English and Hindi internet culture, these influencers prove that creative talent from the state has massive national appeal.
1. Biswa Kalyan Rath Before stand-up comedy exploded into India’s mainstream, Biswa Kalyan Rath put Odisha firmly on the internet map alongside Kanan Gill with Pretentious Movie Reviews. Hailing from Rourkela and an IIT Kharagpur alumnus, Biswa’s iconic deadpan delivery, sharp observational humour, and hit comedy specials on Amazon Prime made him an essential figure in modern Indian pop culture.
2. Dhiraj Takri Coming from the small village of Chitrakote in Nabarangpur district, 21-year-old Dhiraj Takri turned a basic Panasonic smartphone and a 4G connection into a sensation. After failing his Class 12 exams amid tough family circumstances, Dhiraj picked up English during a brief stay at a training institute in Kerala and refined an American accent purely by watching online videos. Today, his conversational English tutorials on Instagram have earned him over 1 million followers, proving that high-impact educational content needs determination rather than fancy studio setups.
3. Biswapati Sarkar As one of the core creative pillars behind The Viral Fever (TVF), Rourkela-born Biswapati Sarkar shaped early Indian web-series culture. Widely acclaimed for writing groundbreaking shows like Permanent Roommates and TVF Pitchers, he achieved internet immortality with his satirical character “Arnub with a U,” parodying news anchor Arnab Goswami in sketches that racked up tens of millions of views.
•
4. Khordha Toka Proving that purely vernacular, grassroots Odia storytelling can pull massive audiences, the creators behind the Khordha Toka channel have turned local internet sketches into full-fledged productions. Known for their rustic situational comedy and emotional drama, the team transitioned from short social video clips to creating independent Odia films and web cinema, driving high engagement from Odia diasporas everywhere.
5. Vimoh (Vijendra Mohanty) A long-time voice in digital culture and intellectual discourse, Vimoh is the co-creator of the graphic novel series Ravanayan and the creative force behind Epified, a channel renowned for animated explorations of Indian mythology, philosophy, and history that also aired on the Epic Channel. Beyond producing Hindi video essays on his personal YouTube channel and hosting the Vimoh Live discussion series, he built an audience of nearly 300,000 before consciously stepping away from Instagram to focus on long-form writing and speculative fiction.
6. Arpit Bala One of the most quotable internet personalities in modern Indian meme culture, Arpit Bala has cultivated a cult following through his surreal comedy, music, and irreverent livestreams. His spontaneous reactions and chaotic humor routinely define trends across Indian Reddit, YouTube, and Instagram.
7. Xyaa (Shagufta Iqbal) Born and raised in Bhubaneswar, Shagufta Iqbal—better known to the gaming world as Xyaa—transitioned from a corporate software role into one of India’s most prominent female gaming streamers. Dominating tactical shooters like Valorant and CS:GO, her high-skill gameplay and engaging commentary broke stereotypes in a male-dominated esports space and inspired a wave of women gamers across India.
8. Scout (Tanmay Singh) As one of the most recognized esports athletes in South Asia, Scout is celebrated for his aggressive entry-fragging, pinpoint recoil control, and international tournament appearances in the mobile gaming scene. With millions of subscribers tuning in for his gameplay, commentary, and streams, he remains a titan in the Indian digital gaming community.
9. Rapper Big Deal (Samir Rishu Mohanty) Born in Puri to a Japanese mother and an Odia father, Samir Mohanty made a national splash with socially conscious hip-hop addressing identity, heritage, and discrimination. Tracks like Mu Heli Odia and modern interpretations of regional anthems have established him as an artist bridging traditional state pride with mainstream Indian rap.
10. Mr. Gulua (Ashish Kumar Das) Originating from Brahmagiri in Puri, Ashish Das has become a household name in vernacular digital comedy through his persona “Mr. Gulua.” His episodic sketches, slapstick timing, and grassroots Odia storytelling have generated over a million subscribers on YouTube, capturing audiences across Odisha and beyond.
